The Louisville Cardinals put North Carolina out of its misery with a big 72-55 win as the Tar Heels fell for the seventh time in a row. At least this loss was excrutiating like the previous five. (2/22)

The hard-luck 2019-2020 Tar Heels were shorthanded again - this time without a sick Garrison Brooks and an injured (ankle) Justin Pierce.

Three of Carolina's previous four losses came in the last second. Losing this way may have been less painful to UNC fans but it was still a lost for the Tar Heels who fall to 10-17 overall and 3-13 in the conference.

“We didn't play as well as we wanted to play, to say the least,” UNC coach Roy Williams said after the game.“We muddied it up a little bit, and probably made them look a little uglier than they really are as well. But 18 points off turnovers, and for us to have 17 turnovers in a relatively low possession game is not what we want.”

North Carolina scored first on a Christian Keeling three but Louisville scored often building up a lead late in the half and going to the locker room in control at 36-23.

It only got worse for the Tar Heels as they failed to score in the first five minutes of the second half. By that time, Louisville had worked the lead up to 24 at 47-23.

There was little drama the rest of the way as Carolina could get no closer than 15 at 57-42 with more than seven minutes remaining.

The Heels could never get closer because the three ball wasn't dropping as they managed only 27 percent from beyond the arc.

Cole Anthony was the only Tar Heel to score in double figures with 18 points but he was just seven of 16 from the floor.

Lousiville, led by Nwora Jordan's 18 points, improves to 23-5 overall and 14-3 in the league.

Carolina hosts N.C. State Tuesday at 9 p.m. The Heels won the first time the teams met in January in Raleigh. That was the last UNC victory.

Box Score

UNC's Cole Anthony was the only Tar Heel player to score in double figures with 18 points. (UNC Athletic Communications)