North Carolina Returns To Chapel Hill To Host Wofford

After being on the road at Tennessee  Sunday North Carolina returns to Chapel Hill Wednesday to host Wofford who is a member of the Southern Conference. "according to http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/team/_/id/2747/wofford-terriers

Carolina is 10-1. This is the sixth time in the last 15 years under head coach Roy Williams the Tar Heels are either 10-1 or 11-0 in their first 11 games. UNC was 11-0 in 2007-08 and 2008-09 and 10-1 in 2004-05, 2006-07, 2016-17 and 2017-18.
• A win over Wofford would make the Tar Heels 11-1. That would be the fifth time in the last 15 years and the first time since 2008-09 the Tar Heels would have 11 wins in their first dozen games.
• The Dec. 20th game vs. Wofford is Carolina's final non-conference home game. The Tar Heels are 5-0 at home this year.
• Carolina concludes the regular-season non-conference portion of its schedule on Saturday, Dec. 23rd, vs. Ohio State in New Orleans in the CBS Sports Classic.
• Carolina has a 398-68 record in the Dean E. Smith Center, including a 198-15 record against non-conference opponents. 
• The Tar Heels have won 23 straight home games (22 in a row vs. non-ACC teams). This ties the fifth-longest home winning streak in Carolina history and is the longest since UNC won a school-record 31 in a row from 2010-12. The current streak includes 22 in a row at the Smith Center, the third-longest in the arena's 32 years.
• The Tar Heels are ranked No. 5 in the nation in the Associated Press poll and No. 4 in the coaches poll. 
• Carolina is 3-0 on the road. No other school in the current AP Top 10 has played three road games. Carolina and Nevada are the only teams in the NCAA's RPI top 25 that have at least three road wins.
• Carolina is No. 2 in the country in the NCAA's RPI. Duke (1), UNC (2), Michigan State (3), Arizona State (4) and Villanova (5) make up the top five.
• Carolina's first 11 opponents have an average RPI of 100, which is the eighth-highest average RPI in the country.
• As of 12/18, Carolina and Villanova are the only two teams with four wins over Quadrant I opponents. Six other teams have three Quadrant I wins (defined as a win over a top 30 team at home, a top 50 team at a neutral site or a top 75 team on the road). "according to http://www.goheels.com/news/2017/12/19/mens-basketball-tar-heels-host-wofford-on-wednesday.aspx "according to http://www.goheels.com/news/2017/12/19/mens-basketball-tar-heels-host-wofford-on-wednesday.aspx


UNC-WOFFORD
• UNC has won all three of the previous games against Wofford, although the teams have played just once since 1926.
• Top-ranked Carolina beat Wofford, 78-58, in Chapel Hill on 11/18/2015.
• It was a five-point game at the half (34-29 UNC).
• Brice Johnson led the Tar Heels with 16 points and 14 rebounds. Joel Berry II and Kennedy Meeks also scored 16. "according to http://www.goheels.com/news/2017/12/19/mens-basketball-tar-heels-host-wofford-on-wednesday.aspx "according to http://www.goheels.com/news/2017/12/19/mens-basketball-tar-heels-host-wofford-on-wednesday.aspx

As for North Carolina's last game, they had to come from behind on the road to beat  Tennessee.

North Carolina passed the kind of road challenge it wanted to face before starting Atlantic Coast Conference competition. "according to http://www.goheels.com/news/2017/12/17/mens-basketball-no-7-tar-heels-outlast-no-20-vols-78-73.aspx?path=mbball

Kenny Williams sank a go-ahead 3-pointer with 35 seconds left as the seventh-ranked Tar Heels rallied past No. 20 Tennessee 78-73 Sunday. "according to http://www.goheels.com/news/2017/12/17/mens-basketball-no-7-tar-heels-outlast-no-20-vols-78-73.aspx?path=mbball

This was the first game North Carolina (10-1) played all season that was decided by a single-digit margin. Even its lone loss of the season was a 63-45 blowout against No. 2 Michigan State. "according to http://www.goheels.com/news/2017/12/17/mens-basketball-no-7-tar-heels-outlast-no-20-vols-78-73.aspx?path=mbball

"This will be good for us," Williams said. "Every game in the ACC is like that. To have this experience and know we can pull it out, I think it will come in handy down the road." "according to http://www.goheels.com/news/2017/12/17/mens-basketball-no-7-tar-heels-outlast-no-20-vols-78-73.aspx?path=mbball

North Carolina capitalized on a 9-0 run in the final minute to win for the fifth straight time and ended Thompson-Boling Arena's hex on defending national champions. "according to http://www.goheels.com/news/2017/12/17/mens-basketball-no-7-tar-heels-outlast-no-20-vols-78-73.aspx?path=mbball

