The win sets up the Tar Heels nicely for a difficult opening stretch of the season. Three consecutive road match-ups with Johns Hopkins, Ohio State, and Syracuse are all on the docket for UNC in the next two weeks, who will look to improve on their 19th ranking in Inside Lacrosse’s initial 2023 poll.
Beyond the scope of UNC’s program, there is a strong argument for Bacot being the best rebounding big in the country since arriving at Chapel Hill. He has 61 double-doubles in his career, which is nine more than any other active player.
Here's a breakdown of the newest class of big men to battle it out in college basketball's greatest rivalry.
In the half court, the Tar Heels were mostly able to stop Flight 22 due to their matchup zone. However, the inability to control the ball, specifically in the first half, allowed for Flight 22 to build a comfortable lead that was hard to overcome.
While RJ Davis and Caleb Love were very productive last season, more depth should be available for Hubert Davis this year, with returning sophomore D'Marco Dunn and first-year guard Seth Trimble looking to have an impact.
The Tar Heels will have to wait until February to bounce back from the relative disappointment of this weekend, with a trip to Guadalajara, Mexico for the two-day Collegiate Invitational serving as the start of the spring portion of the year that features five events prior to the ACC Championship and NCAA Regional play.
A Saturday win against the Blue Devils would keep the Tar Heels in their top spot in the Coastal Division, alongside securing bowl eligibility for the fourth consecutive time under Mack Brown.
Matson is the most statistically dominant college field hockey player at any level over the last decade, and her individual success has been a key part in why the Tar Heels have won so many important games during her time at UNC. She has been a part of three national championships and won four straight ACC titles at UNC.
UNC has won all three matchups over the Hurricanes under head coach Mack Brown, including a 45-42 thriller last year and a 62-26 thrashing of the then-tenth ranked Hurricanes at Hard Rock Stadium in 2020. UNC will need to be adaptable to keep building after a bounce-back win over Virginia Tech.
