North Carolina Begins Atlantic Coast Conference Play With Wake Forest In Chapel Hill
The non- conference schedule for defending national champion North Carolina is now in the rear view as they will open up conference play Saturday when they host Wake Forest In Chapel Hill.
Carolina plays its final game of the calendar year 2017 when it hosts Wake Forest on Dec. 30th in the Atlantic Coast Conference season opener for both teams.
• UNC is 33-6 in 2017. The year began with an 89-86, overtime win at Clemson on 1/3/17.
• The Tar Heels concluded regular-season, non-conference play with an 11-2 record, including 6-1 away from the Smith Center.
• This is the 12th consecutive year UNC has won at least 10 games before playing its first ACC game and the third year in a row UNC has won at least 11 before its first conference game.
• Carolina beat Ohio State, 86-72, in New Orleans on Dec. 23rd, in its final non-conference game of the regular season.
• Carolina is 52-12 in ACC openers.
• Eight of Carolina's 12 losses in ACC openers have come on the road (1966 at Clemson, 1980 at Clemson, 1990 at Maryland, 1997 at Wake Forest, 1999 at Georgia Tech, 2013 at Virginia, 2014 at Wake Forest and 2017 at Georgia Tech).
• The four home losses in ACC openers came in 1992 (Florida State), 1995 (NC State), 2004 (Wake Forest) and 2009 (Boston College).
• This is the seventh time in 15 years Roy Williams' teams have opened ACC play at home. UNC is 4-2 in its six previous ACC openers at home. The Tar Heels are 9-5 overall in their first ACC game under Williams.
• Last year, UNC opened at Georgia Tech with a 75-63 loss to the Yellow Jackets.
• Carolina has opened ACC play against Wake Forest twice in the Williams Era and lost both times (2003-04 at home in triple overtime and 2013-14 in Winston-Salem). "according to http://www.goheels.com/news/2017/12/28/mens-basketball-tar-heels-host-wake-forest-to-open-acc-play.aspx
THIRD IN THE RPI
• Carolina enters ACC play No. 3 in the nation in the NCAA's RPI behind Duke and Xavier. TCU and Villanova round out the top five; Arizona State, Texas A&M, Michigan State, Tennessee and Oklahoma are No. 6-10.
• Carolina's strength of schedule is 12th-strongest in the country.
• Carolina's first 13 opponents have an average RPI of 96, which is the second-best in the country. "according to http://www.goheels.com/news/2017/12/28/mens-basketball-tar-heels-host-wake-forest-to-open-acc-play.aspx
CAROLINA-WAKE FOREST SERIES
• Carolina leads the all-time series against Wake Forest, 159-66.
• The Tar Heels have beaten the Demon Deacons in 12 of the last 15 meetings.
• Carolina has won the last four games, and averaged 92.0 points in those four wins.
• UNC has won more games (159) against Wake Forest than any other opponent.
• Roy Williams is 15-6 vs. Wake Forest as a head coach, including a 13-5 record at Carolina. That 13-5 record includes a 7-3 mark in Winston-Salem and a 6-2 record in Chapel Hill. Williams was 2-1 against Wake Forest while coaching at Kansas.
• UNC won 83-68 the last time the teams played in the Smith Center (1/20/2016).
• Carolina is 75-18 at home, including 21-5 in the Smith Center, vs. the Deacs.
"according to http://www.goheels.com/news/2017/12/28/mens-basketball-tar-heels-host-wake-forest-to-open-acc-play.aspx
LAST TIME THEY MET
Carolina 93, Wake Forest 87
Jan. 11, 2017 in Winston-Salem
• It was the first time last season all five Tar Heel starters scored in double figures, led by Justin Jackson with 19 and Joel Berry II and Kennedy Meeks with 18 each.
• Meeks had 11 rebounds, attempted a career-high 18 shots from the floor, made a season-high nine field goals and added three steals and three blocks. "according to http://www.goheels.com/news/2017/12/28/mens-basketball-tar-heels-host-wake-forest-to-open-acc-play.aspx
North Carolina comes into their Atlantic Coast Conference opener with a record of 11-2 "according to http://www.goheels.com/schedule.aspx?path=mbball haven won their final non conference game last Saturday against Ohio State in New Orleans.
