It started with bad practices since that big win and continued until the Tar Heels finally found their stride. But the best they could do was tie it when Harrison Ingram shook off cramps with a game-tying 3-pointer with 4:17 left.
Clemson, determined for a win to help its NCAA resume and playing like the hungrier team, wouldn’t back down and never trailed in an 80–76 victory Tuesday at the Smith Center for the program’s second win in Chapel Hill.
“I didn’t particularly enjoy or like our practices leading up to the game tonight,” said UNC coach Hubert Davis, who also didn’t like how flat his team came out when it fell behind 15–2 in the first 3½ minutes, prompting a timeout.
During that timeout, Coach Davis told them that, “it’s just not about X’s and O’s. There’s nothing from a basketball standpoint we can talk about until the energy and the effort and enthusiasm rises.”
Davis wasn’t going to talk about basketball until the effort changed. It was one of the earlier timeouts Davis has taken since becoming the head coach. He said he didn’t want to take it, but saw Clemson was playing harder.