CHARLOTTE — The North Carolina men’s basketball team experienced a tough loss against No. 7 Florida, falling 90-84 in the Jumpman Invitational at the Spectrum Center. Despite a valiant effort in the second half, the Tar Heels, now 6-5 overall and 1-0 in the ACC, couldn’t quite surpass Florida’s early lead.
The game began with North Carolina struggling, as they fell behind by 17 points in the first half. However, an impressive 11-0 run to start the second half, spearheaded by graduate guard RJ Davis, who scored 29 points, brought them back into contention. Unfortunately, the team could not maintain their momentum in the closing minutes after their challenging start.
With this defeat, UNC has now lost all five of its matchups against Power Five non-conference opponents this season. Head coach Hubert Davis reflected on the game, noting the importance of consistency: “Playing the way we want to play for one half is not sustainable.”
The first points of the game came from freshman forward Drake Powell, who showcased his skills with a tough turnaround jumper. Florida quickly responded with a decisive 10-0 run, finding rhythm early by shooting 9-of-15 from the field and 5-of-8 from three-point range within the first eight minutes. By the time the first half ended, the Gators led 46-34, with UNC notably struggling from beyond the arc, missing their first 11 three-point attempts before finally connecting.
“We got down so much because Florida hit shots,” remarked junior guard Seth Trimble, emphasizing the Gators’ effective execution contrasting with his team’s performance.
In the second half, UNC sprang to life, with Davis contributing significantly. He nailed a three-pointer, followed by a steal from Trimble that led to an easy basket. Junior forward Ven-Allen Lubin scored four consecutive points, including a thunderous putback slam, momentarily narrowing the gap to just one point after another mid-range shot from Davis.
The fight shown by North Carolina in the second half demonstrates their potential and resilience. With continued focus on maintaining that energy throughout the entire game, there’s hope for improvement as the season progresses. Coach Davis and his players have the opportunity to learn from this experience, and if they can harness their second-half performance, they might find themselves turning the tides in future matchups.
This loss serves as a reminder of the competitive nature inherent in college basketball, where teams like UNC can rise to the occasion and illustrate their fighting spirit even amidst challenging circumstances.