UNC Basketball: Analyzing Seventh Woods’ Development

After his first full summer of being healthy, Seventh Woods has proved to be a valuable and calming piece to a relatively inexperienced back court.

Averaging 1.3 points, 1.1 rebounds, and 1.1 assists in only 7.4 minutes a game through his first two seasons, Seventh Woods was an afterthought on the Tar Heels roster.

Not only could Woods not stay healthy but when he did find time on the court, he was limited by his turnovers and inability to run the offense. Though there would be flashes of the high-flying athlete that Roy Williams recruited, it was never sustainable.

With the departure of Joel Berry II, it was almost inevitable that Woods would now see meaningful minutes for the Tar Heels but then it was the freshman, five-star recruit Coby White who took Chapel Hill by storm.

Though Woods played well through the summer and into the first couple exhibitions, it was White who took the starting spot and through three games has lived up to expectations, even exceeding them in some ways.

And once again, Woods saw himself losing playing time to another talented guard.

This season could have gone one of two ways; Woods could have folded and been the same player Carolina fans saw his first two years or gone the path he is on now, showing his value and proving many doubters wrong who said he would never be much of a factor for this Tar Heels team during his time in Chapel Hill.

So far through his first three games this season, his stats aren’t eye-popping, but he does have a few terrific numbers that show he will be one of the most valuable members of the Tar Heels this season.

With an average of 1.7 points and 1.7 rebounds, you wouldn’t expect Woods to be much of a factor but it’s his team-high 4.0 assists per game that have me excited.

Averaging only 14.7 minutes a game, the South Carolina native has come off the bench all three games and is currently ranked 12th in the ACC in assists/game. Not only is that impressive for a guy who is a backup point guard, but you have to go all the way to 40th to see the next player on the list who plays less than 15 minutes a game and that is teammate Leaky Black.

When you adjust the numbers to the equivalent of assists per 40 minutes, Woods ranks first in the entire conference with 10.9 assists per game, tied with Justin Robinson from Virginia Tech.

One of the most impressive numbers to me is his offensive rating – this is based on how many points the team would score with Woods on the floor per 100 possessions. His average his first two seasons was 76.4, and through three games this year that number is up 20 points to 95.3, per Sports-Reference. This is all related to not only his decision making and getting his teammates open shots, but also his great defense that is leading to more possessions and more transition as well.

Not only has Woods improved on the offensive end but he has been terrific on the other side of the ball as well. With a defensive rating of 91.7 so far this season, that is a career high for the 6-foot-2 guard and ranks fourth best on the team.

A great example to support what all these numbers are saying was In an extended stretch at the midway point of the second half against Wofford.

The junior guard played with great poise and calmness, extending the Tar Heels lead in crucial minutes, eventually leading to Carolina winning. Not only did Woods look calm, what was even better was that all of his teammates looked calm and ready for him to lead them.

As I said, though his stats aren’t going to get him national recognition, his importance to this team cannot be overshadowed. There is a real chance that come ACC play, if he keeps up his play, the Tar Heels will have the best back up point guard in the conference in Seventh Woods.