For the first time since late December, the ACC-leading UNC men’s basketball team does not have a mid-week game.
North Carolina (20-6, 12-3) is coming off a convincing, 96-81 victory over Virginia Tech last Saturday. This was exactly the type of game UNC needed, given it suffered yet another Tuesday loss to Syracuse the game before. Armando Bacot recorded yet another double-double, while four starters scored in double-figures.
The Tar Heels now turn their attention to the Virginia Cavaliers, who suffered arguably their worst loss of the season (75-41) against the Hokies on Monday. UVA (20-7, 11-5) is still contending for the ACC regular-season crown, as it trails North Carolina by just a game-and-a-half, but it’ll need to beat UNC on Saturday afternoon.
Odds are stacked against the Tar Heels for Saturday’s 4 p.m. ET tip-off, as they haven’t won in Charlottesville since Feb. 25, 2012. The Cavaliers employ a pace slow as molasses, draining the clock and looking for the perfect shot attempt, which runs completely different than North Carolina’s lightning-fast pace.
If UNC wants to win Saturday, it’ll need to score early and often. The Tar Heels’ style of play, if executed effectively, will put pressure on UVA by forcing it to play out of system and rush shots.
Let’s see a few things UNC needs to do on Saturday, in order to escape Charlottesville with a win: