After another week off, the Tar Heels return to the hardwood later this afternoon, when they host La Salle in non-conference competition. The last time we saw the Tar Heels, they were busy beating Georgia Tech, to earn their first ACC win of the season, and in the process, snapped a three-game losing streak. This game serves as another tuneup before an important week, next when Carolina will play top-10 Florida, and UCLA, giving UNC a chance to earn some marquee non-conference wins.
La Salle brings with them to Chapel Hill, a 6-4 record, but they have had an up-and-down season to stay the least. They have wins over American, Lafayette, Cornell, Drexel, Stetson, and Temple, and losses to UC San Diego, UIC, Northeastern, and St. Joe’s. They have three players averaging double-figures scoring led by Corey McKeithan and his 18.8 points per game, on 46% shooting from the field, and 41% from behind the three-point line. After having key players Demetrius Lilley, Jahlil White, and Eric Acker all either injured or unavailable for their last game, all will be available to play today.
After the win over Georgia Tech, Hubert Davis said his team needed the week off to “heal”, and you have to think he meant that mentally, because the Tar Heels aren’t overly injured. Ever since the Tar Heels got to Hawaii, this team has lacked confidence, starting with its point guard, Elliot Cadeau, who has struggled over the course of the last 5 games. But it’s not just Cadeau who has struggled, so has All-American RJ Davis, who has yet to shoot the basketball the way he is capable of doing. In addition to those two, they need more from a frontcourt, that is capable of playing at a high level, even with the limitations that exists in that area of the roster. This week was most likely spend building up the confidence of this team, because when they’ve played confidently, they’ve proven they can play with anyone in the country.
This is the final home game for Carolina before the holiday season gets here, and it serves as a chance to get things corrected on the court, before an important week next week, which will likely make or break the Tar Heels season. Here’s how the Tar Heels can get back to playing the level of basketball we saw them play before the Maui Invitational:
Play Fast. Play Free: After the win over Georgia Tech, Hubert Davis said his team played tight, almost as if they were afraid to lose. This group has played its best basketball, yes when they are playing up and down, but more importantly when they aren’t thinking, and instead are playing off their instincts. Elliot Cadeau was the biggest culprit of this in the Georgia Tech game, turning it over 7 times, and never getting lost in the game, from a positive standpoint. What made Carolina so good last year, was that they played with joy and a love for the game. This group needs to find that same love and joy, because their talent would allow them to compete with the best the sport has to offer.
Build Off Georgia Tech Performance: In the win over the Yellow Jackets, the Tar Heels put together their best defensive performance of the season, and Carolina needs to build off that. Hubert Davis said on his radio show on Monday, that he expects to start pressing more, to speed the game up, and allow his team to dictate things on that end of the floor more often. In the win last week, Carolina defended ball screens as well as they have all season long, they closed out on perimeter shooters as well as they have all season long, they protected the paint as well as they have all season long, and that needs to carry over to today’s game, and every game moving forward.
Dominate Special Teams: In the win over Georgia Tech, and even in the loss to Alabama, Carolina was the better team at scoring in the paint, and scoring in transition, among other secondary categories that will really add up in the stat sheet. Carolina has the talent advantage in this game, and that needs to show up in the box score. There is no reason why Carolina shouldn’t outscore La Salle in the paint, in transition, at the foul line, and in second-chance points.
Series History:
Carolina is 2-1 all-time against the Explorers, and this will be the first time they’ve played against each other since 1988, a 96-82 UNC win. Today will mark the second time the two teams have played in Chapel Hill. That was also the game in which Lionel Simmons set the record for individual points scored by an opponent, as he scored 37 points that game.
KenPom:
North Carolina - 31st overall. Adjusted Offensive Efficiency: 117.3 (23rd) Adjusted Defensive Efficiency: 97.9 (44th)
La Salle - 153rd overall. Adjusted Offensive Efficiency: 105.3 (176th) Adjusted Defensive Efficiency: 104.5 (139th)
NET:
North Carolina - 41st.
La Salle - 153rd.
TV Info:
Today’s game will tip at 4 PM, on the CW Network.
The Four Corners Podcast: