A Quality Win

Finally the North Carolina Tarheels got their first quality win of the season, 79-73 over #20 UNLV. Since it was played in Chapel Hill I don't know if you could consider it an upset or not but that puts the 'Heels at 10-3 on the season looking at 18 straight ACC games ahead of them. They open up with Virginia on the road January 6. When it comes to injuries this season, it seems that the 'Heels cannot catch a break this season. Starter Reggie Bullock missed this game with a concussion suffered a couple of days ago in practice and in my opinion, Bullock has been the Tarheels best all around player this season. His injury opened the door for P.J. Hairston to get his first career start. P.J. missed the Indiana game earlier in the season with an injury. Despite opening a 21-8 lead early in the game in which 8 different Tarheels scored, they really had to struggle to hang on. I was not happy with the officiating at all and even Dookie alumni Jay Bilas noted several non-calls, missed calls, or bad calls throughout the course of the game. I make note of that because harping on the officiating is something he usually avoids. The 'Heels did have one of their most balanced scoring games of the season putting 5 players in double figures with Dexter Strickland leading the way with 16. Hairston chipped in with 15, McAdoo had 13 points and 9 rebounds, and Paige and Brice Johnson had 12 points a piece.