Theo Pinson and Joel Berry II viewed North Carolina's recent upset loss to Wofford as a test of their leadership. "according to http://www.goheels.com/news/2017/12/23/mens-basketball-tar-heels-down-ohio-state-in-new-orleans.aspx?path=mbball
The seniors provided a convincing response in a neutral-site, made-for-TV matchup against Ohio State. "according to http://www.goheels.com/news/2017/12/23/mens-basketball-tar-heels-down-ohio-state-in-new-orleans.aspx?path=mbball
Berry and Pinson each scored 19 points, and No. 5 North Carolina bounced back with an 86-72 victory over the Buckeyes on Saturday in the CBS Sports Classic. "according to http://www.goheels.com/news/2017/12/23/mens-basketball-tar-heels-down-ohio-state-in-new-orleans.aspx?path=mbball
"Any team should have a great amount of focus after a loss," Pinson said. "I was just ready to come out and step up for my teammates."
Pinson scored six points on flawless free throw shooting inside the final 1:06 of the game as the Tar Heels (11-2) kept the Buckeyes (10-4) at bay."according to http://www.goheels.com/news/2017/12/23/mens-basketball-tar-heels-down-ohio-state-in-new-orleans.aspx?path=mbball
"We've got veteran guys who know we can't sulk," Pinson said. "We need to move on to the next game, but at the same time, keep that loss in our minds." "according to http://www.goheels.com/news/2017/12/23/mens-basketball-tar-heels-down-ohio-state-in-new-orleans.aspx?path=mbball
Cameron Johnson — a graduate transfer from Pittsburgh whose recent debut was delayed by injuries — scored 13 points in just his second game for North Carolina, which had 13 3-pointers. "according to http://www.goheels.com/news/2017/12/23/mens-basketball-tar-heels-down-ohio-state-in-new-orleans.aspx?path=mbball
Keita Bates-Diop had 26 points — one point shy of his career high — for Ohio State. He shot 10 of 17 for the game and scored 19 points in the second half, including eight straight for Ohio State during a late 13-4 run that briefly pulled the Buckeyes within 78-69 with 1:10 to play. "accxording to http://www.goheels.com/news/2017/12/23/mens-basketball-tar-heels-down-ohio-state-in-new-orleans.aspx?path=mbball
In the first half, Bates-Diop played just 8 minutes because of a couple of quick fouls, and that helped Carolina take its first double-digit lead before halftime. "accordoing to http://www.goheels.com/news/2017/12/23/mens-basketball-tar-heels-down-ohio-state-in-new-orleans.aspx?path=mbball
"When you're losing a guy as important to us as Keita is, you're going to feel it, and we felt it," said Ohio State coach Chris Holtmann, who was called for a technical foul during the first half. "I'm sure that was a factor in them stretching the lead." "according to http://www.goheels.com/news/2017/12/23/mens-basketball-tar-heels-down-ohio-state-in-new-orleans.aspx?path=mbball
C.J. Jackson scored the first 11 points for Ohio State before finishing with 19 for the game, while Kaleb Wesson added 12 points. "according to http://www.goheels.com/news/2017/12/23/mens-basketball-tar-heels-down-ohio-state-in-new-orleans.aspx?path=mbball
"My teammates found in the right spots, pretty much," Jackson said, adding he was "just kind of taking what the defense gave me at the beginning." "according to http://www.goheels.com/news/2017/12/23/mens-basketball-tar-heels-down-ohio-state-in-new-orleans.aspx?path=mbball
North Carolina's Jalek Felton scored 12 points, joining Johnson in giving the Tar Heels two reserves with 12 or more points.
Felton "came in and gave them a big lift," Holtmann said. "according to http://www.goheels.com/news/2017/12/23/mens-basketball-tar-heels-down-ohio-state-in-new-orleans.aspx?path=mbball
Luke Maye grabbed 10 rebounds for North Carolina in an all-around performance that included nine points, four assists, two steals and a block. "according to http://www.goheels.com/news/2017/12/23/mens-basketball-tar-heels-down-ohio-state-in-new-orleans.aspx?path=mbball
THE BIG PICTURE
Ohio State: The Buckeyes looked competitive in stints, but never led and had trouble keeping their deficit under double digits against a UNC squad that had more balanced scoring. Ohio State also struggled with UNC's physicality and size under the basket. The Tar Heels outrebounded Ohio State 39-25. "according to http://www.goheels.com/news/2017/12/23/mens-basketball-tar-heels-down-ohio-state-in-new-orleans.aspx?path=mbball
North Carolina: A game against Ohio State might have been just what the Tar Heels needed to bounce back from a surprising loss at home to Wofford earlier this week. UNC is 12-2 all-time against the Buckeyes, including a 5-0 mark under coach Roy Williams. "according to http://www.goheels.com/news/2017/12/23/mens-basketball-tar-heels-down-ohio-state-in-new-orleans.aspx?path=mbball
FALLING SHOTS
While Williams praised his team's response, he did so with a cautious tone, noting that, "perhaps the ball going in the basket makes everything look better." "according to http://www.goheels.com/news/2017/12/23/mens-basketball-tar-heels-down-ohio-state-in-new-orleans.aspx?path=mbball
Indeed, UNC hit 13 of 25 shot from 3-point range with Felton scoring all of his points from deep, where he went 4 of 5. "according to http://www.goheels.com/news/2017/12/23/mens-basketball-tar-heels-down-ohio-state-in-new-orleans.aspx?path=mbball
"We did a better job of driving the ball, and I think it was because we were knocking down shots from outside," Berry said. "according to http://www.goheels.com/news/2017/12/23/mens-basketball-tar-heels-down-ohio-state-in-new-orleans.aspx?path=mbball
Unlike North Carolina who won their last game, Wake Forest who has a record of 7-5 "according to http://www.wakeforestsports.com/sports/m-baskbl/sched/wake-m-baskbl-sched.html lost their last game last Saturday when they fell to Tennessee in Winston Salem.
The Wake Forest men's basketball team dropped its non-conference finale to No. 21 Tennessee, 79-60, Saturday afternoon at the LJVM Coliseum. "according to http://www.wakeforestsports.com/sports/m-baskbl/recaps/122317aab.html
The loss snapped the Demon Deacons' (7-5) six-game winning streak that dated back nearly a month to Nov. 24. The Volunteers (9-2) have now won last four meetings between the schools. "according to http://www.wakeforestsports.com/sports/m-baskbl/recaps/122317aab.html
Keyshawn Woods led all scorers with 18 points. It was his fifth-consecutive double-figure game and tenth of the season. "according to http://www.wakeforestsports.com/sports/m-baskbl/recaps/122317aab.html
Mitchell Wilbekin also recorded double figures with 11 points. He went 4-for-5 from the field and 2-for-2 from the free throw line for his sixth double-figure game of the season. "according tohttp://www.wakeforestsports.com/sports/m-baskbl/recaps/122317aab.html
Though Tennessee took an early 9-5 lead, back-to-back baskets from Wilbekin and Brandon Childress tied the game early at nine each. After trading scores, a triple from Woods gave the Deacs their first lead of the game at 16-15. The Deacons managed to build up a six-point lead with just over seven minutes to go in the half before the Volunteers rallied to tie the game at 26-all. The final minutes of the opening frame were a back-and-forth battle at the free throw line, with the teams combining for eight attempts. Eventually the Volunteers would take a slight 36-35 advantage into halftime. "according to http://www.wakeforestsports.com/sports/m-baskbl/recaps/122317aab.html
Woods finished the first half with 14 points, going 4-for-6 from the field and a perfect 4-for-4 from the free throw line. "according to http://www.wakeforestsports.com/sports/m-baskbl/recaps/122317aab.html
Tennessee opened the second half hot in the field, hitting six of its first eight attempts to build up a nine-point lead. The Deacons were able to cut down the Volunteers' lead to five multiple times but were unable to complete the comeback as they fell 79-60. "according to http://www.wakeforestsports.com/sports/m-baskbl/recaps/122317aab.html
Olivier Sarr recorded a career-high eight rebounds to lead the Deacons along with seven points, one point shy of matching a career high. "according to http://www.wakeforestsports.com/sports/m-baskbl/recaps/122317aab.html
Tip-off is set for 12:00pm from the Dean E. Smith Center. The game will be televised on ESPN2. "according to http://www.wakeforestsports.com/sports/m-baskbl/sched/wake-m-baskbl-sched.html