UNC Basketball vs. Stanford: Game preview, prediction, info and more

The UNC Basketball team returns to action on Monday afternoon as they look to advance to the Championship game of the Maui Invitational

The UNC Basketball program will look to continue their winning ways and improve to 3-0 on Tuesday afternoon as they take on Stanford in the Maui Invitational.

After a slow start on Monday, the Tar Heels took the game over in the second half against UNLV running away with the win and advancing in the tournament. But next up will be a tough test against a solid Stanford team which features star freshman Ziaire Williams.

And if that name sounds familiar, there’s a reason.

UNC was one of the teams in the running for the five-star recruit and was actually considered one of the favorites early on. Many thought Williams would eventually commit to Carolina but as time went on, the Tar Heels started to fall back in the race. Williams eventually committed to Stanford and had a good debut last night scoring 18 points in the win over Alabama.

Williams will certainly be someone the Tar Heels need to keep their eyes on in this game.

In terms of how this game will go, this is the tale of two teams that like to pick up the pace and run the floor. This will certainly be UNC’s toughest opponent to date as the Tar Heels cruised to victories over College of Charleston and UNLV.

The other thing to keep an eye on is Stanford’s defense. They are a very good defensive team and can force you into tough decisions. If the Tar Heels struggle to shoot, they could be in some trouble in this one just like the first few minutes of the win over UNLV.

Let’s get into our preview:

Key to victory for UNC

Dominating in the paint. This has been a staple for the Tar Heels ever since Roy Williams took over as head coach. The Tar Heels have four good bigs and they absolutely dominated in the paint vs. UNLV despite only one point from freshman Day’Ron Sharpe. While Stanford is a good defensive team, the Tar Heels should have the advantage in the paint in this one.

With good guard play, the Tar Heels should be able to get the ball into the paint and let their rotation of four bigs do work. The other thing to keep an eye on is if Stanford doubles in the paint, the Tar Heels can kick it out to guards on the wing for open shots.

I’m looking at UNC to win the rebounding battle and own the paint in this one.

Something to watch for….

Can UNC shoot better in this one? The Tar Heels shot 41 percent from the field in the win over UNLV, getting back on track after a very slow start. For a bit there it was a struggle for UNC as they had open looks but couldn’t knock them down.

This is a team that might have to rely on jump shooting, something they really struggled with last season. But this year the guard play is improved and if they can knock down shots, they could jump out to a big lead.

Let’s see if freshman R.J. Davis can continue his hot play after leading UNC with 16 points vs. UNLV. Can Caleb Love get going too?

Don’t be surprised if…

This game comes down to the wire. Stanford’s defense is pretty damn good and could create fits for the Tar Heels in this one.

The Cardinal should stick around in this game due to their defense, making it closer than UNC fans want. The opening line is set to UNC -4 which tells you Vegas thinks it will be a close one. This won’t be an easy test for the Tar Heels but if they can pass it, that would be huge for their confidence early on in the season.

UNC starting lineup

G – Caleb Love
G – R.J. Davis
G/F – Leaky Black
F – Garrison Brooks
F/C – Armando Bacot

What you need to know

WHAT? No. 14 North Carolina Tar Heels (2-0) vs. Stanford (1-0) —  Maui Invitational
WHEN? Tuesday, December 1 at 4:00 p.m. EST
WHERE? Harrah’s Cherokee Center – Asheville, North Carolina
TV? ESP
RADIO? Tar Heels Sports Network
LINE? UNC -4
LAST MEETING? UNC won 90-72 in Chapel Hill on November 12, 2018.
ALL-TIME SERIES? UNC leads 12-0
PREDICTION? UNC 70, Stanford 67

For more on the UNC Basketball program, please check back with Keeping It Heel.