UNC vs. Michigan State - Player of the Game: Theo Pinson

Ok look, no one in this game was particularly good for UNC. This choice was by default as there was really no one else.

As a team, they shot below 30%. They committed a ton of turnovers, shot poorly from the free throw line, made just one three, and were out there missing layups. If plus/minus is your thing, Carolina’s leader was Jalek Felton with 0.

If there has to be a player of the game, it was Theo Pinson. The senior finished as the Tar Heels’ leading scorer, finishing with 16 points, which was double as many as the team’s second highest scorer. He also grabbed six rebounds. Pinson also went 4-4 from the free throw line, which is something to point out considering everyone else was a combined 10-20.

The Tar Heels’ defense wasn’t really the problem, as Michigan State shot 40% and turned the ball over 20 times. Pinson did contribute on that end of the floor, and finished with a block and a steal.

That’s about where the niceties about Pinson and UNC for this game end. Even with the points, and the other box score columns he filled, Pinson still turned the ball over four times. Plus as he is wont to do, his shot selection was also frustrating at times, even though he did finish 6-13. There was also a whole thing about him maybe getting hit in the face or maybe flopping after a Spartans player was called for a flagrant foul. It was late in the game and didn’t have any effect on the outcome, so whatever.

It’s only November and Michigan State is a top five team. The result wasn’t the frustrating thing about the game, how it happened was. UNC may lose other frustrating games this season, but hopefully we won’t be stretching this much to find positives again.