Keeping It Heel
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UNC Basketball: Hurricanes vs. Tar Heels game preview

By Brandon Griffin

Jan 26, 2017; Chapel Hill, NC, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels forward Justin Jackson (44) and forward Kennedy Meeks (3) react near the end of the game. The Tar Heels defeated the Hokies 91-72 at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 26, 2017; Chapel Hill, NC, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels forward Justin Jackson (44) and forward Kennedy Meeks (3) react near the end of the game. The Tar Heels defeated the Hokies 91-72 at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports /
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Three Questions

Jan 26, 2017; Chapel Hill, NC, USA; Virginia Tech Hokies guard Chris Clarke (15) with the ball as North Carolina Tar Heels forwards Kennedy Meeks (3) and Isaiah Hicks (4) defends in the second half. The Tar Heels defeated the Hokies 91-72 at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 26, 2017; Chapel Hill, NC, USA; Virginia Tech Hokies guard Chris Clarke (15) with the ball as North Carolina Tar Heels forwards Kennedy Meeks (3) and Isaiah Hicks (4) defends in the second half. The Tar Heels defeated the Hokies 91-72 at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports /

Can the Heels win without Theo Pinson?

Everyone in Tar Heel blue held their collective breath when word was announced that Theo Pinson would not play the second half. They all released it when they heard it was for precautionary reasons.

The Tar Heels need Pinson if they want to win the ACC. They are 6-0 since he returned to the team and provided too many intangibles for the team to go without him for long stretches.

His health is paramount to winning it all, as both Hicks and Jackson have gotten better since his return. Hopefully this was just a blip, though he wont be available on Saturday in Miami.

Can UNC dominate on the road?

I asked this last week before the Boston College game and the response from the Tar Heels was a nine-point victory over Boston College in which a freshman hit more threes than the Tar Heels combined.

A huge road win would go a long way toward helping the Carolina cause at a 1-seed. Right now, their best road win is either at Wake Forest or at Clemson. Neither of those is uber impressive. Beating Miami by double-digits would further help to separate the Tar Heels from the rest of the league .

Has Miami recovered from Durham?

Miami looked like a sure-fire tournament team going into Durham last weekend. After one half of play that opinion stayed unchanged. Starting in the second half, things were not so clear.

In the second half against Duke, the Canes were outscored 45-22 in what has been the Blue Devils’ only victory in their last four games. Since that half, the Canes also struggled at home against Boston College.

Boston College is not a cake walk, but on the road they aren’t nearly as competitive, having lost their three previous conference road games by an average of 16 points per game. Miami beat them at home by one point, thanks to two clutch free throws by Bruce Brown with six seconds left in a game Miami led by 14 with just five minutes remaining.

If Miami is still suffering from a Duke hangover, it could be a long day for the Canes and a good day for the Tar Heels.

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