UNC Basketball vs. James Madison preview, info, prediction and more
The UNC basketball program will wrap up its four-game homestand, as they host one of the top-scoring teams in the country in James Madison.
Before heading to Portland, Oregon for a Thanksgiving weekend tournament, the UNC basketball program will wrap up its four-game homestand with an interesting non-conference battle with James Madison.
Now, this might not sound like an enticing matchup, but it certainly is. This will be a major test for the Tar Heels, as the Dukes come in playing some great basketball.
After crushing a Division III opponent to kick off the season, James Madison has scored at least 95 points in each of their last three contests against Division I foes. Coming into the matchup with North Carolina, the Dukes are averaging a staggering 105.2 per game, which ranks second-best in the entire country.
How have they been so successful?
For starters, they have shot 58.6 percent from the floor, including an eye-popping 54.1 percent from beyond the arc.
Additionally, they have been very good defensively, as they’ve forced their opponents to average 22.5 turnovers per contest.
Of course, this will be James Madison’s first real test, but this is a game that has the makings of being very challenging for the UNC basketball program.
Key to Victory
James Madison has 9, yes, 9 players who currently average more than 14 minutes per game. The Dukes run a deep bench and do a good job of spreading the wealth offensively.
With four players averaging double figures, it will be interesting to see how Hubert Davis and the Tar Heels try to slow them down offensively. Defensive specialist Leaky Black will likely be tasked with guarding Vado Morse, the team’s leading scorer, but could be switched on any of the team’s other guards (such as Terrence Edwards, Noah Freidel, or Takal Molson).
The Tar Heels have shown some defensive intensity so far this season but will need a full game of strong defense against this very good shooting James Madison team. Unlike the Dukes, North Carolina has yet to get its three-point shooting going, as this could be an area where James Madison has the upper edge.
Something to Watch
Pete Nance was simply fantastic in the first half of Tuesday night’s contest against Gardner-Webb.
It’s not a stretch at all to say he’s the sole reason the Tar Heels were even in the game. Unfortunately, foul trouble derailed his second half, as he was unable to be as productive as he was over the first 20 minutes of play.
As he begins to get more comfortable in his new surroundings, what will we see from Nance in this one? The Tar Heels once again have a size advantage, as Nance, along with fellow big man Armando Bacot, will look to dominate the post.
Last Matchup
The UNC basketball program has only faced James Madison three times: twice during the NCAA Tournament and once in the annual Maui Invitational.
You’d have to go back to 1989 for the last matchup between these two, as Hubert Davis, the current Tar Heels head coach, was a key contributor as a player in that battle.
Trailing 79-70 with a minute remaining, North Carolina stormed back to steal an 80-79 victory. Kevin Madden’s 19 points led the Tar Heels, as they had five players score in double-figures.
Projected Starters
No. 4 R.J. Davis (Jr., 6-0, 175) – 14.0 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 2.3 apg
No. 2 Caleb Love (Jr., 6-4, 200) – 20.7 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 3.3 apg
No. 1 Leaky Black (Gr., 6-9 205) – 9.7 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 0.0 apg
No. 32 Pete Nance (Gr. 6-11, 230) – 10.3 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 2.0 apg
No. 5 Armando Bacot (Sr., 6-11, 235) – 18.0 ppg, 8.0 rpg, 1.7 bpg
What You Need To Know
WHAT? North Carolina Tar Heels (3-0) vs. James Madison Dukes (4-0)
WHEN? Sunday, November 20, 2022, at 12:00 PM EST
WHERE? Dean Smith Center in Chapel Hill, North Carolina
TV? ACC Network
RADIO? Tar Heels Sports Network
LINE? UNC
LAST MEETING? UNC defeated JMU 80-79 on November 24, 1989, in the Maui Invitational
ALL-TIME SERIES? UNC leads the series 3-0
PREDICTION? UNC 90, JMU 86