Tar Heel Gameday: UNC Heads To Wake Forest
By Matt Hamm
The UNC Tar Heels hit the road after toasting the NC State Wolfpack and Yellow Jackets of Georgia Tech. Now it’s time for the Heels to take their show on the road. This season away from home UNC hasn’t been treated with the hospitality it appeared to take for granted. Roy Williams has got a good effort out of his team in each game since the slaying at Florida State. Still the scars are too fresh from one of the ugliest losses for the Tar Heels in recent memory. The pressure is on the Heels, to come out with a strong performance, and prove they can play on the road.
The name of the game hasn’t changed in Carolina since the beginning of the year. If this team plays with intensity at both ends of the floor. They can and almost should beat anybody in the country. A team like Wake Forest should be nothing other than a speed bump. What would be really nice to see tonight would be 30 straight minutes of top notch Tar Heel basketball. That would allow Roy to try some different combinations with Stillman White and Justin Watts at the point guard spot. He could play James Michael McAdoo for an extended period. Maybe let PJ Hairston practice some isolation’s and build some confidence going 1 on 1 and taking the ball to the basket in the half court. North Carolina will absolutely get this win tonight. What they need, is a huge win, a win that will allow their coach some much needed preparation for March Madness. A time when the depth of this team will be tested, and matter the most.
Wake Forest comes in struggling at 11-10 overall and just 2-5 in the ACC. With losses against teams like Dayton, Arizona State, Richmond, Wofford, and a 24 points loss to NC State. This is no FSU, trust me, no surprise is in order. In fact, I was going to do an “Inside the Numbers” column for today’s game. Before I realized it would just be a mockery column, no real analysis in pointing out that Wake is ranked around 200th in every category. UNC meanwhile is ranked first and in the top 25 of the most important categories.
The one thing Wake does have. A deadly outside shooter, and we all know what deadly outside shooters have done to Carolina this season. CJ Harris leads the Demon Deacons averaging 17.3 points per game on 50% shooting and 48% from down town. He’s the type of shooter that can rattle off several in a row and put together runs of his own on the offensive end. As long as UNC can continue their recent trend of playing hard and not falling asleep, this one should still be a piece of cake. Espceially the way Reggie Bullock and Harrison Barnes have been locking down the wings the last couple games since Dexter Stricklands injury.
How its all going to go down: A huge early run will by Carolina will set the tone and the Heels won’t look back. A big game by Reggie Bullock seems almost destiny and I see him bringing home the player of the game honors. Final Score: UNC 94 Wake 63
I’m taking the Heels in a blowout Tar Heel Nation. Who you got and what’s your final score prediction? Let us know in the comments section, any trouble doing so, click HERE.
It’s busy in Tar Heel Nation right now Heel heads. Myself along with the entire Keeping It Heel will be addressing you many numerous times so check back often. Game day is here, national signing day is tomorrow. And we’re all over it like Heels on punk @$$ little blue devils.