There’s good reason why North Carolina wanted to schedule another home game with all the impending doom of ice storms and postponed games looming. There’s really no telling when the Tar Heels will get a chance to do this again.
After the Tar Heels’ Feb. 16 game against Virginia Tech was postponed due to COVID-19 issues within the Hokies’ program, North Carolina went looking for a new team to play and found one in Northeastern.
As for Wednesday, the Heels made good on their last-minute scramble to line up the Huskies as an opponent, by dispatching their Colonial Athletic Association foe, 82-62, in the Dean E. Smith Center.
UNC (13-7) had not played a home game since its 86-76 win over N.C. State back on Jan. 23. Four straight road games and three postponed home games later, the Heels are scheduled to play Louisville on Saturday. The game hasn’t been postponed yet, but the ACC announced Wednesday the Cardinals’ game against Syracuse was postponed due to positive COVID-19 tests within their program.
Shortly before tipoff with the Huskies, the ACC announced UNC’s game on Tuesday with Boston College would be postponed.
If it turns out this is the final home game for another month, at least the Heels’ played well. Carolina scored 41 points in the first half, which marked just the fifth time this season it reached at least 40.
The bench provided a big boost with guard Andrew Platek scoring all nine of his points in the first 20 minutes. Forward Day’Ron Sharpe scored nine points of his team-high 15 points in the first half and the two energized a lineup that showed its rust in the opening four minutes.
Freshman Walker Kessler followed up his season-high nine points at Virginia with another strong showing, scoring 10.
