LEXINGTON, Ky -- North Carolina kept its winning streak against Michigan State intact on Tuesday. It couldn't do the same thing at Kentucky today. The Tar Heels, trailing by as many as 19 points in the first half, cut their deficit to as little as two in the final minute, but the Wildcats won 68-66 at Rupp Arena.
Tenth-ranked Carolina opened the game with a 9-2 run. Then Raleigh's John Wall, No. 5 UK's starting point guard and one of the nation's top freshmen, obviously felt warmed up. He countered with two straight coast-to-coast scores off UNC misses - one ending with a dunk, the other a layup - to begin a 28-2 run that left the Tar Heels befuddled and the crowd in an uproar. Wall had seven points during that run (while Larry Drew II had the Tar Heels' only bucket).
UNC trailed by as many as 19 points, but finally started chipping back a bit when it finally started going to its strength: its big guys. The Tar Heels scored their last eight points by going inside, but UK still led them 18-8 in the paint at the break.
UK led 43-28 at halftime, and 45-30 when Wall went to the bench, less than two minutes in to the second half, with what appeared to be a bruised knee or a cramp. With Wall out, Carolina chipped back with an 8-0 run, whittling the Wildcats' advantage to 45-38 on an Ed Davis inside move, and eventually outscored UK 12-8 before Wall returned.
A Dexter Strickland drive-and-dunk, followed by a David Wear 3-pointer, cut the Wildcats' lead to as little as 54-49 with less than 10 minutes left.
And with Wall still not back up to speed, Tyler Zeller cut it to as little as 59-56 with 4:40 left. UK's Eric Bledsoe countered with four straight points before Will Graves buried a 3-pointer with 1:45 left, then Deon Thompson swished a baseline jumper to cut it to 63-61 with 32.4 seconds left. Carolina deliberately fouled Bledsoe, a .522 percent free throw shooter, on the inbounds, and he made both. Then Graves missed a 3-pointer for UNC, and Thompson stepped on the baseline trying to grab the rebound. Bledsoe made another free throw with 16 seconds, Thompson countered with another bucket, and Wall buried two free throws with 4.3 seconds left to seal it.
Wall finished with 14 points; 13 came in the first half.
Thompson led the Tar Heels with 14.
Robbi Pickeral has covered ACC sports for The News & Observer since 2003. She can be reached at 
Comments
duke
Tue, 12/08/2009 - 14:37 — bluecat69bluecat69forget ky mary , duke is who u need to start worrying about, they could whip ky,and unc , right now, go duke!!!!!!!!!!
mayberr lady
Sun, 12/06/2009 - 15:02 — bluecat69bluecat69crawl back in your hole and cry for the tar holes, they will need it come march, i guess u think no other team but the tarholes can progress, u show your lack of bb knowledge, good try thou. go duke!!!!!!!!!!!
sorry, Max
Sun, 12/06/2009 - 13:49 — gvillegatrdidnt get to watch the game so i got nothing for ya.
Use It or Lose It
Sun, 12/06/2009 - 13:47 — heelsno1Dear Coach:
Please, do not whine and whince about a call near the game's end. When an inexperienced team plays in a hostile environment and encounters the 18-0 run by UK, Ol' Roy stubbornly refused to call a time-out to ebb the flow. The team's comeback effort was tremendous, but perhaps the medications for the aching shoulder dulled the reasoning of a coaching legend. Those unused timeouts in the first half do not accrue for the next road game against Texas.
I suppose that even a respected and celebrated Hall-of-Famer is allowed a mistake every now and then.
the big mistake
Sun, 12/06/2009 - 14:23 — bluecat69bluecat69ol roys biggest mistake is that he did not sign john wall to play for unc, he owes th fans an explanation, as to whyhe didnt, if he had unc would probably be hanging another banner yhis yr. wall appears to be a good young man, and he makes good grades , what is the problem???????? go duke!!!!!!!
Count the Banners
Mon, 12/07/2009 - 12:21 — heelsno1You have got to be kidding me. Who is the last high-quality point guard to play for the Blue Dabbles...Jason Williams...Bobby Hurley???
