Rushed Reactions: #1 North Carolina 92, #4 Butler 80
Posted by Bennet Hayes on March 24th, 2017RTC is providing coverage from start to finish of the NCAA Tournament for the next three weeks.
Kennedy Meeks and the Heels had a lot to cheer about Friday night (Photo: Nelson Chenault-USA TODAY Sports)
- Tar Heels explode in the first half. North Carolina raced out to a 16-point lead in the first 10 minutes and never looked back. The Tar Heels would maintain that edge for the second 10 minutes of the first half, taking a 52-36 advantage to the locker room. Three Tar Heels scored in double figures – Justin Jackson with 17 points, Luke Maye with 14, Joel Berry with 10 – in a quintessential display of Carolina offense. They played fast (43 possessions), made three-point shots (8-of-17 from long-range), and exploited their size advantage inside in outrebounding Butler by 11. UCLA and Kansas each boast offenses as good, if not better, than that of North Carolina, but neither possess the inside-outside balance of the Heels. The first 20 minutes of this game was a potent expression of this reality.
- Unexpected and expected Carolina contributors. UNC has relied upon Jackson and Berry all season, and the Tar Heels’ junior duo delivered again tonight. They combined for 50 points, five three-pointers, and committed just three turnovers. However, it wasn’t just Jackson and Berry fronting the load this evening. Maye provided an unexpected spark in leading the first half surge, scoring 14 points and grabbing 11 rebounds in the opening frame. Roy Williams expressed immense appreciation for the contributions and skills of UNC’s very unlikely catalyst, saying he was not surprised by Maye’s night because he sees it every day in practice. Either way, the Heels should benefit from a confident Maye, as his ability to step out and shoot the three provides a nice balance to the bruising interior duo of Kennedy Meeks and Isaiah Hicks.
- Butler three-point shooting struggles. The Bulldogs were an efficient offensive outfit for the better part of their first 33 games of the season, with top-100 percentages nationally in 3FG, 2FG, and FT%. However, the 21st-most efficient offense in the country struggled to generate the points needed to hang with North Carolina this evening. The origin of the drought was obvious, as Butler made just eight of its 28 three-point attempts. Chris Holtmann couldn’t have had a problem with most of the rest of the offensive stat sheet, as his team shot 55 percent from two-point range, 86 percent from the free throw line, and turned the ball over just nine times in a high-possession game. Missed three-point shots is a familiar killer of seasons this time of year; tonight, Butler’s long-range struggles ensured its season would not continue.
Star of the Game. Justin Jackson, North Carolina. The versatile Tar Heels star had the full arsenal working Friday night. He was confident and effective in shooting the three, lofting floaters in the half-court, and getting out on the fast break for easy buckets. Jackson finished with 24 points, five rebounds, and five assists. Honorable mention goes to Maye, who unexpectedly delivered a career high 14 points and 11 rebounds, and Berry, who finished with a game-high 26 points.
Quotable.
- “Thrilled with this group. Thrilled with what they’ve accomplished. Was not thrilled for six minutes in the second half.” – Roy Williams, on his team’s season and evening.
- “This is a sudden end to one of the most special teams I have ever been a part of.” — Chris Holtmann, on the close of Butler’s season.
- “When you let a team like that feel good about themselves, it’s hard to get them out of that.” – Andrew Chrabascz, on UNC’s prodigious talent and performance tonight.
- “What Luke did today we see a lot in practice.” – Williams, on Luke Maye.
Sights and Sounds. The Heels were off to the races early, and the Carolina faithful enjoyed the surge with them. The small group of Butler fans that made the trip were rarely able to make their presence felt, while the rest of the arena nervously sat by in anticipation of game two. Kentucky blue was quite conspicuous, as it often is this time of year.
What’s Next. North Carolina advances to an Elite Eight game with epic potential, as the Kentucky-UCLA winner will be up next for the Heels. Tonight’s dominant performance is likely to have reasserted Carolina as a small favorite, no matter which teams awaits on Sunday. Butler’s ride ends in Memphis, but the Bulldogs posted a 25-win season that brought plenty of highlights (notably, a season sweep of No. 1 overall seed Villanova) and should also leave no regrets.
