UNC Basketball: Volunteers vs. Tar Heels game preview
The Tar Heels have now won two in a row. They look to make it three with a win against Tennessee. What do the Volunteers bring to the table?
The Tar Heels are now on another win streak. After losing to Indiana early last week, UNC has won two straight games.
The latest was a nine point victory over Davidson in a game that was a lot closer than that.
Regardless the Tar Heels won with their point guard sitting on the bench. Fans can breathe and prepare for the next game.
Speaking of that game, Tennessee is the next team to visit the Chapel Hill area.
What do the Tar Heels need to know about the Volunteers?
Tennessee Volunteers
Dec 6, 2016; Knoxville, TN, USA; Tennessee Volunteers guard Robert Hubbs III (3) during the second half against the Presbyterian Blue Hose at Thompson-Boling Arena. Tennessee won 90 to 50. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports
Head Coach: Rick Barnes. Career Record 623-336. This is Barnes second season with Tennessee and his fifth head coaching stop. Barnes is probably a fan of the show Orange is the new Black. His past three schools, Tennessee, Texas, and Clemson, all have a shade of orange as one of their main colors.
Conference: The Volunteers play in the SEC. Last season they went 6-12 in conference play and finished 12th overall.
Best Former Player: Bernard King. King spent 14 seasons in the NBA and was a four-time All-Star and four-time All-NBA player. He finished his career with 19.655 points, which is 43rd all-time, 5,060 rebounds, and 2,863 assists.
This Season: Tennessee is currently 4-3 this season and is riding a three-game winning streak. Three of their four wins have come at home and the other came against Division II Chaminade.
At the beginning of the season, this game had the potential to be the second meeting between the two schools as both played in Maui. However, as the Tar Heels went 3-0 and won the tournament, the Volunteers went 1-2. Their only win was the aforementioned Chaminade game, which they won by only 14.
Key Players
Dec 7, 2016; Chapel Hill, NC, USA; Davidson Wildcats forward Peyton Aldridge (23) drives to the basket as North Carolina Tar Heels forward Justin Jackson (44) defends during the second half at Dean E. Smith Center. The Tar Heels won 83-74. Mandatory Credit: Rob Kinnan-USA TODAY Sports
Tennessee: G Robert Hubbs III
The senior guard leads the team in points with nearly 14 per game. Hubbs is 6’5 and UNC has struggled against larger guards this season. If the combination of Nate Britt, Kenny Williams, and Brandon Robinson can’t keep Hubbs in check, the senior may be in for a career day at the Dean Dome.
North Carolina: F Justin Jackson
With Joel Berry II down, UNC needed Justin Jackson to step up. The Junior forward obliged accordingly. Against the Wildcats, Jackson scored 27 points and grabbed eight rebounds, both team highs. He also shot 7-13 from behind the three point arc, a career high in makes.
Jackson’s assertiveness, while Berry is out, will be a huge boon for the Tar Heels. When Jackson is UNC’s best player, the Tar Heels are a top team. If he can continue to be dominant once Berry returns, college basketball should watch out.
Impact Freshmen
Dec 7, 2016; Chapel Hill, NC, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels forward Tony Bradley (5) controls the ball in front of Davidson Wildcats forward Nathan Ekwu (1) during the first half at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Kinnan-USA TODAY Sports
Tennessee: F Grant Williams
The 6-foot-5 forward from Charlotte, NC is averaging nine points and five rebounds per game. The five rebounds is second on the team. Williams will be tasked with keeping Justin Jackson in check, something not many teams have done a good job of this season.
North Carolina: F Tony Bradley
Be prepared to hear a lot about Tony Bradley this season. Not only has he been the best of the Tar Heels three freshmen, he has been one of the better overall players for the Tar Heels this season. That says tons on a team loaded with juniors and seniors.
The freshman big is currently fifth on the team in points per game and second in rebounds. Meanwhile, fellow big Isaiah Hicks is averaging nearly three fouls a game. That creates opportunities for Bradley and Luke Maye. Additionally Bradley allows the Heels to play small, especially when Hicks is on the bench.
Three Questions
Dec 7, 2016; Chapel Hill, NC, USA; Davidson Wildcats guard Jack Gibbs (12) looks to pass as North Carolina Tar Heels guard Stillman White (30) and guard Seventh Woods (21) pressure during the first half at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Kinnan-USA TODAY Sports
Can Tennessee keep the Heels off the glass?
The Tar Heels currently rank 3rd in the nation at 46 rebounds per game. The Volunteers meanwhile rank 203rd with 36 rebounds per game. That’s quite a big difference and one that Carolina’s front court should expose.
UNC lives off second chance points. Tennessee only has one player over 6 foot 7. In other words Strength meet weakness.
Who should get the majority of minutes at the point? Nate Britt, Seventh Woods, or Stillman White?
Here is how each player did against Davidson:
Nate Britt: 2 points, 6 assists, 3 turnovers in 31 minutes
Seventh Woods: 4 points, 2 assists, 1 turnover in 11 minutes
Stillman White: 6 points, 1 assist, 0 turnovers in 15 minutes
Britt got the majority of the playing time, though he did play some with the other two guards off the ball. Woods also had two steals, while White was a rock at the free throw line. Against Tennessee the point guard by committee will most likely continue. The real question is should White and Woods get more of the minutes that are going to Britt currently?
Can Luke Maye be Jackson Simmons 2.0?
Luke Maye came off the bench and turned the game around for the Tar Heels. Maye entered with the Heels down seven and having only made one shot while having committed four fouls and three turnovers.
Over a three minute span, the Sophomore forward scored seven points and grabbed two boards as the Heels went on a 10-0 run. Maye finished with 10 points and six rebounds, both are career highs, in just 16 minutes of play.
He also had three steals. Before this game he had five total steals in his career. Overall, Maye was a huge spark off the bench, kind of like Jackson Simmons.
Prediction
Dec 7, 2016; Chapel Hill, NC, USA; Davidson Wildcats guard Jack Gibbs (12) looks to pass as North Carolina Tar Heels guard Kenny Williams (24) defends during the second half at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Kinnan-USA TODAY Sports
UNC did not look overly sharp against Davidson. Roy even went to a minor version of Blue Steele early after the Wildcats took an early seven point lead. The game is at home and with Roy not happy in Wednesday’s results, expect a much crisper and motivated Tar Heel team.
Final Score: 96-81 UNC over Tennessee. Tennessee’s rebounding could be a huge deciding factor. The Volunteers are also young and energetic. Look for the Vols to try to run with the Tar Heels early and as UNC pulls away try to slow things down. Carolina gets a few more kinks out of their backup point guard system and gets ready for Kentucky.
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