Duke roundball is so 1990!!! Coach K courted John Wall and did not land him just like he failed in his courtship with Barnes (who will be a Heel next year). My bet is that UNC will hang another banner before Duke ever does. In fact, the Heels have hung 2 banners since 2005. Where is Duke?
huh
Sun, 12/06/2009 - 13:52 — gvillegatrwhere have you been, heelsno1? Coach Williams, like Coach Smith, never uses timeouts in those situations.
Read more carefully, you missed the point...
Mon, 12/07/2009 - 12:14 — heelsno1My post said that Ol' Roy "stubbornly refused" to call a timeout in the first half, following the model of his legendary and celebrated mentor. Everyone knows (including me) that this is an established pattern and shared philosophy of Coach Smith and Coach Williams. That does not necessarily make it the best tactic in each and every situation (e.g. the Kansas debacle in the 2008 NCAA semi-final loss and this recent loss at UK).
Under certain circumstances, if the team on the court cannot stop the building momentum of an opponent, then the coach certainly can stop the onslaught by using a time-out in key situations. Unused time-outs are not assets that accrue interest over time.
understood completely
Mon, 12/07/2009 - 16:32 — gvillegatrand neither Coach Smith nor Coach Williams ever used a timeout to stop an onslaught. I'm not saying it is wrong or right just that they never have and never will.
galligator
Mon, 12/07/2009 - 16:52 — bluecat69bluecat69how about smith and that famous 4 corner piece of s--t that he ran , did u enjoy that crap ball???? go duke!!!!!!!!
Fun game
Sun, 12/06/2009 - 11:15 — jcg3Fun game to watch. KY reminded me of last years Carolina team. I believe the best team won.
Say What?
Mon, 12/07/2009 - 15:04 — heelsno1I saw a great deal of last year's UNC team, and UK is not very similar.
Point one: the 2009 National Champs were a veteran club with considerable depth, and UK is neither.
Point two: Scoring weapons. In the Heels' lowest scoring output of last year, they managed only 70 in a 3-point loss at FSU. UK did not reach 70 on their home court. Last year, I believe that UNC's scoring output averaged in the high-80's.
Proud of our guys...
Sun, 12/06/2009 - 03:19 — Heels20...for playing hard in the second half. We played a lot of stupid basketball in the first half, but we were a different team in the second half. This loss stings pretty bad, but these guys will bounce back. It's going to be a roller-coaster type season, but I can't wait to see what surprises we've got coming. Drew II is facing more pressure than just about any player in the country, and so far, I'm satisfied with the way he's played. Our guys are working hard and I'm very optimistic about the future. I'm guessing we'll lose to Texas, but we'll get out of non-conference with only 3 losses and ACC play will be when things get interesting. Best of luck to the team, and go Heels
Wow, there's some really
Sun, 12/06/2009 - 01:45 — mad_maxWow, there's some really lousy comments here from some of you UNC fans. Waiting on the good ones to show up and leave their 2 cents...you know who you are, and don't worry, real college fans like myself won't associate you guys with some of these fans heh.
This was a really exciting game to watch in the first half for me, and not just because KY was running the Heels out of the building. The second half however was sloppy and unattractive. Props to Carolina for coming back, but KY should know that you can't go to sleep against a team like Carolina or they will most surely make you pay. It was nice to see UNC play in a game that wasn't called squeaky clean by the refs for a change. Looked like they let 'em play at times in this game on both sides. No big surprise for Carolina though...the key for them is still to develop their backcourt with strickland and drew. We all know about their frontcourt, but if they wanna run like they have in previous years, the backcourt will need to continue to improve.
moral victory??
Sat, 12/05/2009 - 22:01 — packmanonnando...what?...a moral victory for the tarbabies??...seen it all now...that was just a pure freak show of "fresh out of high school" talent....can't believe the heels let Wall get away...
Not bad against a cheater
Sat, 12/05/2009 - 17:41 — TarDawg74Not bad against a cheater and a thief.
sour grapes
Sun, 12/06/2009 - 14:30 — bluecat69bluecat69surely , tardawg u are refering to old roy, remember he is the one that left kansas on 3 yrs probation, right!! coach cal has never left a team on probation because he dont cheat like ol roy, gifts, money, clothes, now thats cheating !!go duke!!!!!!!!!!!!
dumba$$
Sun, 12/06/2009 - 16:50 — gvillegatrevery school Caliparir leaves, he leaves on probation.
get your fact straight
Mon, 12/07/2009 - 17:02 — bluecat69bluecat69calipari has NEVER been implicated in any school he has coached, they have never convicted him of anything, like they have ol roy, remember ,free clothes and money. go duke!!!!!!!!!!!!
