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The North Carolina men’s basketball team (11-6, 3-3 ACC) lost to No. 13 Virginia (12-3, 4-2) Tuesday night, 65-58. early in the game.

what happened?

Just under two minutes into the game, Baccott grabbed his left ankle and fell to the court and went to the bench. This was followed by the entry of senior Justin McCoy into the game — the absence of Pete Nance relegated UNC to a small-ball lineup.

North Carolina didn’t bottom the net until nearly five minutes into the game, but the Cavaliers struggled to score as well. At the 14:00 mark, UVA 7, UNC 3, the team was shooting 4-16 combined from the field.

The Cavalier defense beat the Tar Heels in the first ten minutes, recording three steals and three blocks, while UNC held on 10-10 at 10:00.

In his first four minutes on the court, Jaren Washington scored a career-high seven points and helped stop a bleeding tar heel on the attacking side of the court.

In the final ten minutes of the half, North Carolina had the better of the two teams that struggled to score consistently. This was largely driven by bench production, as UNC’s bench outscored the starters in his first 20 minutes, with him 19–10. The Tar Heels entered his locker room with a 29-27 lead.

North Carolina continued to build a steady lead at the start of the frame, but a 7-0 UVA run gave the Cavaliers their first lead of the half at the 12:52 mark. Virginia scored first, restoring the momentum his heels had built earlier.

Despite the struggle, UNC continued to keep the game within reach, trailing 56-52 at the 5:00 mark. Despite hanging out to the end, North Carolina was unable to overcome Virginia’s run and lost 65–58.

who stood out

Jalen Washington has an impressive flash in his first meaningful minutes as Tar Heel. He finished his first year with 13 points and 6 rebounds, and was one of only two players in North Carolina to achieve a plus or minus.

when did you decide?

After leading just before the halfway point of the first half, Virginia beat the Tar Heels on both sides of the court. The Cavaliers finished the game with his 25-18 run and short-handed Tarr his Heels side could not keep up.

Why is it important?

Without both Bacot and freshman forward Pete Nance, Tar Heels were forced to play a series of unusual lineups. They’ve been able to keep it close throughout, but North Carolina groups without Bacot are limited.