UNC embarrassed at home by Georgia Tech after slow start
For the first 13 minutes of North Carolina’s game against Georgia Tech, fans inside the Dean Smith Center, and probably watching at home, were likely wondering ‘what in the world is happening.’
UNC could not score. The Tar Heels trailed by 24 points at one point, and did not make their first field goal until 6:49 left in the first half.
The Tar Heels made it a game in the second half, at one point cutting Georgia Tech’s lead to nine points. But the hole they dug themselves early was ultimately too large to overcome, and UNC lost to Georgia Tech 96-83 at the Dean Smith Center.
“I apologize to all the North Carolina fans who care about our basketball program, former players, everybody who cares about us, because we stunk it up tonight and it’s got to be my responsibility,” UNC coach Roy Williams said after the game.
The loss snaps a two-game winning streak for UNC (8-6, 1-2 ACC).
The Tar Heels have had their struggles scoring this season. They’ve gone on long scoring droughts to start second halves, but this start was as bad as it gets.
UNC junior forward Garrison Brooks was one of the few bright spots. He finished with a career-high 35 points and grabbed 11 rebounds. He made 17 of 18 free throws, and fouled out with a little more than two minutes left.
The next highest scorer was senior guard Brandon Robinson with 12 points.
“It was sad,” Robinson said of the mood in the locker room. “It’s never good when you lose. Just frustration. That’s all I can really give you.”
This was supposed to be a happy moment. One where UNC coach Roy Williams passed his mentor Dean Smith for fourth-place on the all-time wins list in NCAA history.
Georgia Tech (7-7, 2-2) has not been good this season. The Yellow Jackets entered with a losing record, and were 110th in the latest NET rankings. UNC was 83rd.
But “happy” was far from an accurate description when depicting this game.
UNC missed its first 15 field goals and Georgia Tech jumped out to an early 24-point lead. At one point UNC coach Roy Williams called a timeout and instead of addressing his players let his assistants yell at them.
Then a few seconds later he began yelling.
Williams was so upset he put in walk-ons Shea Rush and Robbie O’Han early in the game. That didn’t work either.
The Tar Heels’ first field goal was a Brooks hook shot.
That field goal finally got the Tar Heels going. They made seven of their next eight shots to end the first half. But, they still trailed by 20 points.
In the second half, the Tar Heels managed to cut the Yellow Jackets’ lead to single digits. They opened up the first four minutes of the second half on a 16-5 run. Brooks scored eight of those points.
But that was the closest the Tar Heels got.
The Tar Heels couldn’t stop Georgia Tech’s Moses Wright or Jose Alvarado. Wright, a Raleigh native, and Alvarado scored 22 and 25 points respectively. The two combined to make 17 of 25 shot attempts.
And one
There wasn’t much positive. The Tar Heels did make it somewhat of a game in the second half, cutting the lead to nine points. But they could not get over the hump.
Personal foul
The Heels missed their first 15 shots, and committed nine turnovers in the first half. Its 20-point halftime deficit was the largest ever in the Smith Center. The Smith Center opened in 1986.
ICYMI
Williams is one win from passing Dean Smith for sole possession of fifth-place on the all-time wins list. He currently has 879 wins.
The Tar Heels next play Pitt (10-4) on Wednesday at home.
Making sense of the numbers
11 the number of dunks Georgia Tech had against the Tar Heels.
59 field goal percentage for Georgia Tech. While the Tar Heels struggled early on, the Yellow Jackets continued to cook.
9 first-half turnovers. The Tar Heels did not take good care of the ball in the first half. They made lazy and questionable passes, allowing Georgia Tech to score easy baskets off turnovers.
This story was originally published January 4, 2020 at 8:07 PM.