Congratulations Heels on the
Sat, 12/05/2009 - 17:11 — orbitCongratulations Heels on the moral victory! Obviously the loss is all good news for UNC. And Roy has a lot of class.
Kentucky can rent Wall for
Sat, 12/05/2009 - 17:02 — AgentPierceKentucky can rent Wall for one year ..... UNC will have Roy for a decade.
Roy will have'em ready to dance in March.
agent pierce
Sun, 12/06/2009 - 14:34 — bluecat69bluecat69do u think ky. will improve by march, or is that just ol roy who can have them ready?????go duke!!!!!
difference between "class"
Sat, 12/05/2009 - 18:36 — cgregory222difference between "class" and an "a@@" ?... compare post game comments from Roy to those by Calipari ... Roy can acknowledge the other team - Calipari didn't mention a THING about Carolina (much less offer any credit) to the Heel's tenacity in coming back from 19 down to lose by only 2. According to him (i'm paraphrasing) - it was only because Wall was out hurt briefly in the 2nd half that the Heels came back. What - you guys only have one player? That wasn't the 'type' player Roy ultimately wanted associated with our team (we have high standards - and i'm GLAD). Wall will be one and done - And as AgentPierce notes - we'll have a classy coach (who was extremely complimentary of Wall - and KY) for a LOT longer. I'd rather lose by 2 than have Calipari or Wall on MY team...
sore loser
Sun, 12/06/2009 - 14:39 — bluecat69bluecat69i would be ashamed to call my self a bb fan, based on your lame comments, u need to follow some other sport like bowling , or better yet corn hole, a tar hole-- corn hole, got a special ring to it ! go duke!!!!!!!!!
Drew went back to Expected Form
Sat, 12/05/2009 - 16:28 — unc1dmoDrew has no game in big time games..and Thompson "no hands and soft inside" game will be a factor all year. Aren't you all real happy Roy Boy kept an unused scholarship and blew off Wall and his posse now.......Good thing Wall couldn't really play in the 2nd half.......guess you forgot and figured NC just came back all by themselves.....
Wall
Sun, 12/06/2009 - 03:13 — Heels20John Wall is an excellent basketball player. He can run as fast as the fastest. He can jump as high as the most athletic. He can shoot as well as the best shooters. However, he wouldn't fit in our system. Roy made a great decision in not recruiting him. A loss to Kentucky? It sucks, but I can live with it. We just lost the best player in ACC history since David Thompson. We also lost one of the best point guards in UNC history (which says a lot, considering Phil Ford and Ed Cota also repped the Carolina Blue). Despite all of that, our team perservered and I'm proud of the way we played in the second half. People criticize Roy for not calling a timeout. In all honesty, if he called a timeout, we probably would have won this game. That being said, if he called a timeout, we would not be as good of a team as we will be in March. These guys have to figure it out that just because they wear jerseys that say "North Carolina" doesn't mean that they'll have a free ride to a title. It takes work, and they're going to have to dedicate themselves to the game if they want to keep the tradition. Ginyard and Thompson are going to have to step up and be leaders if we're going to win the big games. Today, our seniors were soft. Tomorrow, it'll be a different story (and for all of you State grads, I'd like to clarify that by tomorrow, I mean the future).
You mean Wall is all KY has???
Sat, 12/05/2009 - 16:43 — mayberry_lady1Gee, I thought KY had a bucket load of talent ready to take on the world in Wall, Cousins and Bledsoe. Gee, thanks for filling me in! KY is a one man show. He gets hurt and the team falls apart! KY is a one-shot wonder..now we ALL know.
mayberry lady
Sun, 12/06/2009 - 15:19 — bluecat69bluecat69please show a little class, u guys could have had wall if it had not been for your coaches questionable judgement, wall appears to be a good person as well as a good student, not to mention a good bb player, looks like he fits the tarehole mold, or even better yet duke mold , go duke!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
You mean just like
Sun, 12/06/2009 - 01:46 — mad_maxYou mean just like Carolina's team last year? Sure, everyone liked to talk about how Hansbrough was the greatest thing since sliced bread, but without Lawson last year, UNC was nowhere near the same team.
mad max
Sun, 12/06/2009 - 15:12 — bluecat69bluecat69u are 100% correct , it amazes me that tarhole fans act like spoiled brats when they get beat, why dont u guys try to have a little class and congradulate a team when they BEAT u , u will get more respect from other true bb fans, just have a little class like DUKE fans , ok go duke!!!!!!!!!
you're kidding, right!?
