Here’s what you missed during winter break...

Men’s basketball racks up four wins over break

While their classmates were away from campus for the holidays, the members of the North Carolina men’s basketball team were still at work on the court.

The team played six games during the break, five of which were home games, and four of which ended in victories.

After besting two of the nation’s top-five teams in Louisville and Michigan State earlier in the season, the Tar Heels kicked off winter break with another upset against then No. 11 Kentucky 82-77 backed by sophomore guard Marcus Paige, who scored 21 of his 23 points in the second half.

Just four days later, the Tar Heels fell to Rick Barnes and his Texas squad in what was redshirt senior guard Leslie McDonald’s season debut after the NCAA elected to reinstate him from his suspension. McDonald scored 15 points, shooting 4-for-9 from behind the arc, but it wasn’t enough to rally the Tar Heels past the Longhorns, who took the game 86-83. On Dec. 21, it took an extra period, but UNC defeated Davidson 97-85.

It was a career-high night for sophomore forward J.P. Tokoto, who scored a team-high 22 points and grabbed 11 rebounds.

A quick break for Christmas and the Tar Heels were back at it Dec. 27, this time against Northern Kentucky, who they defeated 75-60 before ending the 2013 year with a glide past UNC-Wilmington 84-51.

Sunday, the Tar Heels opened conference play on the road against Wake Forest and lost 73-67.
“At some point you have to make the decision to outwork other teams,” said Paige after the loss.

“This team isn’t talented enough to just show up and beat somebody just because we’re more gifted … You can’t just show up and expect to win because you have North Carolina on your jersey.”

Attorneys hand over discovery from athletic investigation

The Orange County District Attorney’s office turned over 40,000 pages of discovery to the attorneys for those charged for their involvement in the UNC athletic scandal last month.

Attorneys for the five people charged with athlete agent inducement — Willie James Barley Jr., Michael Wayne Johnson Jr., Patrick Mitchell Jones, Jennifer Wiley Thompson and Terry Watson — appeared in superior court last month.

Lawyers for the five charged are expected to appear in court again on April 29 for a status update on the case.

Tar Heels best Cincinnati 39-17 at Belk Bowl

After the North Carolina football team dropped five of its first six games, a bowl game bid seemed less than likely. A decisive bowl victory? Not a chance. But when the Tar Heels crushed Cincinnati 39-17 Dec. 28, the Tar Heels were anything but surprised.

“At 1-5, nobody thought we would be sitting here today,” coach Larry Fedora said after the game. “But these guys kept believing and got it done.”

In order to get themselves bowl eligible, the Tar Heels turned in a second half of the season that couldn’t have been farther from the first. UNC won five straight games en route to winning six of its last seven, but the Tar Heels hadn’t truly proved that they had changed their ways until they took the field against the Bearcats in the Belk Bowl.

By the end of the first quarter, North Carolina led Cincinnati 16-0. In those 15 minutes and the 45 to follow, UNC showcased the facets that allowed for its fantastic turnaround.

That turnaround and the Belk Bowl victory were led in most part by phenomenal freshman. T.J. Logan scored the Tar Heels’ second touchdown of the game on a 78-yard kickoff return and Ryan Switzer added six more points on an 86-yard punt return.

Switzer’s return was his fifth touchdown return of the season, tying an NCAA record and sealing his All-American selection.

North Carolina’s Belk Bowl title was the school’s first bowl title since 2010.

More than 1,100 graduate in December

About 1,100 students took part in December commencement. Chancellor Carol Folt presided over the ceremony, where administrators awarded 542 bachelors degrees, 408 masters degrees, 104 doctoral degrees and 10 professional degrees.

Exercise and Sports Science professor Kevin Guskiewicz delivered the commencement address. Guskiewicz is a world renowned concussion expert whose research focuses on making football safer for players.