Narrow escape: Three takeaways from UNC’s overtime home win over Boston College

After one-point losses to Stanford and Wake Forest, North Carolina’s Tar Heels needed to experience that winning feeling again.

Enter Boston College.

Before Saturday, the Heels had beaten the Eagles in 17 of the past 18 games. The Heels figured to make it 18 of 19 against a team that was 1-7 in the ACC and had lost its last five games.

The Heels did do that, but it took overtime. The Eagles proved to be a very tough out this day before the Tar Heels finally emerged with a 102-96 victory at the Smith Center.

It was punch and counter-punch in OT. UNC’s R.J. Davis hit a 3-pointer for a 94-91 lead, but Donald Hand Jr. answered with a 3 for the Eagles and finished with a game-high 26 points.

Seth Trimble, who came up big for UNC late in regulation, pushed the Heels ahead 98-96 with 1:42 remaining, and UNC then got a defensive stop as BC’s Luka Toews missed a 3-pointer.

Davis’ two free throws with 53.4 seconds left made it a 100-96 UNC lead, and Ven-Allen’s Lubin’s dunk finished it off.

“It took everyone today, a group effort, in the way way we were persevered and were resilient at the end,” Davis said. “We battled, fought to end, got some crucial stops and were able to execute on the defensive end.

“I’m taking this win. I know it was ugly but it is a win and we’re at a point right now where we’re trying to stack some wins. It was ugly today, but it goes up as a ‘W’ so we’re good.”

Davis finished with 22 points for UNC (13-8, 6-3 ACC), while Ian Jackson had 19 with a big second half and Trimble finished with 18 points and 12 rebounds.

The tension increased down the stretch of regulation as both teams fought hard — BC sensing the opportunity to pull perhaps a season-shifting upset and the Heels determined not to lose again.

Chad Venning’s inside basket with 1:19 remaining put the Eagles ahead 87-85, and the Heels then turned the ball over on a Drake Powell pass under the basket.

When Joshua Beadle hit a baseline jumper with 26 seconds left, BC’s lead was 89-85. But Trimble, fouled with 18.9 seconds left, knocked down two free throws and the Heels called a timeout to set up the defense.

With Drake Powell using his big wingspan to challenge the in-bounds pass, UNC forced a 5-second violation and Trimble then scored inside for the tie with 12.9 seconds left. BC called a timeout with 4.5 seconds showing. UNC had fouls to give and took one, then forced a turnover on the in-bounds -- Powell again a factor -- with 1.4 on the clock.

Davis got off a long shot in time, but the ball bounced off the rim and it was on to overtime.

Three takeaways from the game:

Jackson heats up

UNC’s Ian Jackson left the court after pregame warmups waving his arms, asking the fans for some noise, trying to liven up the place.

Jackson then made some of his own noise in the second half. After the Eagles took a 62-57 lead, causing some angst in the arena, Jackson scored. Then he scored again.Then he hit a jumper.

With about 10 minutes left, Jackson buried a 3-pointer for a 67-64 lead. Later, another 3 from the corner fell for a 72-70 UNC lead, and he would have big moments to come in scoring 19 points.

UNC coach Hubert Davis has said the freshman from the Bronx can make scoring points look easy. Jackson did in the second half Saturday, and just when the Heels needed a power surge.

Another thing Coach Davis has noted: Jackson “jumped a couple of levels” on opposing teams’ scouting reports after his run of 20-point games. Case in point: Stanford and Wake looked to cut off his drives and held him to a combined 13 points.

“He was on a nice stretch. Now it’s his time to adjust,” Davis said Friday. Jackson did that Saturday,

BC keeps it close

The oddsmakers made UNC a 19.5-point favorite over a BC team that was 1-7 in the ACC. Seemed about right. Until game time.

The Tar Heels couldn’t break away. The Eagles moved the ball well enough, spread out the shots well enough and made enough of them to keep pace.,shooting 54.5% from the field and hitting 14 of 24 on their 3’s.

Dion Brown had 12 points and Donald Hand Jr. had 11 in the opening half as Boston College shot 55% from the field. The Eagles led 37-33 after a 3-pointer from Fred Payne and had a chance to go in at halftime with the lead, only to botch the final possession of the half.

It was more of the same in the second half as Brown continued to score and had help. Hand’s 3-pointer with five minutes left pushed BC ahead 79-76.

BC’s Chad Venning, a 6-foot-9, 270-pound locomotive of a player, sat out the final few minutes of the opening half after picking up his second personal foul.

With Venning on the bench, UNC’s Drake Powell had the most explosive move of the opening half, throwing down a power slam that had UNC fans on their feet. The replay drew an even bigger hand.

Venning, a graduate transfer from St. Bonaventure, is quick on his feet for a big guy, made some deceptively effective moves inside and had 17 points for BC (9-11, 1-8 ACC).

Drive first, then the 3

Who needs to jack up a string of 3-pointers when you can put the ball on the floor and straight-line it to the basket?

The Tar Heels and Eagles tested each other off the dribble a lot, looking to attack the basket and either score or draw a foul and get to the free-throw line. If that was the pregame strategy, both teams did that well in the first half.

UNC’s R.J. Davis nailed a 3-pointer for the first basket of the game, but the Heels attempted just six 3s in the opening half. Mostly, it was Davis, Elliot Cadeau or Seth Trimble looking to penetrate the BC defense.

For the first time since the UCLA game just before Christmas, the Heels did not have center Jalen Washington in the starting lineup as Ven-Allen Lubin got the nod. But Washington got plenty of playing time and seemed plenty energized when he was on the floor: Washington had 12 first-half points.

Washington took a hard fall late in the game and was down in the court in pain, a scary moment for UNC over a player who has had knee issues. He was helped off the court but later told the media, “I’m all good. I’m fine”

Both teams turned to the 3 more often in the second half. UNC finished 6-of-16 from the arc and BC’s Hand hit five of eight 3-pointers and Brown four of five.