Keeping It Heel
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UNC Basketball: Staff Picks vs Notre Dame

By Mark DeMott

CHAPEL HILL, NORTH CAROLINA - JANUARY 04: R.J. Davis #4 of the North Carolina Tar Heels celebrates with the bench after making a three-point basket against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons during the second half of their game at the Dean E. Smith Center on January 04, 2023 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. The Tar Heels won 88-79. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
CHAPEL HILL, NORTH CAROLINA - JANUARY 04: R.J. Davis #4 of the North Carolina Tar Heels celebrates with the bench after making a three-point basket against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons during the second half of their game at the Dean E. Smith Center on January 04, 2023 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. The Tar Heels won 88-79. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images) /
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The UNC basketball team looks to defend its home court against a struggling but experienced Notre Dame squad.

North Carolina got a much-needed victory over Wake Forest on Wednesday night, as they look to hit their stride with conference play now in full swing.  Up next for UNC is a matchup with a Notre Dame team that has had a rough start to ACC play (but always tends to give the Heels trouble) in the Smith Center.  Will UNC be able to cap off a bounce-back week with a win against the Fighting Irish?  Find out what our staff thinks below!

Nick Delahanty

This is a game that, in my heart, I know the Tar Heels should take care of business.

However, the time of tip-off, plus what we know about this year’s squad so far, I know it won’t be a walk in the part.

Notre Dame is very experienced but is also struggling. I think that, if North Carolina can limit damage from beyond-the-arc, and can get Armando Bacot going (remember, he had 21 points and a dominant 17 rebounds in the last meeting between these two teams), I think they’ll secure a victory in this one.

Prediction: North Carolina 76, Notre Dame 63

Mark DeMott

The Tar Heels host a Notre Dame team that has tons of experience, but hasn’t played well this season.  Notre Dame is always capable of having a big day beyond the arc, and if they do on Saturday they could definitely hang with UNC.

However, I think UNC should have a huge advantage in the paint in this one.  If Armando Bacot stays out of foul trouble (and the rest of the team makes sure to get him touches) he should be in for another huge game.  This should open up the floor for Carolina’s guards as well as long as they take care of the ball.

Notre Dame is also thin off the bench, and some contributions from Seth Trimble, Puff Johnson, and others should give UNC an advantage in that department.  If the Heels control the paint as they should, avoid careless turnovers, and stay disciplined in guarding shooters defensively they should take care of business.

I’ll take the Heels to win decisively and head to Charlottesville for a huge road test at UVA on Tuesday with a winning record in ACC play.

Prediction: North Carolina 85, Notre Dame 65

Aaron Conrad

The Tar Heels are still at home at the Smith Center and look to once again gain momentum on the expectations for this season.

I think Coach Hubert Davis found something in that lineup down the stretch in the last game. Notre Dame is struggling. They don’t score the ball like UNC does and are 0-4 in the ACC.

This is a game UNC should win going away if they take care of business and don’t take it lightly.

Prediction: North Carolina 86, Notre Dame 68

Spencer Schultz

This should be a game where UNC takes care of business from the very beginning. They’ve struggled to put teams away in 2022, so this will be the perfect opportunity for that. Notre Dame ranks near the bottom of the power six in plenty of offensive and defensive statistics.

Head coach Hubert Davis’ main priority for this matchup should be limiting the Irish’s shooting. They shoot 37.7% from three, making 8.9 a game. This could also be a game where guard Caleb Love breaks out of his recent slump.

Prediction: North Carolina 83, Notre Dame 70

Leaky Black's Career High. dark. Next

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