Quick scout: UNC vs. Wofford. Here’s everything you need to know about the Terriers
It’s been a while since we’ve seen a North Carolina team struggle this badly on offense.
The Tar Heels haven’t scored 80 or more points in a game yet this season, nor have they shot 50 percent or better from the floor.
Sunday’s game against Wofford may be the Tar Heels’ chance to break through.
Wofford hasn’t been an easy opponent for UNC in the past two years. Wofford beat UNC 79-75 in 2017. And UNC beat Wofford 78-67 in 2018. However, this Wofford team is different.
The Terriers lost their top two scorers, top two rebounders and their head coach from the 2018-19 team that lost in the NCAA Tournament’s Round of 32 last season.
The Tar Heels have lost two straight and three of their last four games. A win here would give them much needed confidence heading into their road game against Gonzaga on Wednesday.
Here is a quick scout of the Terriers:
Wofford’s KenPom rankings: 140
UNC head-to-head with Wofford: 2-1
Wofford’s record: 6-4
Last game: W 112-66 vs. North Greenville on Dec. 13.
Head coach: Jay McAuley
Weaknesses
▪ Teams have had success against Wofford’s defense. The Terriers are allowing opponents to shoot 54.6 percent from two-point range, and 35.6 percent from behind the 3-point line. Both are below the Division I average. Opponents are average 104.9 points per 100 possessions, which is ranked 285th in the country out of 353 Division I teams.
▪ Wofford isn’t a particularly tall team. The Terriers like to play small. Their tallest starter is 6-9, 225-pound Chevez Goodwin. Their next tallest starter is 6-6, 215-pound freshman Messiah Jones.
Strengths
▪ 3-point shooting. Wofford is a team that continues to live and die by the 3. Nearly 50 percent of the Terriers’ shots are coming from 3-point range, and they are making 35.8 percent of those shots.
▪ Free throw percentage. Wofford has made 78.6 percent of its free throws this season. That can ultimately be the difference in a close game. By comparison, UNC makes 63.5 percent of its free throws.
Player to watch
Storm Murphy. The 5-11, 180-pound junior guard is small in stature but can definitely shoot it. He’s shooting 58.2 percent from the floor and 55.6 percent from 3. He’s also averaging 2.8 3-pointers per game.
He scored 15 points against the Tar Heels last year and was 3 of 6 from behind the 3-point line.
Prediction
The Tar Heels are due for a win and Wofford gives them a good opportunity to do so.
Wofford has allowed opponents to score fairly easily this season, which will be a welcomed sight for the Tar Heels after playing the country’s top two defenses in back-to-back games.
The last time UNC lost three in a row was during the 2017-18 season, when it lost to Virginia Tech, N.C. State and Clemson in the span of eight days.
I don’t think that will happen here. The Tar Heels have the size advantage in this matchup and they will be motivated after two embarrassing losses. It will also be a home game, even if it is at Carmichael Arena, where the Tar Heels have played only once since moving to the Dean Smith Center 33 years ago.
Cole Anthony, who hasn’t shot 50 percent from the floor since the season-opener against Notre Dame, is also due for a big game. The Tar Heels will go as far as he’ll take them.
UNC 82 Wofford 65
UNC vs. Wofford
When: Dec. 15, 4 p.m.
Where: Chapel Hill, Carmichael Arena
TV: ACC Network
Listen: WTKK-106.1 Raleigh; WCHL-97.9, WCHL-1360 Chapel Hill; WBT-99.3, WBT-1110 Charlotte
This story was originally published December 14, 2019 at 10:37 AM.
