Off the cuff: With a short rotation due to injury and COVID and with Notre Dame draining three after three, perhaps Carolina wasn't going to win this game but the Heels had opportunities down the stretch that were thwarted by themselves and official calls or noncalls. The worst call of the the night was a delayed charge call on Love with about 10 minutes to play. There were three defenders around him and the one that drew the contact was moving and had one foot inside the circle, which automatically means it's either a defensive foul or no foul. Perhaps the worst official in the ACC, Ted Valentine, made the call. With more than five minutes to play, Bacot appeared to have scored and was fouled but the officials called him for traveling. It did look awkward in real time but with the ability to see the replay, it was not a travel. A three-point play would have tied it at 66 all. With under three minutes to go, and a chance to tie it at 69-all, Notre Dame's Ryan fouled Bacot but it wasn't called and the Irish came away with the ball, leading to two straight threes by ND's Laszewski. Trailing just 72-70, got a chance to tie with about a minute to go but Love dribbled and turned and twisted and put up a forced shot instead of passing it off. He missed and a desperate Bacot fouled. Then Bacot fouled a three-point shooter. Notre Dame converted two of them to go up 74-70. Then Leaky Black missed an open layup with 32 seconds left and Carolina had to foul. Notre Dame hit four three throws over the last 27 seconds to put it away. After losses, Coach Davis tends to say that the Heels didn't play Carolina basketball. How many times will he say that before it becomes Carolina basketball? |
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