What to make of the sixth-ranked Tar Heels seven games into the 2019-20 season
North Carolina left the Battle 4 Atlantis Tournament with a 2-1 record and one thing abundantly clear:
The Tar Heels are a good team and are capable of winning big games when things are clicking. But they are certainly not a great team and getting to the Final Four this season may be a lot harder than some projected.
In case you missed it, No. 6 UNC beat Alabama 76-67 in the first round on Wednesday, lost to Michigan on Thursday 73-64, and beat No. 11 Oregon in the third-place game 78-74 on Friday.
UNC (6-1) did not come away looking like a team capable of winning a national title in any of those games.
Why?
There are multiple answers to this question. But the primary one is they’ve had trouble scoring.
Through seven games, the Tar Heels have failed to reach 80 points in a game. That has never occurred in the Roy Williams era. Williams’ teams have consistently been among the top teams in the country in possessions per game.
On defense, as soon as the ball comes out of the net, or off the rim, the Tar Heels are pushing it and looking to score while the defense is on its heels.
However, this season, scoring has not come easy. Finding easy shots has looked a lot more difficult.
The Tar Heels have not shot at or above 50 percent in a game this season, which is also a first for a Roy Williams-led team.
Hitting a low point
UNC lost its top five scorers from the 2018-19 team, and is still trying to figure out how to make up for those losses.
The Tar Heels hit a low point against Michigan. After trailing 39-34 at halftime, Michigan went on a 21-2 run during the first nine minutes of the second half.
In that stretch, the Tar Heels missed 13 of 14 shots, turned it over once and missed three free throws.
“We were soft,” Williams told reporters on Wednesday. “Soft around the rim and then taking quick shots with guys in our face a little bit.”
Outside of UNC freshman Cole Anthony, the Tar Heels do not have anyone who can consistently create their own shot. And when Anthony is off or comes out of the game, the Tar Heels look lost on offense.
How does Carolina become successful?
The Tar Heels also struggled defensively against Michigan. The Wolverines shot 50 percent from the floor and 42 percent from behind the 3-point line. They made 11 3-pointers, many of which were open shots.
The Tar Heels redeemed themselves on Thursday against a tough Oregon team that had beaten No. 13 Seton Hall and narrowly lost to No. 8 Gonzaga.
Against the Ducks, the Tar Heels played better defensively. The Ducks finished shooting 36 percent from the floor.
Freshman forward Armando Bacot, who had a season-high 23 points and 12 rebounds, was a force on the defensive end. He changed the game with his rebounding and six blocks.
Junior forward Garrison Brooks had three blocks and nothing in the paint came easy for Oregon. By doing that, the Tar Heels were able to turn defense into easy offense.
That was really the key for the Tar Heels, and it’ll have to be their formula moving forward.
They also got help from senior guard Brandon Robinson, who made his season debut after suffering an ankle sprain. Robinson averaged 11.3 points in the tournament.
Leaky Black injury
Black, who suffered a foot sprain in UNC’s game against Michigan when he ran into teammate Garrison Brooks, was a game-time decision on Friday. He was initially excluded from the starting lineup, then put back in it.
After playing nine minutes against Oregon, he sat the rest of the game.
Black, who is the backup point guard when he is not playing forward, dealt with an ankle sprain that kept him out half the season last year. It is unclear how much time his latest injury will keep him out, but it would be a big blow to a team that is already thin at point guard.
Junior K.J. Smith, who has played mostly at the end of games when UNC has a large lead, was forced into the lineup against Oregon after Black’s injury and when Anthony had to sit with foul trouble. For the most part, Smith played well. Against a good team, Smith did not make many mistakes. He had two assists and only one turnover in eight minutes.
Black may have time to rest. However, from here, it doesn’t get easier.
The Tar Heels face No. 10 Ohio State at home on Wednesday, followed by a road game against No. 7 Virginia next on Dec. 8.
This story was originally published November 29, 2019 at 3:48 PM.
