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UNC Basketball: Yellow Jackets vs. Tar Heels game preview

By Brandon Griffin

Dec 21, 2016; Chapel Hill, NC, USA; The North Carolina Tar Heels bench reacts to a dunk by forward Isaiah Hicks (not pictured) during the second half against the Northern Iowa Panthers at Dean E. Smith Center. The Tar Heels won 85-42. Mandatory Credit: Rob Kinnan-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 21, 2016; Chapel Hill, NC, USA; The North Carolina Tar Heels bench reacts to a dunk by forward Isaiah Hicks (not pictured) during the second half against the Northern Iowa Panthers at Dean E. Smith Center. The Tar Heels won 85-42. Mandatory Credit: Rob Kinnan-USA TODAY Sports /
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Three Questions

Dec 21, 2016; Chapel Hill, NC, USA; Northern Iowa Panthers forward Bennett Koch (25) drives to the basket as North Carolina Tar Heels forward Kennedy Meeks (3) defends during the second half at Dean E. Smith Center. The Tar Heels won 85-42. Mandatory Credit: Rob Kinnan-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 21, 2016; Chapel Hill, NC, USA; Northern Iowa Panthers forward Bennett Koch (25) drives to the basket as North Carolina Tar Heels forward Kennedy Meeks (3) defends during the second half at Dean E. Smith Center. The Tar Heels won 85-42. Mandatory Credit: Rob Kinnan-USA TODAY Sports /

Can Kennedy Meeks keep up the pace?

Meeks has been on a tear the last three games. Against Kentucky, Northern Iowa, and Monmouth, the senior big man is averaging 16 points and nine rebounds. Some people are calling it his Brice Johnson moment.

The Tar Heels don’t need Johnson type production out of Meeks to win a lot of games. However, if they get it, it will help them take another step to avenging last season’s Championship loss to Villanova.

Can Georgia Tech’s Center stay on the floor?

UNC has done an incredible job of getting the opposing team’s center in foul trouble. In the last three games all three centers have fouled out of the game. This is big for two reasons. One it gets Carolina’s bigs more opportunities at the foul line. In the past three games Hicks, Meeks, and Bradley have shot a combined 25-36 from the line (70 percent).

The other thing is that it would keep a good player off the floor. I mentioned Lammers impact earlier. The past three centers have averaged only 15 minutes a game. For Lammers, who averages 33 minutes a game, that would be a huge decrease in minutes. That, in turn, would make life easier for all the Heels.

Can UNC get a true road win?

The Tar Heels have not won on the road this season (Tulane was technically a neutral site game). They are 0-1 in such games with the loss coming in Indiana. A conference road win to open the ACC season would be big not just for the Tar Heels, but for their resume as well.

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