By: Matt Bowers
CHESTNUT HILL, MASS.—It wasn’t always pretty, but fourth-ranked North Carolina won its eighth game in a row on Saturday afternoon, beating Boston College, 76-66, at the Conte Forum.
RJ Davis, the ACC’s leading scorer, scored 16 points and added six rebounds and four assists to lead the way despite a 5 for 14 shooting day. Harrison Ingram posted his fourth double-double of the season with 11 points and 13 rebounds, and Armando Bacot added 10 points and nine boards despite limited minutes due to foul trouble.
Carolina (15-3, 7-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) has won eight consecutive games, its longest winning streak since winning eight in a row in 2018-19. The Tar Heels are off to their best conference start since going 8-0 to begin ACC play in 2015-16. UNC is 7-0 in ACC play and has held all seven opponents to 70 points or fewer.
The Eagles fell to 11-7, 2-5.
The Tar Heels have led by double digits in all seven of their ACC games and have won their last six by 10 or more. The last time Carolina won six consecutive ACC games by double digits was over three decades ago in 1992-93.
The Tar Heel defense stifled the Eagles all day long, forcing BC field goal percentages of 33.3 percent in the second half and 34.5 percent overall. Boston College hit only 3 of 17 three-point attempts in the game. UNC is holding its opponents to 29.1 percent from three-point range this season, on pace to be the lowest by its opponents in school history (the previous low is 30.0 percent in 2014-15).
Tar Heel defense held BC to 34.5 percent shooting from the floor. Carolina dominated the glass and out-rebounded the Eagles by a 43-28 margin.
How It Happened
First Half
• Neither team shot the lights out in the early going, but the Tar Heels held the Eagles without a field goal for 4:24 and went on a 9-2 run to take a 17-16 lead.
• The Eagles led for most of the first half, dominating scoring in the paint by a 10-2 margin midway through the period.
• The Tar Heels committed nine first-half turnovers, allowing the Eagles to stay in the game despite shooting 35.7 percent (including 2 of 8 on three-pointers) in the opening 20 minutes.
• Carolina had a 17-13 rebounding edge and an 11-3 advantage in bench points in the first half. The Tar Heels sunk 5 of their last 6 shots of the half.
• Davis led UNC with 11 points, while Quinten Post had 12 before the break for BC. Bacot was scoreless without a field goal attempt in the first half.
Second Half
• Both teams struggled offensively for much of the second half. Carolina shot 27.8 percent (5 for 18) and BC was 23.1 percent (3 for 13) in the first nine minutes after halftime.
• After BC led for over 10 minutes of the first half, the Tar Heels never relinquished the lead in the second half.
• UNC held the Eagles without a field goal in the final 3:00 minutes.
• Carolina righted the ship and committed just two turnovers in the second half after nine first-half miscues.
Postgame Tidbits & Notes
• The Tar Heels are 23-6 against Boston College, including five consecutive wins in the series and 17 in the last 18 meetings. UNC is 21-5 against BC since the Eagles joined the ACC and 10-1 in the Conte Forum (including seven straight victories).
• UNC is 4-0 on the road this season, all in ACC action.
• Carolina has won eight consecutive games, its best winning streak since winning eight in a row in 2018-19.
• Carolina is 7-0 in ACC play and has held all seven opponents to 70 points or fewer.
• It is the 12th time in UNC history the Tar Heels have started 7-0 in ACC play
• UNC has led by double figures in all seven of its ACC games and has won its last six conference games by double digits.
• Carolina has won six consecutive ACC games by double-digits for the first time since doing it 10 ACC games in a row in 1992-93.
• This is the sixth time in Carolina history the Tar Heels have won six or more consecutive ACC games by double-digits (also 1992-93 (10 games), 1990-91 (6 games); 1988-89 (6 games); 1983-84 (10 games); last ACC game of 1967-1968, first six conference games of 1968-1969 for seven total.
• Davis hit two three-pointers, his 15th consecutive game with multiple threes. That ties the longest streak in UNC history with Justin Jackson’s 15 in a row in 2016-17.
• Carolina has held its opponents below 40% shooting from the floor in 22 of 36 halves this season.
• With 11 points & 13 rebounds, Ingram tallied his fourth double-double as a Tar Heel and his fourth double-digit rebounding effort in the last six games.
Up Next
Carolina will have a quick turnaround to host Wake Forest on Monday January 22 at 7 p.m. in Chapel Hill.
