UNC basketball: Three things to watch vs. N.C. State
North Carolina looks to avenge its 79-76 loss to N.C. State from their ACC opener on Dec. 22. The Wolfpack (6-4, 2-3 ACC) are coming off a 10-day pause from basketball activities after having five members of the program quarantined due to COVID-19 protocols. The Tar Heels (9-5, 4-3) are looking to stay perfect in their sixth home game, before embarking on a three-game road trip.
Here are three things to watch:
Lesson learned?
The Heels’ first meeting with the Pack brought out all kinds of flaws in their game. North Carolina coach Roy Williams said it was one of their worst defensive performances of the season. It led to him changing their starting lineup based, in part, on their defensive grades from that loss. It may have been the wakeup call Carolina needed.
“I didn’t think we were all there at that game,” senior forward Garrison Brooks said. “I think that was one of the games we just did not come prepared to play.”
Since then, Brooks said, the Heels have improved their attention to detail.
Pick up the pace
Williams joked that he’d be willing to take suggestions on how to increase the pace of play for the Tar Heels, “because I hate it with a passion.”
“I feel like we don’t have a fast break, we have a slow break,” Williams said.
It may not be quite as bad as Williams believes it to be. He said it’s the slowest team he’s coached, but according to KenPom.com, their tempo has incrementally gotten better as the season has progressed and if nothing else, they are slightly faster than last season.
Brooks joked the team would “never play fast enough” for Williams, but said he believed they would get faster by the end of the season.
Coaching energy
Carolina looked lethargic at times in the first half of Wednesday’s 80-73 win over Wake Forest. Sophomore forward Armando Bacot pointed out they played better in the second half after assistant coach Hubert Davis spoke at halftime and questioned their effort.
Williams said he’s been “disgusted” from having to coach effort. He explained that some of it was due to playing six freshmen, who are so concerned about doing the right thing they are still not playing on instinct.
“It’s a lot for those guys, but we’re 14 games in,” Williams said. “It’s time to start knowing all that and let it be human nature.”
This story was originally published January 23, 2021 at 8:46 AM.