Keeping It Heel
Fansided

UNC Basketball: Breaking down the field of the Las Vegas Invitational

By Alec Lasley

CHAPEL HILL, NORTH CAROLINA - NOVEMBER 12: Nassir Little #5 of the North Carolina Tar Heels drives against Lukas Kisunas #32 of the Stanford Cardinal during the second half of their game at the Dean Smith Center on November 12, 2018 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. North Carolina won 90-72 (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
CHAPEL HILL, NORTH CAROLINA - NOVEMBER 12: Nassir Little #5 of the North Carolina Tar Heels drives against Lukas Kisunas #32 of the Stanford Cardinal during the second half of their game at the Dean Smith Center on November 12, 2018 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. North Carolina won 90-72 (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images) /
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AUSTIN, TX – NOVEMBER 12: Elijah Mitrou-Long #55 of the Texas Longhorns shoots the ball against Michael Ertel #2 of the Louisiana Monroe Warhawks at the Frank Erwin Center on November 12, 2018 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Chris Covatta/Getty Images)
AUSTIN, TX – NOVEMBER 12: Elijah Mitrou-Long #55 of the Texas Longhorns shoots the ball against Michael Ertel #2 of the Louisiana Monroe Warhawks at the Frank Erwin Center on November 12, 2018 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Chris Covatta/Getty Images) /

Texas (Record: 4-0)

For the Tar Heels, they are averaging 14 turnovers per game, highest since the 2009-10 season. Granted we are only five games in, a much smaller sample size, it is still something to watch going into the weekend as Texas currently has four players ranked in the top 10 in steals (1.75+ per game) in the Big 12.

Though Carolina has made up for their high rate of turnovers on the defensive end, averaging 10 steals a game, Texas ranks 25 nationally in steals/turnover ratio (.78) whereas Carolina falls at T44 nationally in the same category (.70).

For Texas, in order to beat the Tar Heels, it’s all about their ability to disrupt Carolina’s offensive flow.

Because the Longhorns are not a great shooting team, only 41 percent from the field and 29.3 percent from three, creating turnovers and getting out in transition is the best medicine.

Someone who Texas fans really want to see get going is that of Matt Coleman. A sophomore, Coleman is shooting only 27 percent from the field, down from 42 percent a season ago.

The 6-foot-2 point guard has seen his points per game dip from 10.2 as a freshman, to 7.3 through four games, including only one game in double figures.

Averaging 1.8 steals a game, look for him to try to disrupt the play of Coby White and get his offense going on the defensive end.

Two other names to get to know are Kerwin Roach and Dylan Osetkowski.

Leading the Longhorns in scoring and assists, Roach is a dynamic athlete who can play and guard multiple positions. For Osetkowski, the big man has a versatile game that allows him to score in crafty ways, reminding me of Luke Maye in the post.

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