CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — Hubert Davis’ first game as the head men’s basketball coach at North Carolina went about as expected Tuesday in the Dean E. Smith Center. The No. 19 Tar Heels overwhelmed Loyola (Md.), 83-67, as four players scored in double figures.
Here’s what we learned in the Heels’ debut:
A different type of love
Sophomore guard Caleb Love looked like an improved player who is way more comfortable in his second year of college basketball. Love scored a team-high 22 points and didn’t seem to force any of his actions.
More importantly for the Heels, Love took care of the ball better. His turnover percentage last season was a team-high 24.6, the highest for a UNC point guard since Marcus Paige’s freshman year in 2012-13. Love played 31 minutes and didn’t commit any turnovers. His only turnover-free game last season was when UNC was eliminated by Wisconsin in the NCAA Tournament.
Davis said in the preseason that he believes Love could lead the ACC in free-throw attempts this season because of his ability to drive and the offensive spacing won’t clog the lane. Love got off to a quick start in that regard, he set a new career-high with 10 free-throw attempts. (Now he’s got to work on making more than six of them.)
Manek more than a shooter
Oklahoma transfer Brady Manek was touted as a shooter. And at some point, probably soon, Carolina fans will witness the career 37% 3-point shooter do his damage from outside. He was just 1 for 5 from 3 against Loyola. But that clearly didn’t stop him from being effective.
Manek scored 20 points — on 9-for-15 shooting from the floor — showing off a variety of moves in the process. There was the baseline spin for a layup, the runner in the lane and he even drew a charge on the defensive blocks.
Lineup options aplenty
Carolina’s starting lineup was Love, Manek, R.J. Davis, Leaky Black and Armando Bacot. Kerwin Walton and Dawson Garcia started in place of Black and Manek in the exhibition win over Elizabeth City State. Davis has said the starters will be determined by their defensive grades in practice.
It appears with this personnel, the starting lineup really won’t matter. Carolina has more scorers and no matter who takes the floor among its top eight players, it will have multiple scoring options.
The Heels got a combined 25 bench points, led by Garcia’s 12 points and 11 from Walton.
