Keeping It Heel
Fansided

UNC Basketball Predictions for the 2023-2024 Season

By Nick Delahanty

CHAPEL HILL, NORTH CAROLINA - OCTOBER 13: Armando Bacot #5 of the North Carolina Tar Heels is introduced during Live Action with Carolina Basketball at the Dean E. Smith Center on October 13, 2023 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
CHAPEL HILL, NORTH CAROLINA - OCTOBER 13: Armando Bacot #5 of the North Carolina Tar Heels is introduced during Live Action with Carolina Basketball at the Dean E. Smith Center on October 13, 2023 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
3 of 5
Next
Feb 4, 2023; Durham, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels forward Jalen Washington (13) drives to the basket as Duke Blue Devils center Dereck Lively (1) defends during the first half at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rob Kinnan-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 4, 2023; Durham, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels forward Jalen Washington (13) drives to the basket as Duke Blue Devils center Dereck Lively (1) defends during the first half at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rob Kinnan-USA TODAY Sports /

Conference Record and Finish Predictions

Nick Delahanty:

Let me just say: playing Florida State in the middle of non-conference play (and a month before ACC play fully gets into swing) is very odd to me.

However, not to get off track, I like how the conference schedule fell for the UNC basketball program. Of course, the first three games (all on the road) will be tough, but it really has the opportunity to set the tone for the weeks to come.

The key for North Carolina is simple: beat the teams you should beat, and win some of the ones who you aren’t supposed to beat.

AKA, win two of four against Duke and Miami.

Put me down as having the Tar Heels going 14-6 in conference play, as I expect them to lose a game that we all expect them to win. Hey, maybe I’ll jinx it for the betterment of the program, but there always seems to be that game where we say “How did we lose that one?!”

This 14-6 record in the ACC will have the Tar Heels in contention for the conference regular season title, but will ultimately have them finishing third.

Jordan Falls: 

In my opinion, the beginning of the ACC schedule in January will set the tone for the rest of the season. That three-game road stretch between January 2nd and January 10th will be a difficult challenge after the New Year. Pittsburgh and Clemson are two opponents that have given UNC Basketball problems over the years, while NC State is a rivalry game on the road. If the Tar Heels can come out of that stretch 2-1 or even 3-0, it could set a positive tone for the rest of the season.

The end of the season Saturday-Monday turnaround traveling to Virginia on February 24th and then returning to the Smith Center on February 26th versus Miami will be a key stretch late in the season that the Tar Heels need to handle well to set themselves up for post-season success. I have North Carolina going 15-5 in conference play this year. A huge key to having this record will be winning road games, as previously mentioned, especially at the beginning of the season.

Last year, a 15-5 record in the Atlantic Coast Conference would have been good enough to tie for first place in the regular season. I don’t believe that mark will win the conference in 2023-2024, but it is good enough to finish the regular season second in the ACC or tied for it. At ACC Media Day, UNC Basketball was predicted to finish third, behind Duke and Miami. I have the Tar Heels splitting the season series with both teams. If the Tar Heels can sweep one or both, they could be in line to return to the top of the conference.

Home/UNC Basketball