CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – At 10:15 p.m. on Wednesday, some 75 minutes after North Carolina had outlasted Wake Forest for an 80-73 victory, Caleb Love was back to work at the Dean E. Smith Center. The freshman guard began his late-night shootaround with a series of foul shots - his rebounding courtesy of a team manager – before moving to the left corner and working his way around the 3-point line.
It’s not uncommon for Love to provide a soundtrack of sneaker squeaks and net swishes and rim rattles for reporters feverishly completing their game stories and sidebars from high above. What was different on this night is that Love had finally broken through in the game prior. This was not a shooting session to flush out negatives and grind out technical errors in his stroke. This was an efficient practice period to build upon a career night against the Demon Deacons.
Love scored a season-high 20 points, blending a pair of 3-pointers and a thunderous one-handed transition dunk – nearly a carbon copy of his towering slam in Tallahassee on Saturday – into his most efficient performance of his career. Long described as a volume scorer, even by his head coach, Love shot better than 50 percent (7-of-12) for the first time in 14 games.
“I like the fact that he took some jump shots with confidence,” Roy Williams said following the win, UNC’s fourth in five games. “7-for-12 tonight is by far, I think, the best game he's had from the floor. I do think he's getting better. I told him yesterday or the day before, we had a little meeting, I told him that I think he's getting better a little bit each and every day and we’ve just got to keep getting him some opportunities.”
In his first nine games against major conference opponents, Love shot 25 percent from the floor and 20.5 percent from the 3-point line. Making matters worse was that he was oftentimes a defensive liability, especially against the ball screen, while also tallying more turnovers (28) than assists (27). That’s not the stat line that anyone expects from a five-star McDonald’s All-American, especially a UNC point guard attempting to step into the outsized shoes left by Coby White and Cole Anthony in the two years prior.
Armando Bacot received a harsh lesson in the weight of expectations as a freshman a season ago, peaking in the Bahamas against Oregon and battling the rest of the year to return to that level of play. The UNC sophomore forward was so intent on preventing a similar lapse this season that he flew out to St. Louis in June to work out with Love, who was projected to be the next great Tar Heel point guard.
That offseason bond recently proved beneficial as Bacot played the role of veteran in pulling Love to the side to offer some perspective.
“I was just telling him to play his game and don't be in his head,” Bacot said. “Just be him. Be that guy he was coming and the guy he was all summer. He took it, obviously. He took some strides against Florida State and obviously today. That’s just the guy he is. He can score the ball, assist it. He’s fast, physical and all of that. I'm glad he got to show that and I hope that can springboard into the rest of the season.”
While Love is still learning how to run UNC’s offense without turning the ball over, his shot has come around. In the past two games, he’s averaging 15.5 points on 50 percent shooting, including 55.6 percent from three (5-of-9).
“It’s just all about confidence,” Love said. “Obviously I was in a slump most of the season. It’s just seeing the ball go through the hoop. It’s just muscle memory and staying in the gym. I'm always in the gym; I'm always working on my shot. And I think it was just more mental with me than just ability because, in my opinion, I know I can shoot. My teammates know I can shoot. My coaches know I can shoot. It was just all about mental and getting out of that slump.”
When he’s at his best, Love is attacking the basket, whether it be in transition or the halfcourt. He’s a big-bodied guard, strong and physical, and that skill set made it difficult for the Demon Deacons to keep him out of the lane in the second half.
“When I play above the rim, it gets my teammates hyped, it gets the game flowing and it just brings energy to the team,” Love said. “Playing downhill, that’s one of the things I do best. And once my shot keeps on falling, the defense is going to have to respect it and then it opens up shots for my teammates.”
Love acknowledged that his shooting woes brought added stress. His parents reside at the core of his support system, and when his mother suggested meditation as a method to ease his mind, he didn’t hesitate. He’s now meditating morning and night in an effort to calm his mind, and it seems to be working.
What won’t change is his dedication to his craft, which includes long nights in the gym with only the echoes of his own actions keeping him company.
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Caleb Love Breaking Through - 247Sports
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