Carolina rolls into the West Region semifinals on the heels of two double-digit wins in Charlotte. Those results are outstanding, let’s not make any equivocation about that. But how comfortable were they? That’s up for debate.
UNC has had an almost uncanny ability of not being able to put away teams early. Getting a lead to double-digits is a huge psychological win, as it looks like a mountain to climb for the opponent. But once you get to ten, you need to increase that lead to 15, then 20 to really extinguish hope. If you get to ten, and then promptly give up a three-pointer, it imbues the opponent with hope and optimism.