With Saturday's 87-67 win over Miami, Carolina (16-2, 5-1 ACC) ran its
home winning streak to 13 games. The Tar Heels last lost at home to Duke
February 5, 2004 (83-81). Carolina also improved to 8-1 all-time against the
Hurricanes and 5-0 versus Miami in Chapel Hill.
Carolina has defeated ACC newcomers Miami and Virginia Tech by an average
of 27 points in the teams' first conference meetings this season. Prior to
Saturday¹s win over the Hurricanes, Carolina downed the Hokies, 85-51, in
Blacksburg December 19. The Tar Heels are not scheduled to meet either team
again in the regular season.
Despite shooting just 42.3 percent in the first half, Carolina carried a
14-point lead into intermission thanks to outstanding defense. The Tar Heels
held Miami to just 29.4 percent shooting, including a 14.3 percent mark
(1-7) from three-point range. Carolina shot just 1 of 11 from behind the arc
in the first half, but forced 10 Hurricane turnovers and had seven steals
and three blocks in the opening half.
For the game, Carolina held Miami to 35.8 percent shooting (24-67),
including a 6-22 (27.3 percent) performance from behind the arc. The Tar
Heels have held 14 straight opponents to below 44 percent shooting.
With all five starters with at least 10 points Saturday, Carolina has had
at least four players reach double figures in 12 straight games. UNC has had
at least four players in double figures in 15 of the 18 games this season.
After shooting 1 of 11 from three-point range in the first half, Carolina
went 4 of 9 in the second period. For the game, the Tar Heels shot 25
percent (5 of 20), their lowest mark of the season. The previous low was
26.7 percent in the USC win.
Senior Jackie Manuel tied a season best with 14 points. Manuel, who also
scored 14 against USC, was also a season-best 2 of 3 from three-point range.
With 17 points and 15 rebounds versus Miami Saturday, junior Sean May
recorded his fourth double-double of the season and the 19th of his career.
May also had a double-double versus Georgia Tech giving him two in the last
four games. He nearly had a double-double in the first half with nine points
and eight boards.
With 14 points on 7 of 12 shooting, senior Jawad Williams scored in double
figures for the 20th consecutive game and the 78th time as a Tar Heel.
Williams is the lone Carolina player to reach double figures each game this
season.
With 14 points Saturday, junior Raymond Felton now needs just 14 points to
become the 56th 1,000-point scorer at Carolina. Felton also has 571 career
assists and would become just the fifth Tar Heel with 1,000 points and five
assists in a career. Ed Cota was the last player to record this feat.
Junior Rashad McCants had 10 points, five rebounds and four assists and
now has 10 assists over the last two games.
Freshman Brooks Foster, a wide receiver with the Carolina football team,
saw his first action of the season versus Miami.
Junior Byron Sanders, who entered the game with just 11 points on the
season, had four points and two rebounds in three minutes of action.
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