Tennessee (7-2) had won each of the last five times it had hosted a defending national champion, a string that included victories over Connecticut (in January 2012), Florida (February 2007 and February 2008) and Kentucky (February 1999 and February 2013). "according to http://www.goheels.com/news/2017/12/17/mens-basketball-no-7-tar-heels-outlast-no-20-vols-78-73.aspx?path=mbball

"We always say we need a game like this to help us later on down the road," said North Carolina's Joel Berry II, who scored 21 points. "We hadn't had a game like this. For us to be able to thrive in this situation and be able to get the momentum back on our side was a great thing. It was all about the defensive end. We got stops." "according to http://www.goheels.com/news/2017/12/17/mens-basketball-no-7-tar-heels-outlast-no-20-vols-78-73.aspx?path=mbball

Luke Maye and Williams added 15 points each for North Carolina. Grant Williams scored 15 points to lead five Tennessee players in double figures. "according to http://www.goheels.com/news/2017/12/17/mens-basketball-no-7-tar-heels-outlast-no-20-vols-78-73.aspx?path=mbball

Tennessee led by as many as nine points in the second half and was ahead 70-67 before North Carolina took control down the stretch. "according to http://www.goheels.com/news/2017/12/17/mens-basketball-no-7-tar-heels-outlast-no-20-vols-78-73.aspx?path=mbball

North Carolina began its rally when Berry hit two free throws with a minute left to make it 70-69. Maye then stole an errant pass from Lamonte Turner to set up the shot by Williams, whose 3-pointer off Theo Pinson's assist put North Carolina ahead 72-70. "according to http://www.goheels.com/news/2017/12/17/mens-basketball-no-7-tar-heels-outlast-no-20-vols-78-73.aspx?path=mbball

After Tennessee's Admiral Schofield missed with 18 seconds left, Pinson hit two free throws, made a steal and added two more foul shots to make it 76-70. ""according to http://www.goheels.com/news/2017/12/17/mens-basketball-no-7-tar-heels-outlast-no-20-vols-78-73.aspx?path=mbball

Tennessee cut the margin to 76-73 on Jordan Bowden's 3-pointer with seven seconds left, but Berry sank two free throws to seal the victory. "according to http://www.goheels.com/news/2017/12/17/mens-basketball-no-7-tar-heels-outlast-no-20-vols-78-73.aspx?path=mbball

The Vols said afterward they could learn from this kind of loss. "according to http://www.goheels.com/news/2017/12/17/mens-basketball-no-7-tar-heels-outlast-no-20-vols-78-73.aspx?path=mbball

"We get many opportunities during the year," Grant Williams said. "This one won't define us.""according to http://www.goheels.com/news/2017/12/17/mens-basketball-no-7-tar-heels-outlast-no-20-vols-78-73.aspx?path=mbball

North Carolina is hoping this rally helps define the way it plays the rest of the year. Berry said Pinson reminded the Tar Heels these are the types of games they'll have much more often once conference play begins. "according to http://www.goheels.com/news/2017/12/17/mens-basketball-no-7-tar-heels-outlast-no-20-vols-78-73.aspx?path=mbball

"(We're) getting our guys to realize that the game might not be pretty, you might not hit shots but the one thing you can do is defend, get offensive rebounds, get defensive rebounds," Berry said. "Sometimes you've got to squeak out a game like that. Some of our guys that are young grew up today and understand that every game is going to be like this from now on." "according to http://www.goheels.com/news/2017/12/17/mens-basketball-no-7-tar-heels-outlast-no-20-vols-78-73.aspx?path=mbball

BIG PICTURE

North Carolina: The Tar Heels rallied because they turned up their defensive intensity and took better care of the ball in the second half. After committing 12 turnovers in the first half, North Carolina had just four more the rest of the way. "according to http://www.goheels.com/news/2017/12/17/mens-basketball-no-7-tar-heels-outlast-no-20-vols-78-73.aspx?path=mbball

Tennessee: The Vols showed they can compete with anyone, but their offense wouldn't allow them to win this game. After making four of its first five shots in the second half, Tennessee went 7 of 31 the rest of the way. Tennessee made three baskets in the final 10 minutes, 25 seconds. "according to http://www.goheels.com/news/2017/12/17/mens-basketball-no-7-tar-heels-outlast-no-20-vols-78-73.aspx?path=mbball

FAMILIAR FINISH

This marked the second straight year North Carolina rallied to beat Tennessee. The Vols squandered a 15-point lead in a 73-71 loss at North Carolina last season. Berry didn't play in that game due to a sprained left ankle. "according to http://www.goheels.com/news/2017/12/17/mens-basketball-no-7-tar-heels-outlast-no-20-vols-78-73.aspx?path=mbball

RANKED VS. RANKED

This game represented the first time two ranked teams met at Thompson-Boling Arena since Feb. 27, 2010, when No. 19 Tennessee won 74-65 over a second-ranked Kentucky team that featured John Wall, DeMarcus Cousins and Eric Bledsoe. "according to http://www.goheels.com/news/2017/12/17/mens-basketball-no-7-tar-heels-outlast-no-20-vols-78-73.aspx?path=mbball

As for Wofford they have a record of 10-4 and have won four games in a row with their most recent win coming against High Point on Sunday.

