Two straight losses leave UNC searching for answers

The bells had gone off in Marcus Paige’s head. He couldn’t wish them away, thwack them with a rationalizing thought or two. He had to alert his North Carolina men’s basketball teammates.

It was too late to undo all that had just undone them, a dispiriting 75-64 loss Monday to No. 3 Virginia at the Smith Center. Too late to grab another rebound, or fling away the defensive vice-grip UVa. (20-1, 8-1 ACC) placed on the Tar Heels’ strained necks.

But not too late to face his teammates and say what must be said: that this, No. 12 UNC’s (17-6, 7-3 ACC) second defeat to an ACC powerhouse in 53 hours, was reason for alarm.

“You guys gotta look yourselves in the mirror and see whether you’re actually doing everything you can,” Paige told a subdued locker room. “If you sit there and say you are, then you’re lying to yourself because it’s proven out there on the court that none of us are really doing that.”

The ecstasy of UNC’s 11 wins in 12 games before Saturday’s rematch against Louisville was gone, replaced with an imploded 18-point lead and a home-court drubbing to the country’s best defensive team. All that was left now for the Tar Heels, in this moment after another troubling night on the hardwood, was to find what they’re still looking for.

“Because we are a great team,” said junior forward Brice Johnson. “Virginia is not that much of a better team than us. We just have to go out there and prove it, instead of them going out there beating us like they did.”

What had to change?

“Everything,” said Johnson, held to 14 points by a slew of punishing double teams.

What spelled a lopsided demise to a national title contender?

“I don’t have much to say,” said Coach Roy Williams, his eyes drooped and his voice sullen. “They kicked our rear ends.”

Kennedy Meeks and Johnson, UNC’s best hope for a comeback, stood little chance against UVa.’s defense, which pressures the ball and fans out its other defenders in a 16-foot arc around the basket. Attack met resistance, and more resistance, until there was no attack to be had.

There were turnovers, so many that Johnson referenced them nine times in the first 50 seconds of his postgame remarks. UVa. converted UNC’s 13 turnovers into 18 points. Leading scorer Justin Anderson had 16 points, pesky reserve forward Anthony Gill 13.

Practice? UNC needs it, Williams said. Guys are hurt. Paige, contained to 15 points in 34 minutes, added an undisclosed injury Monday to his sprained left ankle and plantar fasciitis. The team needed a graduated player, Wade Moody; a JV player, Spenser Dalton; and assistant coach Steve Robinson’s son, an aspiring fireman, to fill out Sunday’s practice.

It seemed fitting, having someone on the practice floor who wants to douse flames. UNC needs exactly that, Paige said. They’re just not getting it.

“You don’t have to keep preaching effort, keep preaching buying in, not worrying about your individual self,” Paige said. “‘What can I do to help a team? What can I do to help a teammate? What is the best thing for North Carolina?’ And that’s something we’re struggling with right now for whatever reason.”

Paige listened and spoke. The bells had tolled. His teammates needed to hear them, too.

sports@dailytarheel.com