Play of the week

With North Carolina within striking distance during Sunday’s contest, the Jackets cleanly executed the same play on back-to-back possessions late in the second half to take a 12-point lead and begin to put the game out of reach.
After UNC forward Harrison Barnes hit a pair of free throws to cut Tech’s lead to 56-49 with 6:32 left in the game, the Jackets rushed to the other end of the court to attempt a quick score. Senior guard Moe Miller cut to the left after crossing midcourt but met resistance as UNC guard Kendall Marshall stepped up to guard him. Miller managed to get off a pass to redshirt freshman center Daniel Miller on the post; in the meantime, sophomore guard Glen Rice began cutting toward the basket from the left wing and Daniel Miller quickly passed to Rice as he ran by. UNC guard Justin Watts met Rice at the rim, but Rice managed to draw a foul from Watts and connect on a layup.
Later, UNC’s Justin Knox committed a turnover, and the Jackets set up a nearly identical play on the subsequent possession. Moe Miller once again had possession near the top of the key and passed to Daniel Miller on the block. Daniel Miller then passed to Rice on the left wing, and UNC forward Tyler Zeller took a step back, expecting Rice to drive toward the basket; instead, Rice remained in his spot and had plenty of space to put up an open three-point attempt. He drained the shot, giving Tech a 61-49 lead, and the Jackets maintained a double-digit lead for the remainder of the game.