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Tar Heels Outshine Hokies in High-Scoring Affair at Dean Smith Center

The North Carolina Tar Heels, ranked 7th, displayed a commanding performance against the unranked Virginia Tech Hokies with a final score of 96-81. The Tar Heels now boast an impressive record while the Hokies are left to regroup after another setback.


Feb 17, 2024; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; Virginia Tech Hokies guard Hunter Cattoor (0) shoots as North Carolina Tar Heels guard Cormac Ryan (3) and forward Armando Bacot (5) defend in the first half at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports

In front of a packed house at the Dean Smith Center, the Tar Heels took control from the start. By halftime, they had already racked up 50 points to the Hokies' 39. The offensive onslaught continued in the second half as they added another 46 points to their tally. The home team's field goal percentage was an efficient 52 percent for the game, and their two-point attempts were particularly effective with a success rate of 60 percent.


The Tar Heels' dominance was not limited to scoring alone; they outrebounded their opponents by a significant margin with a total of 43 rebounds compared to just 31 for Virginia Tech. This included an impressive haul of offensive rebounds where UNC grabbed 13 against Virginia Tech's seven.


Feb 17, 2024; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels forward Harrison Ingram (55) with the ball as Virginia Tech Hokies center Lynn Kidd (15) and guard MJ Collins (2) defend in the second half at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports

One cannot overlook UNC's defensive efforts either; they blocked five shots and made four steals over the course of play. Their defense translated into offense as well, contributing eight fast break points and capitalizing on turnovers with thirteen points off them.


Virginia Tech did put up resistance through their own sharpshooting from the free-throw line where they achieved an outstanding ninety percent accuracy but it wasn't enough to counteract UNC's overall performance. They also managed twenty points off turnovers and nine second-chance points but fell short in key areas such as assists where they only recorded thirteen compared to eighteen by UNC.


Feb 17, 2024; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; Virginia Tech Hokies guard Sean Pedulla (3) shoots as North Carolina Tar Heels guard Elliot Cadeau (2) defends in the first half at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports

As for individual performances, several players stood out but without specific statistics provided it is clear that this was a team victory built on solid teamwork and collective effort across both ends of the court.


Looking ahead, fans can catch North Carolina Tar Heels next when they visit John Paul Jones Arena in Charlottesville on February twenty-fourth at four o'clock PM Eastern Time against Virginia Cavaliers. This matchup will be broadcast nationally on ESPN channel two hundred six ensuring fans won't miss any action from this anticipated conference game.

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