Hoops fans feasted on a full plate of action Saturday afternoon at Brooklyn’s own Barclays Center as more than 16,000 strong made their way over to the arena to see four national powerhouses duke it out on the hardwood in the CBS Sports Classic.
The first matchup was a tale of two halves between #22 UCLA and #11 North Carolina. Despite trailing through much of the first half, the Tar Heels turned it up after the intermission and then put the game into cruise control. They eventually won 89-76, improving their record to 9-2.
Senior forward Brice Johnson had a sensational performance, providing UNC with 27 points (shooting 11 for 12 from the field) and 9 rebounds. With ACC battles set to begin after the holidays, this was a solid win for Carolina who showed that they are more than ready for the long road ahead. And in Chapel Hill, that road is supposed to run deep into the heart of March, year in year out.
UCLA had the advantage in the first half but they squandered a 13 point lead and turned the ball over way too often throughout the game. Inevitably UCLA could not give themselves an opportunity to get the lead back because UNC was just too tough to handle when they made their 13-0 run late in the second half. The Bruins though still have nationally ranked recognition and will continue to be a force within the Pac-10. Certainly this was a tough blow for a team that flew all the way across the country to square off with the Tar Heels. But in the end, the Bruins came up short.
In the second game, Ohio State came through with a major upset by beating the Kentucky Wildcats 74-67. From the early start the Buckeyes controlled the tempo and actually had their lead in double digits for the majority of the game. Having just a 5-5 record when they came into the matchup, this was just what Ohio State needed to help get things turned around after their sluggish start. Not one player had 15 points or more and it was a collective record all around. Head coach Thad Motta has to be pleased with what he saw from his team.
Meanwhile, this was not a good look for a young Kentucky team who still shows that it still has a long way to go. John Calipari would be the first person to tell you that. With so much inexperience, the future is still very unknown for this team, but no matter what, just like in Chapel Hill, the expectations are always high in Lexington. With so much talent, this team will be a heavy threat, as always, once the March madness ensues in just over two months.
The biggest story-line from the afternoon came from the Kentucky team, despite the fact that they lost. Freshman guard Jamal Murray brought his A game to a pro arena, showing the crowd that he has the goods to definitely compete and succeed at the next level. With 33 points in the loss, nobody could ignore the magnificent offensive performance from the young Wildcat and the future is very bright for this kid.
Overall, the big winner on Saturday was the Barclays Center. Once again, the arena is the perfect venue for all kinds of sports and it has gradually become the pride of Kings County. It wasn’t just locals who came out because fans from all over the country flew into the Big Apple for these games, pumping money into the borough and the city.
In the future, look out for the CBS sports classic to become a true staple of the College Basketball season.
