UNC Basketball: Takeaways from best win of season over Virginia Cavaliers

3) Quality shots

A major reason for so many close losses by the Tar Heels this season has been shot selection.  In every game, there seem to be double-digit instances where the Heels let the shot clock get too low and have to chuck up something ugly, or Caleb Love decides to let one fly from 25 feet with a hand in his face, or RJ Davis drives into traffic and can’t get a good look. I feel like part of the reason for this is a lack of trust. For whatever reason, these Heels haven’t jelled. That’s why the assist numbers are so appallingly low most games.

The game against Virginia showcased a marked improvement in shot quality thanks to three things: moving without the ball, sharing with teammates, and pushing the pace. The Heels had 12 assists on the night, and they came in all shapes and sizes: kick-outs to the three-point line, entry passes down low to Armando Bacot, and backdoor cuts, something we’ve seen sparingly little of this season. Nearly all of the threes Carolina attempted in the first half were good looks, and unlike recent games, every Heel shot them with confidence. For the game, Carolina shot a stellar 45.5% from three, and if you take out Caleb Love’s off-night, that number rises to an astonishing 64.3%.

I said when previewing this game that you don’t all of a sudden remember how to shoot against Virginia. I’ll happily take the L on that one, because Carolina’s shooting was fantastic, and a big reason was the quality of the looks they got. There were very few plays where multiple Heels didn’t touch the ball, and the fact that Carolina hunted for shots right when they got down the floor led to more open chances.

Call me crazy, but I’m starting to feel it with this Carolina team. I really think a switch got flipped at halftime against Notre Dame, and for that, Hubert Davis and company deserve a lot of praise. Virginia under Tony Bennett is always a tough matchup, and the Heels carried over their momentum from earlier in the week and took it to the Cavaliers early and often.

Is it too late? We sure hope not. The next test comes on Monday at Florida State, traditionally a difficult destination for UNC. Though not having a vintage Seminole season, Leonard Hamilton’s boys overcame a 25-point deficit on the road against Miami to steal a win on Saturday night. In other words, Carolina can’t look ahead to Duke just yet. Look for our preview in the next 24 hours here on Busting Brackets.