UNC Basketball hits the road for rematch with Notre Dame
After beating the Fighting Irish earlier in the season, is a rematch just what the UNC basketball program needs to get back on track?
It’s been a rough go for the UNC basketball program as of late, but it’s been an even tougher stretch for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.
Mike Brey’s team has lost 9 of its last 10 contests, with its last win coming back on January 28 against Louisville. Needless to say, it’s been a disappointing stretch in what figures to be Brey’s last run as the team’s head coach.
Heading into Wednesday night’s matchup, the question remains: which team can battle through their current struggles and pick up a much-needed victory?
10-17. 16-11. Wednesday, February 22, 2023. 443. UNC -6. 9:00 PM EST. 441. ESPN
The Tar Heels can’t afford to lose this game. In fact, they need to win as many games as possible between the final stretch of the regular season as well as in the ACC Tournament to even have a chance at an NCAA Tournament bid.
Even though their postseason hopes are slim to none (barring an unexpected run to win the ACC Tournament), Notre Dame would love to put another dagger in the Tar Heels’ postseason hopes by defeating them on Wednesday night.
Key To Victory
Limit the turnovers and bad shot attempts.
When the Tar Heels play sloppy, which comes around quite often this season, we’ve seen opposing teams go on runs that should’ve never happened. If the Tar Heels lose the lead, this is where bad shots come into play, as it becomes a three-point shootout that doesn’t typically end well.
With a size advantage (especially with Pete Nance available-remember, he missed the first meeting between these two teams), the Tar Heels need to take advantage of the post.
Not only does this include Armando Bacot, but the likes of RJ Davis, Caleb Love, and even Leaky Black should take every opportunity to attack the basket. When they have, it’s worked pretty well for the Tar Heels.
Something to Watch For
Over the last two games, the Tar Heels have connected on just 12 of their total 52 three-point field goal attempts.
Will this trend continue, or will the Tar Heels change up the game plan?
North Carolina has some capable shooters, it’s just the consistency factor that has killed them throughout the 2022-2023 season. Will Hubert Davis encourage more drives to the basket, or will we see another 20+ three-point field goal attempt night that could go either way?
Last Meeting
On January 7, 2023, the UNC basketball program defeated Notre Dame by a final score of 81-64.
Armando Bacot led all scorers with 21 points while also recording a game-high 13 rebounds. Caleb Love and RJ Davis combined for 31 points, while Puff Johnson knocked down four of his five shot attempts en route to an 11-point, six-rebound performance.
Projected Starters
No. 4 R.J. Davis (Jr., 6-0, 175) – 15.8 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 3.3 apg
No. 2 Caleb Love (Jr., 6-4, 200) – 17.2 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 2.9 apg
No. 1 Leaky Black (Gr., 6-9 205) – 7.1 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 1.4 apg
No. 32 Pete Nance (Gr. 6-11, 230) – 9.6 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 1.5 apg
No. 5 Armando Bacot (Sr., 6-11, 235) – 17.3 ppg, 11.1 rpg, 1.1 bpg