Keeping It Heel
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UNC Basketball faces tough road test against No. 1 Kansas

The Tar Heels will take on the Jayhawks for the first time since the 2022 national championship game.

By Brendan Lunga

Nov 4, 2024; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels guard RJ Davis (4) reacts in the second half at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images
Nov 4, 2024; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels guard RJ Davis (4) reacts in the second half at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images / Bob Donnan-Imagn Images
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After a less-than-convincing 90-76 win over Elon to kick off the 2024-2025 season, the UNC basketball team will travel to Lawrence, Kansas, to take on the first-ranked Jayhawks. The matchup will be the second top-ten matchup of the early college basketball season and UNC's first trip to Allen Fieldhouse since 1960.

It will be an early test for this year's Tar Heels.

ESPN2. UNC v Kansas. 7:00 PM EST. 1-0. 441. Friday, November 8, 2024. 1-0. 462. KU -7

2024-2025 Season

North Carolina Tar Heels

Overall Record: 1-0 Conference Record: 0-0 Home Record: 1-0 Away Record: 0-0 Neutral Site Record: 0-0

Kansas Jayhawks

Overall Record: 1-0 Conference Record: 0-0 Home Record: 1-0 Away Record: 0-0 Neutral Site Record: 0-0

Key Players

North Carolina

RJ Davis (Gr. Guard) - 24.0 points, 7.0 rebounds, 7.0 assists Elliot Cadeau (So. Guard) - 17.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, 8.0 assists Seth Trimble (Jr. Guard) - 15.0 points, 2.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists

Kansas

Zeke Mayo (Sr. Guard) - 19.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, 0.0 assists Hunter Dickinson (Gr. Center) - 16.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, 1.0 assists KJ Adams (Sr. Forward) - 7.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists

Keys to Victory for North Carolina

The UNC frontcourt will need to come to play against the Jayhawks. Kansas has a veteran group of bigs that the Tar Heels must keep in check if they want to win on Friday.

UNC's backcourt certainly appears to be the team's strength early on in the season, and the Tar Heels no longer have that dominant force down low in Armando Bacot.

If forwards Jae'Lyn Withers and Jalen Washington can contain Dickinson and Adams and match them on the offensive end, UNC's guards should be able to put the Tar Heels over the top.

Something to Watch For

Was UNC's defensive effort on Monday a symptom of opening night rust or the sign of a larger issue?

The Phoenix outshot the Tar Heels by 2.6% from the field and 4.2% from three. Elon found very little resistance from behind the arc all night. The 76 points scored by the Phoenix was the second-most allowed by an ACC team on opening night.

UNC will struggle to outscore Kansas at home if it doesn't improve its focus on the defensive end. In its opening night game against Howard, Kansas shot the ball at a 60.4% clip. This could spell danger for a team that has proven to struggle defensively against a lesser opponent.

Projected Starters

No. 3 Elliot Cadeau (So. 6'1) No. 4 RJ Davis (Gr. 6'0) No. 7 Seth Trimble (Jr. 6'3) No. 13 Jalen Washington (Jr. 6'10) No. 24 Jae'Lyn Withers (Gr. 6'9)

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