North Carolina Takes On Texas In The Las Vegas Invitational

On Thanksgiving North Carolina who is a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference who is undefeated will take on Texas who is a member of the Big Twelve who is also undefeated in the Las Vegas Invitational.

North Carolina out of the Atlantic Coast Conference comes into the game with a record of 5-0 “according to https://goheels.com/schedule.aspx?schedule=456 while Texas who is a member of the Big Twelve comes into the game with a record of 4-0. “according to https://texassports.com/schedule.aspx?path=mbball

As for North Carolina’s previous game they routed Saint Francis of Pennsylvania on Monday.

Once seventh-ranked North Carolina started taking care of the basketball, the Tar Heels had no trouble taking care of Saint Francis of Pennsylvania. “according to https://goheels.com/news/2018/11/19/mens-basketball-tar-heels-roll-past-saint-francis.aspx

Cameron Johnson scored 20 points, freshman Nassir Little added 19 and North Carolina beat Saint Francis 101-76 on Monday night in the on-campus round of the Las Vegas Invitational. “according to https://goheels.com/news/2018/11/19/mens-basketball-tar-heels-roll-past-saint-francis.aspx

Luke Maye had 11 points and 10 rebounds, Kenny Williams had a career-high nine assists and freshman Coby White finished with 16 points for the Tar Heels (5-0), who shot 52 percent and never trailed. “according to https://goheels.com/news/2018/11/19/mens-basketball-tar-heels-roll-past-saint-francis.aspx

North Carolina fought through some early turnover trouble and finally pulled away from the pesky Red Flash (1-3), reaching triple figures for the third time in four games. “according to https://goheels.com/news/2018/11/19/mens-basketball-tar-heels-roll-past-saint-francis.aspx

Yes, they committed a season-high 18 turnovers. But only six of them came in the final 15 minutes, when the Tar Heels turned a six-point game into yet another blowout. “according to https://goheels.com/news/2018/11/19/mens-basketball-tar-heels-roll-past-saint-francis.aspx

Coach Roy Williams said program patriarch Dean Smith "used to say that turnovers are either selfishness or carelessness. “according to https://goheels.com/news/2018/11/19/mens-basketball-tar-heels-roll-past-saint-francis.aspx

"And half of ours were carelessness, and half were selfishness," Williams added. "If you want to be good, don't turn the sucker over." “according to https://goheels.com/news/2018/11/19/mens-basketball-tar-heels-roll-past-saint-francis.aspx

Jamaal King had 21 points, Andre Wolford scored 18 and Keith Braxton added 14 to lead the Red Flash, who shot 34 percent but early in the second half were within striking distance of their first Top 25 victory since 1959. They pulled to 58-52 with less than 15 minutes left on Braxton's pretty layup between two defenders. “according to https://goheels.com/news/2018/11/19/mens-basketball-tar-heels-roll-past-saint-francis.aspx

Kenny Williams hit a big 3-pointer and Johnson followed with a steal and a layup to start the decisive 11-0 run and put the Tar Heels back up by double figures to stay. “according to https://goheels.com/news/2018/11/19/mens-basketball-tar-heels-roll-past-saint-francis.aspx


BIG PICTURE
Saint Francis: The Red Flash certainly haven't been afraid to challenge themselves. This was the second of three Top 25 opponents in an eight-day span. They acquitted themselves much better than in their last matchup — a 95-58 loss to No. 20 UCLA — and especially in their last visit to the North Carolina Triangle, a 124-67 setback at then-No. 1 Duke last December. “according to https://goheels.com/news/2018/11/19/mens-basketball-tar-heels-roll-past-saint-francis.aspx

"I think it's forced our guys to understand how focused you have to be," coach Rob Krimmel said. "Whether you're playing here in Chapel Hill or back in Loretto, Pennsylvania, the need and that sense of urgency to play hard and to play together. ... Hopefully, being kind of on edge for the better part of the first month and understanding the attention to detail, they'll build those habits that we'll need coming into January and February." “according to https://goheels.com/news/2018/11/19/mens-basketball-tar-heels-roll-past-saint-francis.aspx

