North Carolina Dominates Notre Dame 76-56 in ACC Tournament Second Round

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Jae'Lyn Withers erupted for a career-high 21 points, setting a new school record with seven three-pointers, as North Carolina defeated Notre Dame 76-56 in the second round of the ACC Tournament on Wednesday at Spectrum Center.

The fifth-seeded Tar Heels advanced to play fourth-seeded Wake Forest in Thursday’s quarterfinals, which is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. Withers’ explosive performance included 15 points in the first half, helping Carolina build an early lead.

“It’s just getting in the flow state,” Withers said. “I don’t really see a [defender’s] hand at that point.”

In addition to Withers, RJ Davis contributed 17 points on 8-of-13 shooting, while also grabbing 10 rebounds for his second double-double of the season. Elliot Cadeau tallied 10 assists and six rebounds with just two turnovers, and Ven-Allen Lubin added 13 points and six assists.

As a team, Carolina shot 48.3 percent overall and connected on 13 of 28 three-point attempts. “We had really good spacing, a combination of ball and player movement,” head coach Hubert Davis noted. “That’s really helped our three-point shooting over the last month and especially today.”

On the defensive end, the Tar Heels were equally impressive, limiting the Fighting Irish to just 32.3 percent shooting overall. After narrowly edging Pittsburgh 55-54 in the first round, Notre Dame struggled to find its rhythm against Carolina.

North Carolina built a solid lead in the first half by hitting 9 of 17 three-pointers, resulting in a 43-29 advantage at halftime. The Tar Heels finished the half shooting 52.9 percent from beyond the arc while holding Notre Dame to 29.4 percent.

Carolina’s defense has been key to their recent success, with the Tar Heels securing their 26th consecutive win when holding opponents under 60 points. They improved to 21-12 overall with Wednesday’s victory, while Notre Dame fell to 15-18.

“When you have that versatility offensively, and you can score beyond the three-point line as well as in the paint, that makes you really efficient,” Davis added.

The Tar Heels’ next challenge is against Wake Forest, who they previously lost to 67-66 earlier this season. Carolina is currently riding a wave of momentum, winning seven of their last eight games.

North Carolina’s historical performance in the ACC Tournament shows they have a solid track record, now holding a 109-52 all-time record in the event, including 5-1 in the second round.

As they prepare for the quarterfinals, the Tar Heels look to leverage their strong recent performances and determine their fate in the NCAA Tournament. Withers’ scoring ability will be critical as they face a tough Wake Forest team known for its solid defense.