CHAPEL HILL, NC – North Carolina lost a 10-game game against the AP ranking opponents with an exciting second-half performance on Saturday, 16 points behind to upset Florida 11, 78-70. . biggest win of the season.
If the tar heels (15-8, 9-5 ACC) were at their worst in the first half, they converted 14 times and shot 25%, then they were definitely at their best after halftime. UNC outscored the Seminoles, 30-11, to open the second half and build its biggest lead at 59-52. The Tar Heels forced twelve times and kept the ACC’s top team up to 35.0% in the second half to close out a week-long roller coaster and clinch their NCAA tournament invitation besides.
FSU reduced its deficit by 5:03 to play to 61-59, but Kerwin Walton responded five seconds later with a 3-pointer, and the Tar Heels made all their free throws to secure the win. UNC shot 27-out-30 from the charity line, including a 14-out-14 effort in the second half.
The Tar Heels shot 50% after halftime and 38.3% for the game (21.7% 3FG), while the Seminoles were kept at 38.8% (29.4% 3FG).
The Tar Heels trailed 41-29 at halftime, making the return the fifth-largest halftime deficit won in a win in Smith Center history. It was the biggest halftime return at home for UNC since hitting Georgia Tech 13 points behind on February 15, 2006.
Kessler breakthrough
UNC’s revival falls in the first half along with Walker Kessler’s inclusion in the series. The 7-foot freshman was the best player on the floor from that point on, hitting career highs with 20 points on 9-out-10 shots, eight rebounds and four stoppages.
His game was a major development as forwards Garrison Brooks, Armando Bacot and Day’Ron Sharpe came together with 13 points on three-to-7 shooting.
900 for Roy Williams
The Hall of Fame head coach won his 900th career game in his 500th career home game on Saturday. Williams is 900-260 as head coach in 33 seasons and is now two wins to conquer Bobby Knight for third place on the all-time list. He won 900 games faster than any of the three coaches who reached the benchmark.
The 18th-year UNC head coach improved at home to 443-57, including a score of 242-41 in Chapel Hill.
Turnover Reversal
UNC’s 14 halftime turnover is the most in the middle of this season (13 against Stanford, 2H) and most closely matches the 15th in the first half of Georgia Tech on 16 February 2010. FSU scored 19 points of turnover in building a 41-29 lead.
However, it was the Seminoles’ turn in the second half. After the break, FSU had more turnover (12) than field goals (11), which resulted in the strong discount from UNC.
For the match, UNC scored 15 points with 17 FSU turnover. The Seminoles scored 25 points on 21 UNC turnover.
Highlight Play
?? dunks are good shots pic.twitter.com/UQ2JRgLukc
– Dadgum Box Scores (@dgumgumscores) 27 February 2021
Fans return
North Carolina Executive Order 195 allowed a limited return of supporters this weekend, as indoor arenas with at least 5,000 seats would get 15 percent capacity. That equated to about 3,200 fans at the Dean E. Smith Center. With 75% of the total coming out of the student lottery system, the Tar Heels had a lead in the home court for the first time this season.
Following
UNC returns to a four-game home field with a trip to Syracuse on Monday (19:00 / ESPN). The Orange lost two in a row to drop to 13-8 (7-7 ACC) in the final week of the regular season.