UNC Basketball: Five Bold Predictions for the Rest of the Season

Joel Berry rides a good February to the ACC Player of the Year

There is no doubt who the alpha-male is on this Tar Heel basketball team. While Berry missed time with an ankle injury, the Heels struggled mightily.

In the two games against Davidson and Tennessee, the Heels struggled to get the half court offense rolling.

Since missing time, except for the games he was fighting the flu, Berry has been spectacular.  Berry is averaging 16 points, 4 assists, and 4 rebounds per game since returning. Berry is also shooting 44% from the field, and 40% from three in that stretch.

There is no doubt that when the offense runs through Joel Berry, the UNC offense is much better. According to KenPom, Berry leads the Tar Heel team in offensive efficiency. Offensive efficiency is how productive a player is at producing points for his team.

With a bulk of UNC’s difficult conference games coming in February, it makes it perfect for Berry to put together his campaign. UNC hosts Virginia, Louisville, and Notre Dame, and then travels to Duke, NC State, Pitt, and Virginia.

The whole month Berry will be facing tough competition. His point guard matchups include, Dennis Smith, London Perrantes, Quintin Snyder, Frank Jackson, and Matt Jones.

Player of the year awards are often won in February, and with the slate Berry will be up against, if he plays good, he could be a sleeper pick.