North Carolina To Face Arkansas In The Semifinal Of PK 80
North Carolina will face Arkansas who is a member of the South Eastern Conference in the Phil Knight invitational Friday.
Carolina plays Arkansas in the semifinal of the "Victory" bracket in the PK80 Invitational on Friday, Nov. 24, at 3:30 p.m. Eastern (ESPN).
• The Tar Heels advanced to the semifinal with a 102-78 win over Portland.
• The Tar Heels will play either Connecticut, DePaul, Michigan State or Oregon on Nov. 26.
• UNC's next home game is Nov. 29th against Michigan in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge.
• Carolina is 7-0 in Oregon, including 6-0 in Memorial Coliseum and 1-0 in the Moda Center.
• Carolina went 3-0 and won the Far West Classic in both 1967-68 and 1976-77.
• Carolina has won six regular-season tournaments under head coach Roy Williams (Maui in 2004-05, 2008-09, 2016-17; the CBE Hall of Fame Classic in Kansas City, Mo., in 2015-16; the Hall of Fame Tipoff in Uncasville, Conn., in 2014-15; and the Las Vegas Invitatiional "according to http://www.goheels.com/news/2017/11/24/mens-basketball-tar-heels-face-arkansas-friday-in-pk80-semis.aspx
• Carolina plays Arkansas in the semifinal of the "Victory" bracket in the PK80 Invitational on Friday, Nov. 24, at 3:30 p.m. Eastern (ESPN).
• The Tar Heels advanced to the semifinal with a 102-78 win over Portland.
• The Tar Heels will play either Connecticut, DePaul, Michigan State or Oregon on Nov. 26.
• UNC's next home game is Nov. 29th against Michigan in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge.
• Carolina is 7-0 in Oregon, including 6-0 in Memorial Coliseum and 1-0 in the Moda Center.
• Carolina went 3-0 and won the Far West Classic in both 1967-68 and 1976-77.
• Carolina has won six regular-season tournaments under head coach Roy Williams (Maui in 2004-05, 2008-09, 2016-17; the CBE Hall of Fame Classic in Kansas City, Mo., in 2015-16; the Hall of Fame Tipoff in Uncasville, Conn., in 2014-15; and the Las Vegas Invitational in 2007-08. "according to http://www.goheels.com/news/2017/11/24/mens-basketball-tar-heels-face-arkansas-friday-in-pk80-semis.aspx
UNC-ARKANSAS SERIES
• Carolina is 6-3 against the Razorbacks, including a 72-65 win over UA in the second round of the 2017 NCAA South Regional.
• UNC and Arkansas have faced each other six straight times in the NCAA Tournament (1990, 1993, 1995, 2008, 2015 and 2017).
• Roy Williams is 4-0 against the Razorbacks (3-0 at Carolina, 1-0 at Kansas). "according to http://www.goheels.com/news/2017/11/24/mens-basketball-tar-heels-face-arkansas-friday-in-pk80-semis.aspx
LAST YEAR'S GAME
MARCH 19, 2017, GREENVILLE, S.C.
UNC 72, ARKANSAS 65
• Carolina trailed 65-60 with 2:57 to play, but out-scored the Razorbacks, 12-0, to win by seven. It was the largest deficit UNC has overcome in the final 3:00 of an NCAA Tournament game to advance.
• In that stretch, UNC held the Razorbacks scoreless on their final six possessions (0-4 FG, 0-2 FT and one turnover).
• Current Tar Heel stats: Joel Berry II was playing on an injured ankle and finished with 10 points, three assists and two steals, but shot 2 for 13 from the floor; Theo Pinson had two points, two assists and two steals; Luke Maye had seven points and three rebounds in 10 minutes; and Seventh Woods played four minutes.
• Carolina out-scored Arkansas 17-7 in points off turnovers in the first half; in the second half, Arkansas out-scored UNC 17-6 in points off turnovers.
• The Razorbacks' 24 points off turnovers were the most against UNC all year.
• Carolina's 17 turnovers were its highest total since it committed 18 in an overtime win at Clemson on 1/3/2017.
