Well, it had to happen sometime, didn't it? At some point the streak wins had to stop. The brilliant performances had to end sometime. And they did. Wake Forest played an almost flawless game, hitting open shots and connecting on all 32 of their free throw attempts.
The Heels had several chances to get back into the game, but couldn't follow up made shots with strong defensive possessions. The key play may have been when Sean May tried to hit someone at halfcourt with a pass that was intercepted and then turned into a 3-pointer. At least a 5-point swing at that point.
The Deacons had a great atmosphere. The home crowd was pumped and ready for this game for weeks. The officials made some tough calls, but the Heels should not have let that frustrate them. Wake Forest took advantage of torrid shooting, and Chris Paul was able to knife his way into the paint for 26 points.
All is not lost, however. Although I wish the Heels had another shot at Wake Forest in the Smith Center, this is the way the league works now. No longer a round-robin for everyone, and Carolina has to hope Wake loses twice (and the Heels must win out) for a shot at the regular season crown. But we'll think about this one for a few hours, then get up tomorrow and prepare for Clemson. The sun rises tomorrow, and so will the Heels. They got beat by the #3 team on Wake's home floor. But I'll take the Heels in March, and I'll take them on a neutral court.
