Another game, another big victory for the North Carolina Tar Heels . UNC pulled away from the Georgetown Hoyas in Sunday afternoon college basketball action, outscoring them by 17 points in the second half, en route to an 81-61 blowout .
After needing a late, second-half comeback against Kentucky on Tuesday, North Carolina (8-1) left no doubt on the court Sunday. Caleb Wilson and Henri Veesaar , once again, took over with a pair of double-doubles. Wilson scored a game-high 20 points and added 14 rebounds, while Veesaar poured in 18 points and grabbed a game-high 15 boards.
Perimeter shooting hurt the Tar Heels in their Thanksgiving loss against Michigan State . Sunday was the second-straight game UNC shot over 30 percent from deep, with nine makes on 28 attempts (32%). Derek Dixon , who took over in Lexington, made a North Carolina-best three perimeter shots.
Defensively, the Tar Heels held Georgetown (6-3) to just 17% (4-of-23) from deep – and 33% overall. UNC shot 48% from the field, with four guys (Wilson, Veesaar, Dixon, Luka Bogavac ) reaching double-figures.
The Tar Heels took care of their last big test at home until December 30, when Florida State comes to Chapel Hill for both teams' ACC opener. North Carolina hosts USC Upstate on Saturday, ETSU on December 16, then travels to Atlanta for a neutral-site matchup with Ohio State four days later.
Hubert Davis was pretty happy about his team's performance during Sunday's win. Check out what UNC's head coach said in his postgame presser below, via transcribed quotes from TarHeel247's Noah Weiskopf :
"One of the things I've said to them over and over again, there's no way, there's no route, there's no road other than being able to be tough on both ends of the floor. We've identified that whether the ball goes up in the air, it's on the ground, we've got to be physical and tough enough that it's always all UNC. The physicality, even on the offensive end – being able to set screens, come off screens, the patience of taking the ball and being able to score, get to the free throw line, knock down free throws, make the extra pass. The last four games, in regards to St. Bonaventure, Michigan State , Kentucky and now Georgetown, very physical teams and I think it's great for us to learn lessons on what's going to allow us to be successful. In order for us to be successful, we've got to be a great defensive team, a great rebounding team."
"From an offensive standpoint, we're inside-out. I've been clear, definitive, I want to dominate points in the paint through post penetration, offensive rebounding, live in the paint, live at the free throw line, put max pressure on the rim. I believe when you do that, it generates the open threes – and I felt like we generated really good threes. Even though in the first half, I thought we had some good looks, we just didn't knock them down. But I'm really looking forward to the day when we're dominating points in the paint, are hot from 3-point range and we make all of our free throws."
"I though the start that Ky(an Evans) had was huge for us. Just the shots that he made, he was confident, he was aggressive, he was on point. It's been five out of the eight games where he's gotten into foul trouble, so we've got to find a way to keep him out there on the floor. I really like Ky and Derek on the floor at the same time. I've said always that I love multiple ball-handlers, you can't take us out of our offense. With those two, with the way that Georgetown was switching defenses, we always had somebody that could handle the basketball and get us into a set, get us organized. I thought Ky got off to a really nice start, Derek's confidence continues to grow on both ends of the floor."
"It's good. Obviously, the level of talent we've played against has been real. Unbelievable teams and programs. WIth the exception of a couple stretches in the Michigan State game, I feel like we've responded really well. Only nine games in, there's so much to grow, so much more to improve on. When Seth comes back, really re-organzing a new team. I'm looking forward to him getting back on the floor."
"One of the things that he's elite at is passing the basketball. I mean, he can find guys and so actually, when they put two on the ball, he becomes a playmaker. He's really instinctive and knows where his teammates are, gets the ball to where it needs to be. As teams continue to build more people around him, just learning when to be aggressive, when to get the ball back out. We'll get it right back into you. We love the ball in his hands and he makes great decisions."
"I think that's something that we're learning: you continue to have to execute. One of the things we always talk about – let's cut the games into halves and four minute segments and say, "we've got to win it." "Let's raise the level of attention to detail, will to, want to, effort and let's make sure we win these four minutes. But it starts defensively and rebounding the basketball. Not having those times where you take your foot off the gas – and just continue to finish the race. I think earlier when we have done that, we're getting better at it. I thought we did a really good job tonight, just staying the course and continuing to get stronger throughout the second half."
"He's so huge for us on both ends of the floor. His rebounding is real. His lift, his ability not only to just rebound, but to keep balls alive up in the air that allows us to get those rebounds, getting to the offensive glass, that's something that's always been an offensive emphasis for us. Honestly, with him and Caleb, they're our two best offensive rebounders. But you saw it tonight, I thought that three he hit was huge in the second half. When you have a 7-footer that can score around the basket, who can pass, who can handle, who can shoot threes, somebody that I like that's on our team. I'm really happy for him, he's playing extremely well. He's a great kid to coach and be around."
This article originally appeared on Tar Heels Wire: UNC Basketball: What Hubert Davis said after Tar Heels beat Hoyas