• It was the first time UNC won an NCAA Tournament game when shooting under 40 percent from the floor (.381) since beating Southern California in the 2007 East Region Sweet 16 in the Meadowlands.
• Carolina entered the game No. 1 in the nation in rebounds, offensive rebounds and rebound margin. UNC had 45 rebounds, 18 offensive rebounds and out-rebounded the Razorbacks by 13 (45-32).
• Senior Kennedy Meeks had 16 points, 11 rebounds and three blocks.
• Senior Isaiah Hicks scored six points in the final 1:44.
• Consensus All-America and first-round draft pick Justin Jackson scored 15 points, grabbed eight rebounds, had five assists and five steals. He became the first Tar Heel to have at least 15 points, five rebounds, five assists and five steals in any NCAA Tournament game in UNC's history.
"according to http://www.goheels.com/news/2017/11/24/mens-basketball-tar-heels-face-arkansas-friday-in-pk80-semis.aspx
GAME FOUR – UNC 102, PORTLAND 78
• UNC scored a season-high 102 points.
• Carolina made one of its first nine three-point attempts, then sank nine of its next 15 three-point attempts to finish 10 for 24.
• Carolina shot 50 percent from the floor for the game. That's the second game in a row and third time in four games UNC has shot 50 percent from the floor.
• The Tar Heels are 192-5 under Roy Williams when they shoot 50 percent or better from the floor.
• Carolina shot 55.3 percent from the floor in the second half (21 of 38). That is the highest percentage in a half this year.
• Carolina made its first nine field goal attempts over the first five minutes to begin the second half. All five starters made at least one field goal and the Tar Heels out-scored the Pilots, 20-8, during that run.
• Carolina is 56-2 under Roy Williams when the Tar Heels score 100 points.
• Five Tar Heels scored in double figures for the second time this season (also Bucknell).
• Carolina scored a season-high 17 fastbreak points.
• Luke Maye led Carolina with 20 points and 10 rebounds. It was the third time he has scored 20 or more this season (came into the season with a career high of 17 points).
• The double-double for Maye is his second of the season (26 and 10 vs. UNI) and third of his career.
• Maye has pulled down nine or more rebounds in all four games this season.
• Theo Pinson had 11 points, a season-high nine rebounds and a season-high seven assists.
• Pinson led UNC in assists for the third time in the first four games and the 24th time as a Tar Heel.
• Joel Berry II made four three-pointers to tie Melvin Scott for 11th place in UNC history with 183.
• Kenny Williams scored 37 points in the last two games (20 at Stanford and 17 vs. Portland). That's the most points in any two-game stretch in his career (previous was 26 last year).
• Williams played a nearly-flawless game with 17 points on 7 of 12 shooting from the floor and added three offensive rebounds, three assists, no turnovers and three steals.
• Maye and Williams have scored in double figures in all four games this year.
• Freshman Andrew Platek made a season-high two three-pointers and scored a season-best 12 points. It was his first time in double figures as a Tar Heel.
• Brandon Robinson returned to the lineup after missing two games due to a sprained right shoulder. Robinson scored three points and had two assists in 12 minutes. "according to http://www.goheels.com/news/2017/11/24/mens-basketball-tar-heels-face-arkansas-friday-in-pk80-semis.aspx
GAME THREE – UNC 96, STANFORD 72
• Carolina made a season-high 11 three-pointers.
• Carolina scored a season-high 25 points off turnovers and a season-high 18 second-chance points.
• Carolina has won 10 consecutive games against Pac-12 opponents and is 11-1 against Pac-12 teams under head coach Roy Williams.
• Kenny Williams scored a career-high 20 points and made a career-high six three-pointers.
• Williams scored all 20 of his points in the first 9:03 as UNC built a 26-11 lead. He scored UNC's first 14 points on four threes and a layup to give UNC a 14-11 lead at the 14:28 mark.
• Williams made six threes in the first half. That is the most threes ever by a Tar Heel in a first half and equals the second-most threes in a half by a Tar Heel. They are the most in a half since Wayne Ellington made seven in the second half vs. Miami in 2009.
