UNC Basketball opens up ACC play at Virginia Tech
The UNC basketball program will begin ACC play while ending a five-game road trip, as they travel to Blacksburg, Virginia to take on Virginia Tech.
Hubert Davis and the UNC basketball program will look to end its current three-game skid as they begin conference play against the Virginia Tech Hokies.
The Tar Heels have struggled on their current road trip, losing three of the four contests they’ve played. They hope to get back on track on Sunday afternoon, but will once again compete in a very tough atmosphere to play in.
This year marks the third consecutive season that North Carolina will open up conference play on the road. Virginia Tech comes in with just one loss so far this season, as they were defeated by the College of Charleston (a team that the Tar Heels beat a week prior) in the championship game of the Charleston Classic.
Can North Carolina get back in the win column and open up conference play on a good note? Here’s what they have to do in order to make that happen.
Key To Victory for North Carolina
It seems as if there’s one player from each opponent that has over exceeded expectations when their team takes on the Tar Heels.
North Carolina must avoid this from happening, as the collective unit must do a better job defensively.
Sean Pedulla has been Virginia Tech’s top scorer so far, but the Hokies have a few players who have the ability to put the ball in the basket. Leaky Black will likely draw either Pedulla or Grant Basile to start the game, but will also be called upon to slow down any player that emerges with the hot hand.
Something to Watch For
Armando Bacot is certainly not 100 percent.
First, it was an ankle injury that was impacting the preseason All-American. Now, to add to that, the senior big man has a shoulder injury to boot.
How healthy is Bacot, and what type of impact will he make in this one?
North Carolina needs to find a way to get Bacot involved near the basket, as his presence will help open up opportunities for other players on the floor. When Bacot is active throughout, the Tar Heels are simply a better team.
He’ll be playing injured, but he still can make a major impact on this game. It’s up to Hubert Davis and the Tar Heels to find ways to get him involved early and often.
Last Meeting
North Carolina and Virginia Tech matched up in the 2022 ACC Tournament semifinals at the Barclays Center in New York City.
The matchup did not go well for the Tar Heels, as they suffered a 72-58 loss to the Hokies, the team that would ultimately go on to win the entire tournament.
Armando Bacot was the standout for the Tar Heels, as he scored 19 points while recording 14 rebounds.
Projected Starters
No. 4 R.J. Davis (Jr., 6-0, 175) – 15.1 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 3.0 apg
No. 2 Caleb Love (Jr., 6-4, 200) – 19.1 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 3.1 apg
No. 1 Leaky Black (Gr., 6-9 205) – 7.6 ppg, 6.6 rpg, 1.1 apg
No. 32 Pete Nance (Gr. 6-11, 230) – 12.3 ppg, 5.9 rpg, 2.0 apg
No. 5 Armando Bacot (Sr., 6-11, 235) – 16.1 ppg, 11.1 rpg, 1.5 bpg
What You Need To Know
WHAT? North Carolina Tar Heels (5-3) at Virginia Tech Hokies (7-1)
WHEN? Sunday, December 4, 2022, at 3:00 PM EST
WHERE? Cassell Coliseum in Blacksburg, Virginia
TV? ACCN
RADIO? Tar Heels Sports Network
LINE? Virginia Tech -1
LAST MEETING? Virginia Tech defeated UNC 72-59 on March 11, 2022 (ACC Tournament)
ALL-TIME SERIES? UNC leads the all-time series 72-16
PREDICTION? UNC 71, Virginia Tech 68