By Adam Lucas
Carolina faced Navy in a solid 73-61 win, marking their 2,400th victory—a milestone that only Kentucky and Kansas have reached. Despite not being dazzling, they really outmuscled their opponents.
One interesting fact is that Carolina is third in the nation for dunks, trailing only Georgia and Kentucky. They racked up 10 dunks in the game, with Caleb Wilson being a standout. He scored 23 points and grabbed 12 rebounds, showcasing his skills on the court.
Defensively, Carolina has been impressive this season. They’ve managed to limit opponents to just 33.3% shooting, ranking eighth in the country. Navy struggled, hitting only 30.4% from the field, and Carolina had seven more blocks than Navy. When holding opponents to below 40% shooting, Carolina has a remarkable record of 49-4 under coach Hubert Davis.
Jarin Stevenson has been quietly effective. He hasn’t always stood out, but he followed Davis’s guidance and made crucial plays. In this game, he scored six points, grabbed four rebounds, and played a big role in pushing the pace. His final stats showed 11 points and eight rebounds with a game-high +19 rating.
Halftime insights from assistant coach Jeff Lebo highlighted some areas for improvement. Navy was more connected, and Carolina needed to do better at keeping them out of the paint. They had a 14-12 disadvantage in points scored in the paint during the first half.
Davis is looking for more from his bench. In the first half, only Derek Dixon scored for the reserves with a three-pointer, finishing with eight points. With Seth Trimble’s return, the bench’s production might improve. This is crucial as the season progresses.
The second half has raised the stakes for upcoming practices. Carolina allowed a late 15-0 run from Navy before Stevenson hit a three-pointer to stop the bleeding. The team only managed two more points in the paint than Navy, which is concerning.
Historically, Carolina’s winning percentage against Navy has been a bit of a mystery, sitting at .300 against them before this win. It’s notable since they haven’t lost to Navy since 1959. Out of all the teams, a uniquely exclusive group has a winning record against Carolina, which includes Army and Indiana.
While the game wrapped up their five-game homestand, the schedule gets tougher. They’ll face teams like St. Bonaventure, Michigan State, and Kentucky soon, which will be a real test for the Tar Heels. How they perform will give fans a clearer picture of the team’s potential this season.
On a nice note, a big shoutout to Greg Cauley, a passionate fan who attended his 600th straight home game on Tuesday.
Source link
