It was refreshing to see Will Wade in action Tuesday night, wearing the purple and gold, roaming the sidelines, and even getting a technical foul called during the game. As good as it was to see Wade back on the sideline, it was even more refreshing to see the basketball team showing some promise and ability.
The UNC Tigers defeated the LSU New Orleans Privateers, winning 100-57. A few players stood out with some really good performances. Saliou Niang had 14 points, 14 rebounds, 5 assists, 6 steals. Donavan Deut finished with a team-high 19 points, 10 assists, 2 rebounds, and 1 block. 4 He added and bounced. Off the bench, Michael Ruzic, a 7-foot freshman big man, finished with 17 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 block.
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This team played quite well, considering that most of the players had a very limited preseason activity due to eligibility issues waiting to be resolved. When this team comes together to play, the expectation will be to grow.
The whole game was not pretty, as the team still committed 12 turnovers and shot only 25% from behind the three point line. Abdi Bashir was able to show his mission on Tuesday night, finishing 3-of-9 from three-point range and 4-of-11 from the floor, with 11 points off the bench.
Defensively, the Tigers were held to 25% shooting from the floor and just 14% from three point range. 14 But they do not allow the unwelcome to regress, as will be necessary to be addressed hereafter. The Tigers also sent privateers to the free throw line 38 times after 25 yards. Expect this to improve as the season moves on and the team feels better about playing together.
This was a really good start for the Tigers. They are winning but they still have a lot of work to do. The talent is there, and the coaching and leadership. UNC will be back on the court Friday against Texas at noon at 7 pm on SECN+.
Share your thoughts on how you feel the Tigers were treated by Secretaries. What do you think the team needs to improve before the next game?