UNC Basketball aims for redemption against No. 6 Virginia
Looking to avenge an earlier loss to Virginia, the UNC basketball program comes into Saturday’s contest with a lot to play for.
Although Hubert Davis said in his Friday press conference that these upcoming games aren’t “must-win games,” Saturday’s contest against No. 6-ranked Virginia seems like a big one for the UNC basketball program.
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The Tar Heels, coming off a tight victory over Notre Dame, could really use this game to boost their NCAA Tournament resume, as beating the Cavaliers most likely would give North Carolina its first Quad 1 victory of the season.
For the Cavaliers, they come in off arguably their worst performance of the season, as they suffered a loss to Boston College on Wednesday.
Davis is right- ACC Tournament and NCAA Tournament games are must-win contests. However, the Tar Heels’ chances of making the big dance would definitely improve with a win against Virginia on their resume.
Key to Victory for North Carolina
It may sound simple, but…
The Tar Heels need to make shots.
Whether they are settling for forced opportunities or simply just not finding ways to put the ball in the basket, North Carolina can not struggle in this game if they have any hope of winning it.
Virginia will come in with a tough defensive presence, as the Tar Heels must not only find open shots but connect on them.
Armando Bacot missed all but one minute and 20 seconds of the first matchup but will be back on the court for this one. His presence alone could make a huge impact in this one, as North Carolina will put itself in a great spot if its star player gets going.
Something to Watch For
During his press conference on Friday, Hubert Davis discussed Jalen Washington, who played significant minutes in the first meeting with Virginia due to Bacot’s injury.
Davis had this to say about his freshman big man:
Hubert says he doesn’t remember Virginia double teaming Jalen Washington up in Charlottesville, but says “they’ll double him this time.”
— Michael Koh (@michaelkohwchl) February 24, 2023
Is this a sign that we’re bound to see more of Washington on Saturday night?
Last Meeting
Without Bacot and fellow big man Pete Nance, the UNC basketball program suffered a 65-58 loss to the Cavaliers on January 10, 2023.
As mentioned earlier, Washington saw a career-high in minutes (27) in Bacot’s absence, as he knocked down five of his 11 shots to finish the night with 13 points and six rebounds.
RJ Davis led the Tar Heels with 16 points, while Caleb Love (13 points) was the only other UNC basketball player in double-figures.
Projected Starters
No. 1 Leaky Black (Gr., 6-9 205) – 7.1 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 1.4 apg
No. 2 Caleb Love (Jr., 6-4, 200) – 17.1 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 2.8 apg
No. 4 R.J. Davis (Jr., 6-0, 175) – 15.6 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 3.3 apg
No. 5 Armando Bacot (Sr., 6-11, 235) – 17.3 ppg, 11.1 rpg, 1.1 bpg
No. 32 Pete Nance (Gr. 6-11, 230) – 9.6 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 1.6 apg