Keeping It Heel
Fansided

3 Overreactions following UNC basketball’s win over Radford

By Nick Delahanty

CHAPEL HILL, NORTH CAROLINA - NOVEMBER 06: DaQuan Smith #1 of the Radford Highlanders attempts to defend a three-point shot by Cormac Ryan #3 of the North Carolina Tar Heels during the second half of the game at the Dean E. Smith Center on November 06, 2023 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
CHAPEL HILL, NORTH CAROLINA - NOVEMBER 06: DaQuan Smith #1 of the Radford Highlanders attempts to defend a three-point shot by Cormac Ryan #3 of the North Carolina Tar Heels during the second half of the game at the Dean E. Smith Center on November 06, 2023 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images) /
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UNC Basketball
Nov 6, 2023; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels forward Armando Bacot (5) with the ball in the second half at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports /

No. 2: Rebounding (other than Bacot) will be an issue

In the first half against Radford, Armando Bacot had 9 rebounds of his own.

The Tar Heels, as a team, only had 13.

Yikes.

Bacot ended the night with 13 boards, as the Tar Heels out-rebounded Radford by a small margin (37-34).

The question remains: is rebounding going to be an issue for this team?

Bacot is a vacuum under the boards, as he’s shown throughout his entire UNC basketball career. Although this Tar Heels roster doesn’t possess another player who can rebound at Bacot’s level (let’s face it: not many players in the country can), they do have plenty of guys who crash the glass and can grab the board.

Other than Bacot, expect a rebounding-by-committee approach, as multiple guys will be active in helping the team secure rebounds.

If you’re worried about rebounding, just look at this stat: all five starters recorded at least three rebounds. Jalen Washington had four of his own off the bench, and every single player who saw minutes in the win recorded a rebound as well.

Bacot will be in the spotlight in the rebounding effort, but this team should have no problem rebounding this season. Yes, the margin was small against Radford, but expect this group to continue improving in this area as the season goes along.

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