North Carolina: There wasn't a whole lot in this one that pleased Roy Williams, at least not early. When the Tar Heels weren't fouling the Red Flash, they were throwing the ball to them — with 12 turnovers in the first 24 minutes that led to 18 points for Saint Francis. This became the blowout everyone expected once UNC tightened things up. “according to https://goheels.com/news/2018/11/19/mens-basketball-tar-heels-roll-past-saint-francis.aspx

"The biggest frustrations to me were the turnovers and putting them on the free throw line too much," Williams said. “according to https://goheels.com/news/2018/11/19/mens-basketball-tar-heels-roll-past-saint-francis.aspx


KEY STAT
The Red Flash kept themselves in the game early by drawing contact and getting to the free throw line. Eight of North Carolina's 10 fouls in the first half sent Saint Francis to the stripe, and the Red Flash kept it close by making 14 of 16 free throws. But in the second half they took just 11 free throws and made six. “according to https://goheels.com/news/2018/11/19/mens-basketball-tar-heels-roll-past-saint-francis.aspx


HIGHLIGHT
The top play in this one came midway through the first half. The Tar Heels came away with the ball after a scrum under Saint Francis' basket, and Kenny Williams lofted a perfect cross-court, alley-oop pass to Little, whose dunk pushed the lead to 29-17. “according to https://goheels.com/news/2018/11/19/mens-basketball-tar-heels-roll-past-saint-francis.aspx


HE SAID IT
"I wish they'd frickin' be faster learners." — Roy Williams, after he learned half his team's turnovers were committed by freshmen. “according to https://goheels.com/news/2018/11/19/mens-basketball-tar-heels-roll-past-saint-francis.aspx

Like North Carolina Texas also won their previous game as they downed The Citadel.

Senior guard Kerwin Roach II joined the 1,000-point club and paced five Longhorns in double-figure scoring as Texas (4-0) defeated The Citadel 97-69 on Friday night at the Frank Erwin Center. Roach posted 15 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists without a turnover, 3 steals and a block in 26 minutes. “according to https://texassports.com/news/2018/11/16/mens-basketball-defeats-the-citadel-97-69.aspx

His made 3-pointer with 4:19 left in the contest pushed him over the 1,000-point milestone. Roach became the 37th player in program history to reach the benchmark. “according to https://texassports.com/news/2018/11/16/mens-basketball-defeats-the-citadel-97-69.aspx

Senior forward Dylan Osetkowski recorded his third consecutive double-double, registering 15 points and a game-high 11 rebounds. Freshman guard Courtney Ramey (13 points), freshman forward Jaxson Hayes (12 points, 7 rebounds) and sophomore guard Jase Febres (12 points, 4-5 threes) also reached double figures for the Longhorns. Lew Stallworth paced The Citadel (2-2) with 21 points. “according to https://texassports.com/news/2018/11/16/mens-basketball-defeats-the-citadel-97-69.aspx

The Citadel connected on five of its first seven field goals, as the Bulldogs jumped out to a 11-7 lead at the 15:13 mark. Osetkowski scored nine of UT's first 16 points and tied the contest (16-16) with 11:37 left.  “according to https://texassports.com/news/2018/11/16/mens-basketball-defeats-the-citadel-97-69.aspx

Junior guard Elijah Mitrou-Long sparked a 19-3 Texas run over a five-minute stretch, highlighted by 3-pointers from Mitrou-Long and sophomore guard Matt Coleman III, an emphatic block from sophomore forward Jericho Sims and a thunderous dunk from Roach, to build a 33-19 advantage at the 6:58 mark. The Bulldogs trimmed the margin to 37-30 with 1:45 remaining, before UT scored the final five points of the half to take a 42-30 cushion into the break. “according to https://texassports.com/news/2018/11/16/mens-basketball-defeats-the-citadel-97-69.aspx

Febres knocked down a pair of 3-pointers to start the second half, extending the Texas lead to 48-32 at the 18:33 mark. Febres would stay hot from long range, as he and Ramey combined for a trio of 3-pointers in a span of 50 seconds that pushed the lead to 68-43 with 11:46 left and sealed the win. “according to https://texassports.com/news/2018/11/16/mens-basketball-defeats-the-citadel-97-69.aspx

Tip-off is set for 7:30pm from Orleans Arena in Las Vegas. The game will be televised on FS1. “according to https://goheels.com/schedule.aspx?path=mbball