UNC basketball shows out in win over La Salle in front of new football coach, recruit
North Carolina’s new football coach made an appearance Saturday in the Tar Heels’ basketball house.
Bill Belichick strode to midcourt at halftime of UNC’s game against La Salle. To say he was well-received by the denizens of the Smith Center would be an understatement — the legendary NFL coach already is being called “Chapel Bill.”
Fans were told to stay in their seats to welcome the “newest member of the Carolina family.” And Belichick, the new member, brought a soon-to-be-member with him: Quarterback Bryce Baker of East Forsyth High, his first recruit as UNC’s coach.
There was basketball played, too: The Tar Heels rolled to a 93-67 victory over the Explorers of the Atlantic-10 Conference.
The Heels had a sluggish start — R.J. Davis missed three shots in the first 67 seconds — but used a 16-0 run to build a 42-25 lead by halftime.
The second half evolved into the Cade Tyson show as the 6-7 junior finished with 23 points, easily his season high. The shots kept falling for the transfer from Belmont and the roars kept coming.
UNC coach Hubert Davis used his depth and a steady rotation of players to keep fresh bodies on the court. The Tar Heels (6-4) also made their presence felt on defense, Seth Trimble turning a second-half steal into a two-hand slammer.
The Explorers’ leading scorer, graduate guard Corey McKeithan, picked up two early fouls that earned him some bench time. When he was in the game, McKeithan had to deal with Trimble, an active defender, and finished with eight points, more than 10 below his average.
UNC fans, silent in the early minutes, had enough to cheer before Belichick took his spin across the court.
During the 16-0 spurt, Jalen Washington made a spinning, off-balance shot in the lane. The Tar Heels trapped in the backcourt, forcing a turnover that Trimble, with a nice head fake, turned into a basket.
Later, Davis finally nailed a 3-pointer — big hand from the fans. Tyson did the same — another big hand.
The Explorers tried a point zone in the second half but it was not that effective. On one play, Elliot Cadeau dribbled into the middle of the zone, then found Davis open underneath for a layup..
“We did a good job of sharing the basketball and going from good-to-great shots,” Davis said.. “It was just Carolina basketball today … It felt like everybody scored and that’s the basketball we need moving forward.”
History was working against La Salle in this one. The Explorers had not beaten an ACC team since a victory over Clemson in 1974.
The Explorers did have one measure of success in Chapel Hill — not a victory, but a 37-point outburst by former star Lionel Simmons in the 1988 game. That stood as the most points scored by an opposing player in the Smith Center until it was tied last year by Dalton Knecht of Tennessee.
Three takeaways from the game:
Tyson finds his touch
“Nice to meet you, Cade Tyson.”
According to Tyson — and the story was repeated by R.J. Davis — that’s how UNC coach Hubert Davis greeted his top scorer Saturday in the Heels’ locker room after the game.
Davis and the Tar Heels have been waiting for Tyson to have the same shooting touch in a game that he often has shown in practices. Against La Salle, Tyson had 23 points in 21 minutes, making nine of his 14 shots from the field, going 5 for 10 on his 3-pointers and a few celebratory shoves in the chest from Cadeau.
“He shot the ball really well and found his rhythm and he was confident,” R.J. Davis said. “We’re going to need more of that from him moving forward but a good breakout game for him. That’s Cade for you, man.”
Tyson, a transfer from Belmont, said it was more “just getting in the gym,” shooting alone at times, putting in the extra work.
“Just shoot till I feel good about it, honestly,” he said.
Tyson felt good about it Saturday. He even had one 3-point shot all but dent the rim but still bounce in. It was his day.
Tyson’s high this season was 11 points against American, when he hit a trio of 3s. He also has had five games when he did not score and six games when he played eight or fewer minutes — one minute against Kansas and Auburn.
“There are ups and downs throughout the season, there just are,” coach Davis said. “It’s very easy when things doin’t go your way to point fingers and make excuses, and Cade has never done that. He’s shown up to work every day. … and it was nice to see his shots go in today.”
Making the right pass
One stat that quickly caught the eye of UNC coach Davis was the Heels finishing with 22 assists on their 36 made baskets.
“A soon as someone caught the ball, they either passed, drove it or shot it. There was no hesitation,” Davis said. ”Maybe the last three or four games we weren’t consistently making the extra pass, and I felt like today we did.
“In terms of ball movement and spacing, I thought that was much better. But I thought our willingness to just instinctively, quickly, hit the open teammate, we got back to what we were doing early in the season.”
After a seven-turnover game against Georgia Tech, albeit in a win, point guard Elliot Cadeau had seven assists and one turnover Saturday. R.J. Davis had five assists and Trimble four as the Heels moved the ball crisply enough.
One emphasis was on getting the ball to the big men close to the basket. Cadeau, Davis and others saw to it
“If we can do that, one, they can score, and two, they get fouled,” Davis said. “I just feel it will open us up, our perimeter players, and be just more efficient on the offensive end. It has been an emphasis all week to get our big guys involved.
“Until today, we really hadn’t looked at the post. It’s something we’re going to do even more. I just believe in it and I thought it was a good start today.”
Hubert Davis and the ‘level of me’
Asked about his approach during the Tar Heels’ practices this week, Davis quickly replied: “I turned up the level of me.”
Meaning?
“There’s a job and responsibility out there and there’s no more, ‘My bad, I’ll get it the next possession.’ Every possession counts,” he said. “If you ask the guys, one of the things I say all the time is ‘Let’s be detailed in our approach.’
“And what’s detailed in our approach? I said, ‘Tie ourselves to the small things, the discipline and details that allow us to be successful.’ Setting the screens, executing. Getting to our spots. Spreading the offense. Boxing out. Making contact first. Diving on loose balls. Getting to the free-throw line and making free throws.”
The last was the one area that the Heels did not quite cover well enough against La Salle — UNC was 11 of 23 at the foul line.
Davis also was asked whether the players are quickly aware when he turns up the “level of me.”
“Oh, they know,” Davis said.
This story was originally published December 14, 2024 at 6:04 PM.
