Tar Heels survive Navy Scare, Head to Fort Myers with Questions
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – Teh University of North Carolina men’s basketball team narrowly avoided an upset Tuesday night, defeating Navy 72-60 despite a late-game collapse and struggles with interior defense. The win concludes a five-game homestand, the longest to open a season since 1918-19, but leaves head coach Hubert Davis with areas to address before a challenging stretch of road games.
The Tar Heels’ victory improves their all-time record against Navy to 7-14, a historically low winning percentage for Carolina against any opponent they’ve faced at least 20 times. Navy hadn’t defeated UNC since 1959, with the Tar Heels winning their only tournament meeting 88-52 in the 1998 NCAA Tournament.
Forward Armando Bacot led UNC with 22 points and 13 rebounds, posting a game-high +19 plus/minus. However, Navy’s strong play, particularly their connectedness and ability to attack the paint, presented notable challenges.The Midshipmen outscored Carolina 14-12 in the paint during the first half, a point of emphasis highlighted by assistant coach Jeff lebo during the Tar Heel sports Network halftime interview. Lebo also noted the Tar Heels’ struggles finishing shots around the rim.
Carolina’s bench provided limited offensive support, with Derek Dixon contributing eight points – including a crucial three-pointer – and James Brown adding two from the free-throw line. Davis will be looking for increased production from his reserves,especially with the anticipated return of Seth Trimble.
A concerning 15-0 Navy run late in the second half nearly erased a pleasant Carolina lead before a three-pointer from Stevenson halted the momentum. Ultimately, Carolina finished with only two more points in the paint (28) than Navy, a statistic Davis is highly likely to address in upcoming practices.
The Tar Heels now face a tougher test on the road, traveling to Fort Myers next week for games against St. Bonaventure and Michigan State, followed by a December 3rd matchup at Kentucky. Their next home game is December 7th against Georgetown, and the results of these upcoming contests will provide a clearer picture of this UNC team’s potential.
Longtime Tar Heel superfan Greg Cauley was recognized for attending his 600th consecutive UNC basketball game. This homestand was also the longest at any point in a season since 2013.