• Joel Berry II scored a game-high 29 points (18 in the first half, 11 in the second). It was his second-highest scoring output as a Tar Heel and his 14th career 20-point game,
• Berry was 5 for 11 from three-point range. It was the sixth time in his career he made at least five threes.
• Luke Maye had a game-high nine rebounds and had a career-high five assists. It was the second consecutive game Maye set a career-high in assists (had four vs. Bucknell).
• Huffman scored a season-high eight points and had a season-best five rebounds. "according tohttp://www.goheels.com/news/2017/11/24/mens-basketball-tar-heels-face-arkansas-friday-in-pk80-semis.aspx
GAME TWO – CAROLINA 93, BUCKNELL 81
• Luke Maye led UNC in scoring for the second time in as many games with 20 points, Theo Pinson scored a career-high 19 and had six assists, Joel Berry II returned to the lineup and had six assists, and freshman Sterling Manley had a double-double in just 17 minutes to lead UNC to a 93-81 win over defending Patriot League champion Bucknell.
• Carolina led 43-27 with 4:25 to play in the first half and by nine at the break, but the Bison pulled within a point with 12:41 to play in the game. Maye hit a pair of free throws, then a three-pointer to push the lead back to six. Bucknell did not cut the lead to less than four the rest of the game.
• It was UNC's 20th home win in a row.
• Carolina out-rebounded Bucknell by 19, including a 16-7 edge in offensive rebounds (Manley had as many offensive rebounds as Bucknell – 7).
• Pinson scored a career-high 19 points (previous was 13 twice) and made a career-best nine free throws in 10 attempts.
• Manley had 16 points and 13 rebounds (seven offensive) in just 17 minutes. He was 6 for 10 from the floor and 4 of 5 from the free throw line. It was his first college double-double.
• Maye led UNC with 20 points. It was the second time in as many games Maye has scored 20 or more points. The only other time he scored in double figures in consecutive games as a Tar Heel was in the NCAA regional in Memphis in 2017 when he had 16 and 17 in consecutive games against Butler and Kentucky. "according to http://www.goheels.com/news/2017/11/24/mens-basketball-tar-heels-face-arkansas-friday-in-pk80-semis.aspx
FINAL FOUR MOP JOEL BERRY II
• Senior point guard Joel Berry II broke a bone in his right hand in mid-October and did not play in the season opener against UNI. He returned to practice on Nov. 12 and played 30 minutes in the win over Bucknell on Nov. 15.
• Berry made five three-pointers and scored 29 points (his second-highest career output) in the win at Stanford on Nov. 20.
• Berry passed Sean May, James Worthy, Harrison Barnes, Joe Wolf and James Michael McAdoo in UNC career scoring during the game against Stanford.
• He has made 183 career threes, tied with Melvin Scott for the 11th most in UNC history. Danny Green is 10th with 184.
• Berry was the Most Outstanding Player at the 2017 Final Four and the Most Valuable Player at the 2016 ACC Tournament. James Worthy and Berry are the only Tar Heels to win both of those awards.
• Berry is a preseason first-team All-America by ESPN.com, second-team All-America by USA Today and Sporting News' third team selection.
• Berry is on the preseason watch list for the John R. Wooden Award, the Oscar Robertson Award (USBWA Player of the Year) and the Naismith Award (all for National Player of the Year) and the Bob Cousy Award (best point guard).
• The Apopka, Fla., native also was a preseason first-team All-ACC selection and received the second-most votes for preseason player of the year (tied with Duke's Grayson Allen behind Notre Dame's Bonzie Colson).
• Berry has 1,251 points, 346 assists, 126 steals and 183 three-point field goals in 111 career games.
• Berry has scored 832 more points than any Tar Heel on the roster (Theo Pinson is second with 419).
• He is the only Tar Heel in history to earn All-Final Four honors twice (2016 and 2017).
