UNC Basketball vs. Elon: Game preview, info, prediction and more
By Zack Pearson
The UNC Basketball program will host Elon this week as they look to move to 4-0 on the early 2019-20 college basketball season
The North Carolina Tar Heels return to the court on Wednesday night for another home game as they look to go 4-0. This will be the first game for the Tar Heels after moving up in the latest AP Top 25 poll to No. 5 on Monday.
UNC had just one game last week, fighting off Gardner-Webb for a 77-61 to move to 3-0 on the early season.
This matchup with Elon will be the Tar Heels’ lone Battle 4 Atlantis campus game as they prepare to head down to the Bahamas next week to participate in the tournament. UNC will open up the quick tournament that takes place over Thanksgiving against Alabama but they can’t overlook this Elon team that is hoping to pull off a shocking upset.
The Phoenix enter the game at 2-2, losers of two-straight as they dropped contests to Georgia Tech and Michigan. After putting up 90-plus points in their first two games of the year, the Phoenix failed to score more than 50 in the losses to the Yellow Jackets and Wolverines.
Guard Marcus Sheffield is Elon’s leading scorer, averaging 17.3 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game this season. He’s shooting 43 percent from the field and 30 percent from behind the three-point line. He’s their primary threat and someone UNC will need to defend well in this one.
In the paint, Elon doesn’t have much size at all.
Simon Wright is their leading rebounder standing at 6-foot-7 and 215 pounds as he’s grabbing 7.3 rebounds and averaging just over 8 points per game. Aside from him, Sheffield is their next leading rebounder followed by forward Chuck Hannah who is 6-foot-6 and is averaging 5.5 rebounds per game.
This should be a game where we see Garrison Brooks and Armando Bacot have big nights scoring and on the glass.
Key to the Game for UNC
Get off to a fast start.
Last week vs. Gardner-Webb, the Tar Heels had just four points at the first media timeout under the 16 minute mark. That let the Bulldogs hang around a bit in the first half before the Tar Heels eventually pulled away. They can’t let the Phoenix hang in this one and can’t play down to them either.
I’d like to see the Tar Heels get off to a hot start and blow this one open right away. By doing so, it would relieve some of the fans watching this one. While the Tar Heels are 3-0 on the year, it feels like they haven’t really hit their peak either.
Player to Watch
Let’s go with the transfer Christian Keeling. He struggled a bit early vs. Gardner-Webb but then turned it on in the second half.
We know what Cole Anthony is going to bring to the table night in and night out but can Keeling compliment him in the backcourt? If Keeling gets going and finds his shot, this Tar Heels team could be very dangerous.
Let’s hope Keeling gets off to a fast start and can be consistent in this one as the tougher part of the Tar Heels’ schedule looms in late November and early December.
What you need to know
What? Elon 2-2 (0-0 in CAA) at No. 5 North Carolina 3-0 (1-0 in ACC)
When? Wednesday, November 20, 8:30 p.m. EST
Where? Dean E. Smith Center – Chapel Hill, North Carolina
TV? ACC Network
Radio? Tar Heels Sports Network
Line? —
All-time series? UNC leads 2-0
Last meeting? UNC 116, Elon 67 (11/9/2019)
Prediction? UNC 90, Elon 69