Keeping It Heel
Fansided

UNC Basketball Game #2 Preview: Lehigh

By Nick Delahanty

CHAPEL HILL, NORTH CAROLINA - NOVEMBER 06: Harrison Ingram #55 of the North Carolina Tar Heels moves the ball against the Radford Highlanders during 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: Harrison Ingram #55 of the North Carolina Tar Heels moves the ball against the Radford Highlanders during 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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The UNC basketball program looks to pick up win No. 2 on the 2023-2024 season as they host Lehigh in non-conference action.

For the first time since November 9, 2021 (Hubert Davis’ first game as the UNC basketball program’s head coach), the Tar Heels will be taking on a Patriot League opponent in some non-conference action at the Dean Smith Center.

After a 16-point victory over Radford in the season opener, North Carolina looks to keep it going against the Mountain Hawks. This meeting will mark the first time since 1941 that the two squads have competed against each other on the basketball court.

It hasn’t been an easy start to the season for Lehigh, as they lost their season (and home opener) to Cornell on Monday. They followed that by losing to Penn State on Friday night, a game that was the first of two road games in three days for the Mountain Hawks.

Now, they’ll head to Chapel Hill with hopes of earning an upset victory.

Lehigh might not be as talented as Radford is, but it is another game that the Tar Heels can’t overlook. Who knows, maybe we’ll learn something about this squad from this one.

Key to Victory for North Carolina

I’m going to channel my inner New Jersey here.

“Hey Siri, play “Born to Run” by Bruce Springsteen.”

The Tar Heels want to run. This game is a great opportunity to do so.

Lehigh has a quick turnaround, as this will be their second game in less than 48 hours. North Carolina can capitalize by getting up the court at the pace they look to typically play, as a track meet is one that should favor the Tar Heels tremendously.

Taking care of the basketball will be crucial, as the Tar Heels would like to alleviate some turnovers that they saw in the season opener.

Play with a fast (but smart pace).

Something to Watch For

Hubert Davis went deep into his bench in the season opener, as all 11 scholarship players saw game action.

What will the rotation look like in this one? Of course, we’re all trying to get an early glimpse of which players may or may not be significant players in the rotation as the season rolls along, but this is a game where we once again could see a good amount of the team’s depth.

How will Elliot Cadeau look in his second game as a Tar Heel? Will we see more of Zayden High, who played just eight minutes in the opener?

Last Meeting

You have to go DEEP in the archives for this one!

The only previous game between the UNC basketball program and Lehigh was a 62-58 Tar Heel victory on January 2, 1941. George Glamack set a UNC basketball program record with 33 points to lead all scorers.

Projected Starters

No. 3 Cormac Ryan (Gr. 6-5, 195) 13.0 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 3.0 apg
No. 4 RJ Davis (Sr. 6-0, 180) 13.0 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 2.0 apg
No. 5 Armando Bacot (Gr., 6-11, 240) 25.0 ppg, 13.0 rpg, 1.0 apg
No. 8 Paxson Wojcik (Gr. 6-5, 195) 5.0 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 3.0 apg
No. 55 Harrison Ingram (Jr. 6-7, 235) 12.0 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 3.0 apg

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