UNC Basketball: Keeping It Heel Staff Picks vs Miami

The UNC basketball team will look to defend its home court and pick up a signature win against the ‘Canes.

The UNC Basketball team ended its three-game losing streak in emphatic fashion with a blowout win over Clemson on Saturday.  Up next for the Tar Heels is a short turnaround against a Miami team that went to the Elite Eight last year.  With a two-game road trip coming up next, Carolina is in desperate need of a big win for NCAA Tournament purposes.  Will the Tar Heels defend home court and pick up what would be their best win of the year thus far?  Find out what our staff thinks below!

Nick Delahanty

I’m not going to lie- I’m very happy that my prediction for Saturday’s game was wrong (maybe I should pick them to lose every game out of superstition).

Saturday was a vintage North Carolina basketball performance. The question is, can this group do it again, or will inconsistency take over?

In a must-win game, I think the Tar Heels will do just enough to capture another victory at the Dean Smith Center. It will be close, but this team knows its backs are against the wall.

Prediction: North Carolina 79, Miami 76

Mark DeMott

This should be a very entertaining game.  Miami plays fast and can really score.  Their backcourt duo of Isaiah Wong and Nigel Pack sets up a great matchup with Carolina’s guards.

Down low, Norchad Omier is undersized but extremely physical.  It will be key for Carolina that Armando Bacot brings his “A” game and takes advantage of that matchup.  Jordan Miller is a matchup nightmare at the four position for the ‘Canes, and the Tar Heels will need a good performance from either Pete Nance, Leaky Black, or Puff Johnson to contain him.

The ‘Canes are also deep and get scoring from various other players off the bench.  If UNC is going to win they will have to shoot well and defend at a high level.  If the team we saw on Saturday shows up, Carolina can get it done.  If the team from the three-game losing streak returns, it will get very ugly.

I think Bacot has a huge night and the Tar Heel backcourt shows up as UNC does just enough to take down a very good Miami team.

Prediction: North Carolina 83, Miami 77

Aaron Conrad

Welcome back to the 2022-2023 college basketball season UNC Basketball!

The Tar Heels put together their best, most complete game of the season on Saturday. As we have wondered if they could do that at any point this season, now we have to wonder if they can do it again.

This is a quick turnaround game just 2 days later. The opponent is a good one. Miami will defend and push the pace. One weakness for Miami is always a lack of discipline with the ball.

This should be a good one tonight.

Prediction: North Carolina 84, Miami 80

Spencer Schultz

It’s quite interesting that the Heels are favored by 5.5 points in this one. Miami possesses an elite backcourt trio that will give UNC fits on Monday evening.

This game is huge, as UNC looks to build off a huge victory on Saturday over Clemson. The guards had arguably their best-combined game of the season, and they’ll need that again on Monday.

Prediction: Miami 76, North Carolina 73

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