The Wofford men's basketball team defeated High Point 70-57 on Sunday afternoon in the Mountain Invitational held at the U.S. Cellular Center. With the win, Wofford run its win streak to four and improves to 7-4 on the season, while High Point fall to 4-6 with the loss. "according to http://athletics.wofford.edu/news/2017/12/17/mens-basketball-terriers-win-fourth-in-a-row-down-high-point.aspx
 
"With only one non-conference game left until we start conference play, I really like how things are coming together and how we are setting up going forward," said head coach Mike Young. "according to http://athletics.wofford.edu/news/2017/12/17/mens-basketball-terriers-win-fourth-in-a-row-down-high-point.aspx
 
Fletcher Magee led Wofford with 27 points on 7-13 shooting and 6-7 from beyond the arc in 31 minutes of action. He was 7-7 from the free throw line and remains perfect from the charity stripe on the season. Cameron Jackson had a nice showing and finished with 15 points and five rebounds. He added one assist and one steal. "according to http://athletics.wofford.edu/news/2017/12/17/mens-basketball-terriers-win-fourth-in-a-row-down-high-point.aspx
 
Trevor Stumpe scored nine points and tallied seven rebounds in the win. Derrick Brooks, Wofford's lone senior, pulled down a career high nine rebounds and also added six points and two assists. In total, nine Terriers saw action and contributed. "according to http://athletics.wofford.edu/news/2017/12/17/mens-basketball-terriers-win-fourth-in-a-row-down-high-point.aspx
 
"We are getting really good minutes from Trevor and Derrick is really helping us, especially with his presence defensively," said Young. "I like how he's going." "according to http://athletics.wofford.edu/news/2017/12/17/mens-basketball-terriers-win-fourth-in-a-row-down-high-point.aspx
 
Wofford shot 45.1% in the game, including 52% in the second half. High Point shot a higher percentage, 47.6%, but didn't pull down a single offensive rebound all game, thus giving them zero second chance points in the contest. Wofford won the battle on the glass 35-22. "according to http://athletics.wofford.edu/news/2017/12/17/mens-basketball-terriers-win-fourth-in-a-row-down-high-point.aspx
 
"I don't think I've ever been a part of a game where we held the other team to zero offensive rebounds," said Young. "Maybe a Princeton style team that doesn't send anyone to the offensive glass and just wants to get back and get set, but I don't think I've ever been a part of it. Rebounding has been a little bit of an Achilles heel for us early on. Needless to say, we put an emphasis on it – being more physical and tougher on the glass. Today was certainly a positive step for us in that area." "according to http://athletics.wofford.edu/news/2017/12/17/mens-basketball-terriers-win-fourth-in-a-row-down-high-point.aspx
 
High Point got on the board first on a jumper a minute and a half in. Wofford took its first lead 4-2 on a made three by Stumpe. Wofford ran the lead to eight at 10-2 and then 11, leading 16-5 with 13 minutes left in the half. High Point cut it to seven with 11:32 left. Wofford again went ahead by double-digits 19-9 with 10:31 left and held on to the double-digit lead until just under six minutes left in the half when the Panthers cut it back to eight. Scoring was back and forth the remainder of the half but the Terriers took a 34-26 lead into the half. "according to http://athletics.wofford.edu/news/2017/12/17/mens-basketball-terriers-win-fourth-in-a-row-down-high-point.aspx
 
Wofford didn't trail the entire second half and never allowed the Panthers to pull within five. The Terriers biggest lead, 18, came with 2:25 left in the contest on a three by Magee. "according to http://athletics.wofford.edu/news/2017/12/17/mens-basketball-terriers-win-fourth-in-a-row-down-high-point.aspx
 
"It all starts in practice, and we have had some really good quality practices lately," said Brooks. "We know when a sub comes in there can't be a drop off if we want to win and it truly has to be a team effort. We have to all do what we can to contribute and we did that today." "according to http://athletics.wofford.edu/news/2017/12/17/mens-basketball-terriers-win-fourth-in-a-row-down-high-point.aspx

Tip-off is set for 9:00pm. The game will be televised on ESPN2. "according to http://www.goheels.com/schedule.aspx?path=mbball