• He became the seventh player overall and the first since UCLA's Bill Walton in 1972-73 to score at least 20 points in consecutive national championship games. "according to http://www.goheels.com/news/2017/11/24/mens-basketball-tar-heels-face-arkansas-friday-in-pk80-semis.aspx
JOHNSON OUT
• Cameron Johnson will miss four to six weeks after undergoing surgery on Nov. 15 to repair a torn meniscus.
• Johnson suffered the injury in practice on Nov. 13. He did not play in the season opener against Northern Iowa after spraining his neck in practice on 11/7.
• He led UNC with 18 points in 16 minutes in the "jamboree" vs. ECU, UNCG and UNCW on Nov. 5 and had 11 in the exhibition against Barton on Oct. 27.
• Johnson averaged 11.9 points, 4.5 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game last year as a Pitt Panther. He shot 44.7 percent from three-point range.
• Johnson matched his career high with 24 points against the Tar Heels in the Smith Center on 1/31/17."according to http://www.goheels.com/news/2017/11/24/mens-basketball-tar-heels-face-arkansas-friday-in-pk80-semis.aspx
RANKED NO. 9
• Carolina is No. 9 in the Nov. 20 Associated Press and USA Today/coaches polls.
• Carolina is ranked in the AP poll for the 880th time, most in college basketball history, and the 663nd time in the top 10, second-most behind Kentucky.
• This marks the 55th season (out of 70) the Tar Heels have been ranked in the top 10.
• Carolina was ranked No. 9 in the preseason AP poll. This was the 12th time in Roy Williams' 15 seasons as head coach the Tar Heels entered the year ranked in the top 10. UNC has finished the year in the AP top 10 nine times in Williams' first 14 seasons. "according to http://www.goheels.com/news/2017/11/24/mens-basketball-tar-heels-face-arkansas-friday-in-pk80-semis.aspx
Roy Williams Era Trends
Roy Williams is in his 15th season as Carolina's head coach. Here are a number of stat trends from his tenure at his alma mater. "according to http://www.goheels.com/news/2017/11/24/mens-basketball-tar-heels-face-arkansas-friday-in-pk80-semis.aspx
Carolina is...
• 202-27 at home (includes one home win at Carmichael Arena and one "home" win at the Greensboro Coliseum)
• 331-38 when leading at the half
• 192-5 when shooting 50 percent from the floor
• 34-53 when shooting under 40 percent
• 190-17 when holding the opponents under 40 percent shooting from the floor
• 338-54 when out-rebounding the opponent
• 53-55 when the opponents have more rebounds
• 247-51 when the opponents have more turnovers
• 266-30 when scoring 80 or more points
• 132-4 when scoring 90 or more points
• 56-2 when scoring 100 or more points
• 348-57 when the opponents score under 80 points "according to http://www.goheels.com/news/2017/11/24/mens-basketball-tar-heels-face-arkansas-friday-in-pk80-semis.aspx
Carolina on the All-Time Wins Lists
• Carolina is second all-time in NCAA winning percentage and third in wins.
• Carolina has won 2,210 games, third behind Kentucky and Kansas. Only four schools have won at least 2,000 games.
• Carolina's winning percentage of .739 is second behind Kentucky. Only five schools have a winning percentage of at least .700.
• Carolina is first in Final Fours with 20.
• Carolina is second in NCAA Tournament appearances with 48.
• Carolina is third in NCAA championships with six.
• Carolina is second in NCAA Tournament games with 168.
• Carolina is second in NCAA Tournament winning percentage at .732.
• Carolina is first in ACC regular-season championships with 31.
• Carolina is first in ACC victories with 672.
• Carolina is second in ACC Tournament wins with 97.
• Carolina is second in ACC Tournament winning percentage at .683.
• Carolina is first in ACC Tournament championship game appearances with 34 and second in titles with 18.
• Carolina is first in NBA first-round draft picks with 49 and third in overall NBA draft picks with 112. "according to http://www.goheels.com/news/2017/11/24/mens-basketball-tar-heels-face-arkansas-friday-in-pk80-semis.aspx
Tar Heels Sign three FOR 2018-19
• Rechon Black (RAY-shon)
Hometown: Concord, N.C.
