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NCAA Basketball Takeaways: UNC, Gonzaga, Houston and UCLA all get major wins

By Tristan Freeman

Dec 17, 2022; New York, New York, USA; Kentucky Wildcats forward Jacob Toppin (0) drives to the basket against UCLA Bruins guard Jaime Jaquez Jr. (24) during the first half at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 17, 2022; New York, New York, USA; Kentucky Wildcats forward Jacob Toppin (0) drives to the basket against UCLA Bruins guard Jaime Jaquez Jr. (24) during the first half at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports /
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NCAA Basketball North Carolina Tar Heels forward Pete Nance Ohio State Buckeyes forward Justice Sueing Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
NCAA Basketball North Carolina Tar Heels forward Pete Nance Ohio State Buckeyes forward Justice Sueing Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports /

6. North Carolina gets first big win of the season over Ohio State

The Tar Heels were the No. 1 preseason team in the country and in a month, fell out of the top 25 altogether. They lost two games in the PK85 Invitational Tournament and lost to Indiana and Virginia Tech right after. Before the CBS Sports Classic matchup with Ohio State, they didn’t have a resume good enough to be in the NCAA Tournament conversation.

It looked like UNC was on its way to another loss, down nine points at halftime to the Buckeyes. But the backcourt of Caleb Love and RJ Davis was able to make enough shots to come back, before a Pete Nance fadeaway shot at the buzzer took them to overtime. The Tar Heels won the extra five minutes, with the final score of 89-84. Both key guards had 20+ points, while Armando Bacot led all scorers with 28 points and 15 rebounds.

This win could be the start of a turnaround for North Carolina, with ACC play coming soon. They had a similar moment last year after losing to Pittsburgh, before making a run to the national title game. The roster is similar and the talent is clearly there. Now the question is whether they can be consistent in producing night in and night out.

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