Can the Tar Heels' Paint Domination Pave Their Path to Victory at Wake Forest?
The North Carolina Tar Heels emerged victorious with a 58-50 score against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons. The Tar Heels, who remain unranked, showcased their dominance inside the paint and capitalized on turnovers to secure their latest victory. The Demon Deacons fought valiantly but fell short in front of a home crowd at Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum.
In an impressive display of interior strength, the North Carolina Tar Heels outscored the Demon Deacons by 34 points in the paint. This was complemented by an aggressive defense that forced 24 turnovers and converted them into 22 points off those turnovers. Despite a lower free throw percentage of 44 percent compared to their opponents' 77 percent, it was their ability to maintain possession and maximize scoring opportunities that made the difference.
The Tar Heels were particularly effective from two-point range, shooting at a solid rate of 56 percent with 19 shots made out of 34 attempts. Their overall field goal percentage stood at an efficient 52 percent as they made good use of each offensive play. On defense, they managed to gather a total of seven steals and four blocks, disrupting the Demon Deacons' rhythm throughout the game.
Rebounding also played a key role in this matchup as the North Carolina team grabbed an impressive total of 40 rebounds – with both offensive (7) and defensive (26) boards contributing significantly to maintaining control over game flow. The second-chance points tally stood at eleven for UNC, further emphasizing their command under both baskets.
On Wake Forest's side, despite being less effective in field goals with only a success rate of just about one-third (32 percent), they showed resilience especially from beyond the arc where they hit four three-pointers out of sixteen attempts for a three-point shooting percentage rounded up to approximately one-fourth (25 percent). They also demonstrated precision from free throws but struggled with only five offensive rebounds which limited additional scoring chances.
Looking ahead for fans eager to support their team: The next challenge for UNC will be against North Carolina State Wolfpack on February 22nd at Carmichael Arena located in Chapel Hill. This encounter is scheduled for an evening tip-off time and will be broadcast nationally on ACC Network channel number six hundred twelve where fans can tune in live or stream online as per convenience.