This year’s annual ACC/Big Ten Challenge proved, well, challenging, for the Triangle area’s men’s college basketball teams. UNC and Duke were both easily dispatched by Iowa (93-80) and Illinois (83-68), respectively, while two positive tests in N.C. State’s traveling party caused the postponement of the team’s scheduled game against Michigan. But without further ado, let’s get to this week’s three points.
One: Garrison Brooks is back.
The preseason ACC Player of the Year had been largely underwhelming this season until a strong individual performance Tuesday night for the Tar Heels. Brooks notched 18 points and seven rebounds, and was especially critical during the final six minutes of the first half, in which his six points and three boards stopped the game from slipping out of control in favor of Iowa. He was finally able to catch the defense sleeping and post up for dunks in this game, and his veteran presence seemed to ease UNC throughout. Though his statistics had been fine before Tuesday’s game, he hadn’t really been playing as well as they suggested, but against Iowa, he finally stopped deferring to teammates and showed some fire as Carolina’s leader.
Two: Matthew Hurt is here?
The former five-star recruit has taken charge of the Blue Devils as much as anyone thus far. After averaging 9.7 points per game last year with just one double-double, Hurt has started fast this season, tallying 19 points per game through Duke’s first four contests. As a 6-foot-9 forward who can shoot the three, Hurt could be a huge matchup problem if he continues to play well, but it remains to be seen whether he’s just filling the void for a Duke team that has less offensive firepower this season. I’m not convinced he’s the real deal just yet.
Three: (Sort of) a buzzer-beating dunk!
In a game that few people around here likely watched or cared about, Pittsburgh won a 71-70 thriller against Northwestern in the final game of the ACC/Big Ten challenge Wednesday night. It’s not often you see a game-winning dunk, but that’s what Pittsburgh had, as Justin Champagnie’s explosive two-handed jam gave the Panthers their first lead of the entire game. It’s a shame that there were roughly six seconds remaining in the game when it happened (which made the Pittsburgh celebration a bit delayed and anti-climactic), but you should still check it out: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXpSInILVWU (the play starts at 1:37).
That’s all for this edition of three-pointer. Hopefully next time there are still enough COVID-free teams to discuss.
Illustration by Shelby Swanson/The ECHO
