The North Carolina Tar Heels dropped to 3-1 on the season after a 78-70 loss to Georgia on Friday night, according to Yahoo Sports.
Despite holding a nine-point lead in the second half, the Tar Heels failed to maintain their momentum as the Bulldogs mounted a late comeback.
Head coach Michael Malone identified a lack of attention to detail and poor game plan discipline as primary factors in the defeat, as noted by Inside Carolina.
The team struggled with shooting throughout the contest, missing numerous layups and dunks while taking 38 three-point shots.
Malone emphasized that bad habits, such as failing to box out during free throws and turnovers, proved costly in the closing minutes of the game, per Tar Heels Wire.
“At the end of close games, your habits come out,” Malone stated during his postgame comments.
Georgia’s offense proved difficult to contain, as the Bulldogs connected on 14 of 36 three-point attempts.
Malone noted that his team struggled to stop Georgia’s perimeter players as the game progressed, according to reports from Yahoo Sports.
Player Neo Avdala finished with 14 points but struggled with a negative assist-to-turnover ratio, committing four turnovers during the game.
Maximo Adams, despite shooting 1-of-8 from the field, was praised by the coaching staff for his effort on the boards, securing 11 total rebounds, including five on the offensive end, per Tar Heels Wire.
The Tar Heels were outrebounded by the Bulldogs, which allowed Georgia to capitalize on second-chance scoring opportunities.
Malone expressed frustration regarding the team’s inability to sustain their aggressive play for the full 40 minutes, as documented by Inside Carolina.
The program now looks to analyze game film to address the breakdown in execution before their next challenge.