Tar Heels fall short. Three takeaways from UNC basketball’s ACC loss at Louisville

Stop if you’ve heard this before: After racing back from an 11-point second-half deficit, North Carolina men’s basketball found itself in a back-and-forth battle on the road with a Quad 1 win on the line.

UNC’s New Year’s Day contest against Louisville had all the tendencies Tar Heel fans have come to expect. This time, North Carolina fell to Louisville 83-70 on Wednesday night at the KFC Yum! Center after allowing a 13-1 Cardinal run in the game’s final three minutes.

The Tar Heels (8-6, 1-1 ACC) are now 1-2 on the road this season, losing by three points at No. 1 Kansas and beating Hawai’i.

Freshman phenom Ian Jackson led North Carolina with 23 points, while RJ Davis and Drake Powell added 12 and 14, respectively. Ven-Allen Lubin tied his season-high in rebounds with nine.

Here are three takeaways from UNC’s loss:

Another second-half surge and collapse

With the game tied at 61, Louisville (9-6, 2-1 ACC) unleashed a 22-9 run to close out the game. Time worked against the Tar Heels as they appeared flustered and forced poor shots. North Carolina also continued to struggle on the boards in crunch time — only recording one rebound in the final four minutes.

With seven and a half minutes remaining, senior guard Chucky Hepburn made a driving layup, putting Louisville up 66-63. A turnover by Davis led to free throws from fifth-year Terrence Edwards Jr., extending Louisville’s lead. Despite late-game heroics from Jackson and Powell, the Cardinals maintained control, with Hepburn getting to the line and a momentum-shifting 3-pointer by senior sharpshooter Reyne Smith pushing Louisville’s lead to 76-69.

The loss underscores UNC’s struggles in high-pressure moments and late-game scenarios, which has been a focus in team training sessions.

“All of our losses were really close, and we flipped that around in the UCLA game, and we have confidence that we can flip that around now,” sophomore guard Elliot Cadeau said on Sunday following UNC’s win over Campbell. “We did so much film on those last couple minutes of every loss, so it’s like we know exactly what we want to do… and that’s what it’s going to come down to in the ACC, especially on road, against any team.”

Captain Jack continues hot streak

Jackson continues to solidify his reputation as a rising star in the ACC.

Coming off back-to-back standout performances against UCLA and Campbell — and an ACC Rookie of the Week nod — Jackson once again led the Tar Heels in scoring against Louisville. The freshman guard showcased his ability to score in a variety of ways, attacking the rim and converting from beyond the arc.

His 23-point performance marked his third consecutive game with 20 or more points. The last UNC freshman to achieve that feat was Cole Anthony in 2019-2020.

Jackson’s emergence comes at a critical time for a UNC team still searching for consistent offensive production outside of veteran guard Davis. With Jackson’s dynamic scoring, ability to make plays in transition and stretch the defense, the Tar Heels have found a reliable weapon as ACC competition intensifies.

UNC’s rim protection struggles exposed

A dunk by sophomore forward James Scott, followed by key free throws, sealed the game for Louisville on Wednesday. Throughout the game, in sequences just like this, the Cardinals exposed one of UNC’s most glaring weaknesses this season: rim protection.

Louisville capitalized on the Tar Heels’ lack of length by relentlessly attacking the paint. The dynamic duo of Hepburn and Scott became a lethal combination, with Hepburn’s lobs, dumps, and hand-offs setting up Scott for easy finishes at the rim. Their connection was a constant threat. Hepburn’s precision passing allowed Scott to convert high-percentage shots and secure crucial second-chance points.

Hepburn finished with 26 points and seven assists, while Scott recorded 11 points and eight rebounds.

Once again, UNC’s frontcourt struggled to defend Louisville’s big men. The Cardinals outscored the Tar Heels in the paint and outrebounded them — especially in key moments — pointing to North Carolina’s issues with consistency.

“We can score, but can we become the best defensive and rebounding team that we can become?,” UNC coach Hubert Davis said on Sunday. “And when I say that, it is in large part the consistency… for us to be able to have success moving forward, not only do we have to become a good defensive and rebounding team, but it has to be consistent as well.”