Sun, 12/06/2009 - 16:48 — gvillegatrthis coming from the most unresepected poster here at ACCNow!
my best buddy!!
Mon, 12/07/2009 - 17:27 — bluecat69bluecat69there u go galligator, making disparging remarks about one of your best friends, u try to make the other posters believe that we are not best buddies, it is ok to have a dukie as a good friend, i wont tell your tarhole friends, ok, goDUKE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
lol
Mon, 12/07/2009 - 20:41 — gvillegatrwell, if you and I are best buddies as you say, you need to reveal yourself to me. I don't know anyone by the name bluecat69bluecat69.
galligator
Tue, 12/08/2009 - 14:29 — bluecat69bluecat69u are just in denial,thats why i am going to make u an honorary DUKIE, ok, go duke!!!!!!!!!!
Haha
Sun, 12/06/2009 - 21:06 — mad_maxI didn't even want to reply back to this guy.
mad sax
Mon, 12/07/2009 - 17:23 — bluecat69bluecat69come on man ,u got to get tougher, are u going to let a dukie get u down??? go duke!!!!!!!!!
Lol
Mon, 12/07/2009 - 21:12 — mad_maxYou said nothing that would get me down...in fact, you were agreeing with my comment. Of course, you took it to a whole 'nother hate-filled, ignorant level, but still, you agreed with me. Take a chill pill dude. Sometimes you can be funny, solely based on how ridiculous your comments are, but most of the time you are just annoying and a waste of space here on the blog. I'd rather see spam posts from these jerks trying to sell their products than actually read through your moronic comments.
Btw, how did you know I play a mean sax? You must be one of my best buddies along with gvillegatr...
madsax
Tue, 12/08/2009 - 14:34 — bluecat69bluecat69u keep it up and i am going to make u an honorary dukie, along with galligator, ok, ol buddy, go duke!!!!!!!!!!!
The Wall ain't going to Fall Easy
Sat, 12/05/2009 - 16:18 — jeromfitzUNC finally got a final four true contender today in Kentucky. The first half for UNC was a nightmare on Elm St...It's like what happen? They couldn't handle the North Carolina born guard name John Wall. It was like I was thinking, he's too much to handle...Like most coaches always say "It always another half to play!" With John Wall cramping for about 12 minutes of the second half UNC finally cameback into the game lucky...after being down 15...I thought it was truely over...they surprise me with their will to win a game..tough shots in the end...like to won in KY...this just another lesson for later on in March....John Wall is truely all that and more...NBA no. 1 draft pick...play so much like Isiah Thomas...that's why he wears no. 11....Strickland for UNC step up big at point bring it back like he should at times..nice play...only a freshman I call him Kenny Smith, Jr...UNC got another final like game to play with Texas...I want see them win it the next time...
good comments
Sun, 12/06/2009 - 14:58 — bluecat69bluecat69at least u are able to thak off those baby blue glasses, and see things for what they are, there are other teams out there other than the tar holes. go duke!!!!!!!!!
Nicely Done
Sat, 12/05/2009 - 16:12 — thbornandbredGood job keeping your composure and fighting back Heels-don't worry, next year they'll have to wipe all of Calipari and Walls' wins off the books anyway...
thbornandbred
Sun, 12/06/2009 - 16:34 — bluecat69bluecat69do u have info. that none of the rest of us have or is this just one of your reckless statements because u have no class at all, and u are nothing but a sore loser. i could say the same thing about the tarholes, but i have some class, and i think unc does also, with the exception of fans like u, go pull for the pack-they need fans like u , ok go duke!!!!!!
I can live with that
Sat, 12/05/2009 - 15:58 — mayberry_lady1Would rather see UNC win, but the team after getting behind settled down and worked their way back. A key to winning down the road.....and that is where the real prize lies. UNC is going to be okay. They are growing each game. Kentucky got sloppy as the game progressed. Bad news for them.
Go Heels!