UNC Basketball: What loss to Texas AM means for the future
By Zack Pearson
When they get cold, they get ice cold….
The lack of a dominant post player wasn’t the only thing that hurt the Tar Heels.
As a team, the Tar Heels shot the ball very poorly in the loss. They shot 26-of-78 for 33 percent on the game. That was one of their worst shooting performances of the season and reminded every one of the Michigan State game back in the PK80 Tournament in November.
The thing about this team is that they have great shooters on the perimeter. But once they get cold, they go real cold.
While Berry and Pinson won’t be back next season, Kenny Williams, Cam Johnson, Luke Maye and Brandon Robinson all look as if they are returning.
In the loss to Texas A&M, Williams and Johnson combined to shoot just 5-of-19 for 12 points. That included going 2-of-12 from behind the three-point line.
Both players are a threat to beat you from the three-point line but they got cold and it hurt the Tar Heels. They just couldn’t get anything going on their ice-cold shooting night.
Maye started off the game slow but finished 6-of-16 from the field. It wasn’t his best performance of the season as he’s struggled to stay consistent. The junior forward just didn’t have it in the first half but finished with 13 points.
Moving forward, the thing that needs to be improved by Maye is his consistency.
Williams also struggled with consistency.
He averaged 11.4 points per game while upping his shooting percentage to 48 percent this season compared to 41 percent last season. But he also had a stretch in the middle of the year when he went through a rough stretch making just 8-of-26 three-point attempts.
For the year, Williams shot 40 percent from the three-point line, which is pretty good. It’s just the inconsistency that hurt him.
With the three going cold, it’s not a good sign for next season. If they continue this and go cold, it could hurt the Tar Heels.
UNC will rely on their shooters next season especially with the depth they will have. Can the shooters knock down shots consistently? If so, it will bode well for the Tar Heels.