High School: Cox Mill (Concord) "according to http://www.goheels.com/news/2017/11/24/mens-basketball-tar-heels-face-arkansas-friday-in-pk80-semis.aspx
• Nassir Little (nuh-SEER)
Hometown: Orange Park, Fla.http://www.goheels.com/news/2017/11/24/mens-basketball-tar-heels-face-arkansas-friday-in-pk80-semis.aspx
High School: Orlando (Fla.) Christian Prep "according to
• Coby White
Hometown: Goldsboro, N.C.
High School: Greenfield School (Wilson, N.C.) "according to http://www.goheels.com/news/2017/11/24/mens-basketball-tar-heels-face-arkansas-friday-in-pk80-semis.aspx
As for North Carolina's last game they ran past Portland.
When Luke Maye took stock of what North Carolina was losing from last season's championship squad and what was coming back, he made it a focus to become a better scorer in the post. "according to http://www.goheels.com/news/2017/11/23/mens-basketball-tar-heels-cruise-past-portland-in-pk80-opener.aspx
Maye made scoring around the basket look easy against overmatched Portland. "according tohttp://www.goheels.com/news/2017/11/23/mens-basketball-tar-heels-cruise-past-portland-in-pk80-opener.aspx
Maye had 20 points and 10 rebounds, Joel Berry II added 18 points and No. 9 North Carolina had five players in double figures in overwhelming Portland 102-78 on Thursday to open the PK80 Invitational. "according to http://www.goheels.com/news/2017/11/23/mens-basketball-tar-heels-cruise-past-portland-in-pk80-opener.aspx
"I've really had a concerted effort on scoring more in the post," Maye said. "We lost three top players in the post. I'm trying to make more shots in the paint and be a presence in there. I've got a long way to go, but I'm getting there." "according to http://www.goheels.com/news/2017/11/23/mens-basketball-tar-heels-cruise-past-portland-in-pk80-opener.aspx
The Tar Heels (4-0) continued their offensive outburst to open the season, topping the century mark for the first time this season against the Pilots from the West Coast Conference. Maye has scored at least 20 points in three of North Carolina's first four games. "according to http://www.goheels.com/news/2017/11/23/mens-basketball-tar-heels-cruise-past-portland-in-pk80-opener.aspx
Kenny Williams added 17 points and Theo Pinson had 11 points, nine rebounds and seven assists for the Tar Heels, who have scored at least 90 points in the past three games. North Carolina pulled away thanks to 55 percent shooting in the second half. "according to http://www.goheels.com/news/2017/11/23/mens-basketball-tar-heels-cruise-past-portland-in-pk80-opener.aspx
Since going 1 of 6 in the opener against Northern Iowa — all on 3-point attempts — Pinson has made an effort to get in the lane more. "according to http://www.goheels.com/news/2017/11/23/mens-basketball-tar-heels-cruise-past-portland-in-pk80-opener.aspx
"I don't think I've ever had a player get a triple-double, but he might be the first," North Carolina coach Roy Williams said. "according to http://www.goheels.com/news/2017/11/23/mens-basketball-tar-heels-cruise-past-portland-in-pk80-opener.aspx
Franklin Porter led the Pilots with 19 points and Marcus Shaver Jr. added 17, but the Pilots shot just 40 percent and lacked the offensive spark to keep up with the Tar Heels."according to http://www.goheels.com/news/2017/11/23/mens-basketball-tar-heels-cruise-past-portland-in-pk80-opener.aspx
"It's great for our young guys to be in these types of games and our team overall, to be in these type of games, and the big picture is our conference play," Portland coach Terry Porter said. "When we play in games like this, we're going to have carry-over and it's going to help us in our conference play." "according to http://www.goheels.com/news/2017/11/23/mens-basketball-tar-heels-cruise-past-portland-in-pk80-opener.aspx
The Pilots (2-2) hung around through most of the first half before a late run by the Tar Heels gave them a 48-35 halftime lead. The Tar Heels have scored at least 45 points in the first half of every game this season. North Carolina quickly turned the game into the expected blowout in the opening moments of the second half, scoring the first 12 points of the half and hitting nine straight shots before finally missing. "according to http://www.goheels.com/news/2017/11/23/mens-basketball-tar-heels-cruise-past-portland-in-pk80-opener.aspx
Maye had 14 points in the second half and the Tar Heels lead by as many as 28 in the second half."according to http://www.goheels.com/news/2017/11/23/mens-basketball-tar-heels-cruise-past-portland-in-pk80-opener.aspx
"I told coach Porter that they really helped us because they showed us how poor we played on the defensive end of the floor," Williams sad. "We've got to get better there. At the same, I liked a lot of what our guys did." "according to http://www.goheels.com/news/2017/11/23/mens-basketball-tar-heels-cruise-past-portland-in-pk80-opener.aspx
THE TAKEAWAY
Portland: It was a major upgrade in competition for the Pilots from anything they had seen or may see this season. Portland opened the season with a five-point loss to crosstown rival Portland State, then knocked off a pair of NAIA schools — Walla Walla and Oregon Tech — for its first two victories.
