bgorman@heraldsun.com; 419-6668
CHAPEL HILL — One of North Carolina coach Roy Williams’ main concerns about his young team before the season began was perimeter shooting, and through the first 15 games, the Tar Heels never were much of a threat from outside.
But Sunday, in a 78-64 ACC opening victory over Virginia Tech, it was a flurry of late game 3-pointers that helped the Tar Heels pull away and eventually win a tight contest. Sophomore Larry Drew II and junior Will Graves combined to hit five consecutive shots from behind the line in the second half and snap UNC’s streak of 72 minutes in regulation without a 3-pointer. Drew hit one from beyond the arc in the Jan. 4 loss to the College of Charleston, but it came in overtime.
“I’ve always said we’ve got to have some; you’ve got to have a good mix,” Williams said. “I still want the Sean May and the Tyler Hansbrough and the Ed Davis to handle the inside, but I’ve always said we’ve got to have a real good mix. Our best teams, whether it’s at Kansas or North Carolina, had that mix.”
The Tar Heels (12-4, 1-0 ACC) have been trying to get a good mix this season, but injuries have contributed to slowing the process. Graves, the Tar Heels’ best shooter, missed Monday’s game with a sprained right ankle and senior guard Marcus Ginyard has missed four games with foot injuries.
While Dexter Strickland, John Henson, Leslie McDonald, the Wear brothers and Justin Watts can hit the occasional 3-pointer, Graves, Drew and Ginyard have been the main scoring options beyond the arc.
Graves leads the Tar Heels with 63 3-point attempts — he’s made 25 — and Ginyard and Drew are 15-of-34 and 16-of-34, respectively.
“We’ve got a lot of guys that can shoot them,” Williams said. “I like those guys that can make them.”
While Sunday’s five 3-pointers were not a season high for UNC, which has made seven in five games this season, it was the first time the Tar Heels have made them down the stretch on the way to a win. The Hokies led by four at halftime, but 12 minutes into the second half, Graves hit his first 3-pointer, after missing all four attempts in the first half, to put his team up 60-52.
Virginia Tech responded with a 3-pointer to cut the lead to five, but then Graves added another from outside the line.
“Adrenaline got me going,” Graves said.
Not to be outdone, Drew made a 3 on the Tar Heels’ next possession before Graves hit his final attempt to push the lead up to 69-55. Drew ended the 3-point barrage when he threw up a shot from behind the arc as the shot clock buzzer went off.
The Tar Heels connected on five 3-pointers in a six-minute span to seal the victory.
“I tell [Larry] all the time, ‘Don’t forget your outside shot’ because sometimes he tries to over penetrate,” Williams said. “The first 3 he made was a big-time shot. It was set and was part of the offense. The last one was a prayer.”
Senior Deon Thompson said having Graves and Drew scoring from outside late in the contest made it a whole new game for the Tar Heels.
“We look like a totally different team when we’re knocking down 3s,” Thompson said.
