Lucas: VCU Rapid Reactions – University of North Carolina Athletics

1. In an incredible collapse, Carolina lost a 19-point second half lead and lost to VCU in overtime, 82-78. The Heels went the final 7:44 of game action without a field goal and also went 4-for-9 at the free throw line during that stretch. 

2. The second half was a combination of almost everything that has plagued the Tar Heels this year. They missed key free throws (five in the final seven minutes, including the front end of a one-and-one), committed turnovers (four in the final 4:30 of regulation), didn’t make a field goal in overtime and just generally looked out of sorts as the Rams caught fire and shot 62 percent in the second half. 

3. Terrence Hill scored 34 points for VCU, tying the fifth-most points ever against Carolina in the NCAA Tournament.

4. A second half stretch when UNC simply could not get any stops was key to the VCU comeback. At one stretch, they made 13 of 16 field goals. The Tar Heels contributed to that meltdown with turnovers, missed free throws and bad decisions on offense. They also absorbed a five-second call with a timeout in their pocket with under a minute to play in the final minute.

5. Individual standouts: Henri Veesaar had 26 points and 10 rebounds but will rue his two missed free throws at the end of overtime. The second one was a mental error, as the ball didn’t hit the rim and automatically went to VCU without Carolina having a chance at an offensive rebound. It was very much emblematic of the failure to execute over the final 15 minutes or so of game action. Seth Trimble had 15 points, eight rebounds and six assists but will likewise rue his free throw struggles. Those two, however, were not the overall problem on Thursday night.

6. The Tar Heels made some bad history with the loss. It’s the first time in school history the program has lost in back to back seasons in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. It’s the first time the Tar Heels have ended a season 0-3 with losses in the regular season finale, the first game in the ACC Tournament, and the first game in the NCAA Tournament. And it’s just the third time ever Carolina has lost to a double-digit seed in the NCAA Tournament. Losing three of the last four NCAA Tournament games is the worst NCAA Tournament stretch since a span from 1977-80 that also included a loss in the national title game.

7. Largely due to Hill, the VCU bench outscored UNC 42-7. The 42 is a big number, but the seven points is likewise a big number in the way it didn’t provide much support to the starters. Zayden High had four points off the bench and Jonathan Powell scored three but missed all five of his three-pointers.

8. This seems like a different team, but Carolina put together a solid defensive first half that saw it limit VCU to 34.5 percent from the field and 25 percent from three. “That was one of our better defensive halves in a long time,” assistant coach Marcus Paige said during his halftime interview on the Tar Heel Sports Network. “We met and exceeded their physicality in most cases.”

9. But then that evaporated in the second half, as did Carolina’s ability to get turnovers and turn them into quick fast break points. Trimble had been excellent at that through the first 30 minutes, but VCU cut off the run-outs during their comeback.

10. Neither team shot the ball well in those first 20 minutes, but Carolina was much more effective close to the rim. The Tar Heels were 10-for-16 on layups or dunks, while VCU managed just 5-for-11.That was essentially the difference in a half UNC led by 11. As you might expect, that turned around in the second half. VCU was 10-for-16 from close range in the final 25 minutes and Carolina was just 5-for-9. Getting only nine attempts at layup/dunk range in the final 25 minutes after getting 16 in the first half was indicative of how hard Carolina found it to score.

11. Carolina is now 33-4 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament but 2-3 in the last five first round games.

12. Greenville does a great job as an NCAA Tournament host. The event should be here as often as the rotation allows.

13. Carolina now goes into the offseason with plenty of questions. The only certainty is that Seth Trimble has played his last game for the Tar Heels. He deserves plenty of respect for sticking with the program for four years, in addition to consistently representing Carolina basketball with class, thoughtfulness and dedication.