Same old. Same old.

The UNC basketball program fell 94-79 against Alabama on Wednesday in the Dean Smith Center. The same issues that led to UNC dropping two games in Maui followed them across the Pacific, resurfacing in its first game back in Chapel Hill. It is the fourth time already this season that the Tar Heels have allowed over 90 points in a game.

North Carolina seemed to have a renewed defensive intensity to start the contest. The Tar Heels turned Alabama over twice in the first two minutes. The Crimson Tide struggled to even hit the rim on their shots in the early going.

But UNC’s offense couldn’t capitalize. Shots didn’t fall. Jalen Washington turned the ball over twice. It was an ugly first few minutes for both teams.

As Alabama’s offense settled in, UNC’s defensive intensity withered away. The Crimson Tide expanded their lead to double digits, and the Tar Heels could not find any answers on the defensive end.

It was yet another lackadaisical first half for UNC.

Alabama stormed out to a 43-34 lead over North Carolina at the break. The Crimson Tide made five of their last seven field goals in the half to increase their field goal percentage to 36%. The Tar Heels could not defend against Alabama’s backcourt as guards Mark Sears and Aden Holloway combined for 23 points. First-year guard Ian Jackson was UNC’s lone bright spot in the period, as he finished the half as the team’s leading scorer with 11 points.

One play in the second half summed up the entire game. After a missed three, Alabama found a back door cutter for an easy layup. A few seconds later, a careless UNC takeover led to a fast break for the Crimson Tide, which was finished off by a floater over Washington. The sequence capped off a 9-0 run for Alabama that ballooned their lead to 14.

The Tar Heels lacked the fight that they’ve shown in previous second halves of games. Alabama’s lead stayed at a safe double-digit cushion for much of the final 20 minutes. It reached as high as 18 points.

The Tar Heels will look to correct these problems on Saturday as they open conference play against Georgia Tech at the Dean Smith Center.