Continuing the countdown of the best ten games from North Carolina last season, we arrive at the halfway point. Now that we're down to the top five, we're really looking at the most electric games of the season, all of which came down to the wire.
At No. 5, we have a thriller on the road in which the Tar Heels took down one of the toughest opponents in the ACC. This game not only shook the ACC standings, but the national AP Poll as well.
No. 5 – North Carolina vs. Virginia
Virginia was ranked No. 14, with North Carolina's No. 22 ranking heading into the top 25 matchup. The Tar Heels headed into a hostile road environment, where they began as underdogs in a crucial conference matchup.
North Carolina looked like the underdog in the first half as well, trailing 43-34 at the half. I'm not sure what Hubert Davis said in the locker room at halftime to spark some energy, but it worked. From there, the tides seemed to turn in favor of the Heels.
North Carolina quickly got up to speed in the second half, claiming the lead with just under 12 minutes to go, courtesy of Jarin Stevenson.
From there, it was truly a back-and-forth battle until the Tar Heels managed to take a seven-point lead with 1:38 left in the half. A Malik Thomas three would cut Carolina's lead to just four, followed by a Dallin Hall layup to immediately cut it to only two points following a missed Derek Dixon layup.
With thirty seconds left, Caleb Wilson would manage to close out the game with a spectacular clutch euro-step layup. From there, it became a game of free throws alone, with North Carolina managing to close the door on the Cavaliers, winning 85-80.
Box Score
There was no shortage of sharing in this game. Five different Tar Heels ended the night with double-digit points. Wilson had the game high of 20 points, but Stevenson and Trimble followed closely behind with 17 and 16, respectively.
Derek Dixon ended the night with seven assists, adding plenty of value to the game in that aspect, and Jonathan Powell, interestingly enough, led the team with seven rebounds.
Overall, shooting the ball well from the three-point line was ultimately a pivotal aspect. The Heels shot 45% from three, a much higher clip than they had shot all season.
Today's best reads
- Ranking UNC's Top 10 Games of Last Season: No. 7
- Why Neoklis Avdalas Could Be North Carolina's Biggest Upgrade
- Ranking UNC's Top 10 Games of Last Season: No. 6
- How UNC's Roster Overhaul Sets Up Epic Rivalry Clash
- Inside UNC's 'Brutally Difficult' Decision To Fire Hubert Davis
This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/unc as Ranking UNC's Top 10 Games of Last Season: No. 5.