North Carolina: Williams was a little more consistent with his scoring, unlike his last game against Stanford, when the junior guard scored all 20 of his points in the first 9:03 of the game, including six 3-pointers. Williams hit just one 3 against the Pilots but was 7 of 12 shooting and attempted only three shots from behind the arc. ... North Carolina held a 51-33 rebounding advantage. "according to http://www.goheels.com/news/2017/11/23/mens-basketball-tar-heels-cruise-past-portland-in-pk80-opener.aspx
As for how Arkansas got to this point, They beat Oklahoma.
The Arkansas men’s basketball used a season-high 27 points from Daryl Macon as the Razorbacks pulled away late to knock off Oklahoma 92-83 in the opening round of the Phil Knight Invitational. "according to http://www.arkansasrazorbacks.com/fastest40-debuting-special-edition-uniforms/
The match up featured two of the highest scoring teams in the country and Thursday sure did not disappoint. The Razorbacks shot 47.5 percent from the field in the first half, posting its second 50-point period of the season. "according to http://www.arkansasrazorbacks.com/fastest40-debuting-special-edition-uniforms/
As the game would go back and forth in the first few minutes, the Hogs would get a spark off of the bench as freshman Daniel Gafford, the team leader in dunks, would have two in the first half, incluThe senior guard trio of Daryl Macon, Jaylen Barford and Anton Beard led the Razorbacks in the first half, as Arkansas was able to build as large as a 10-point advantage.ding a one-step slam from the free throw line."according to http://www.arkansasrazorbacks.com/fastest40-debuting-special-edition-uniforms/
Macon went 5-of-9 from the field, 4-of-5 from three-point range, in the first half to give him 14 and lead the Razorbacks. Barford posted 13, while Beard was the third Razorback in double-figures at the break with 10. "according to http://www.arkansasrazorbacks.com/fastest40-debuting-special-edition-uniforms/
In the second half, the two teams traded baskets the entire half, as Arkansas was only able to go up by six, at the most. "according to http://www.arkansasrazorbacks.com/fastest40-debuting-special-edition-uniforms/ "according to http://www.arkansasrazorbacks.com/fastest40-debuting-special-edition-uniforms/
Macon would continue his scoring in the second half, finishing with a team and season-high 27 points, including making all seven free throws down the stretch. Macon has made 15 straight to open the season and has a streak of 22 straight, dating back to last season. "according to http://www.arkansasrazorbacks.com/fastest40-debuting-special-edition-uniforms/
Oklahoma came into the game averaging 108.0 points per game. The Razorbacks were able to turn the Sooners over 19 times to hold Oklahoma to a season-low in scoring. "according to http://www.arkansasrazorbacks.com/fastest40-debuting-special-edition-uniforms/
Tip-off is set for 2:30pm. The game will be televised on ESPN2."according to http://www.arkansasrazorbacks.com/sport/m-baskbl/schedule/