MIAMI 80, UNC 72
ROY WILLIAMS COURT AT THE DEAN E. SMITH CENTER
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2023
CHAPEL HILL, N.C.

UNC Scoring Leader: RJ Davis 23
UNC Rebound Leader: Leaky Black 9
UNC Assist Leader: Black, RJ Davis 2
Team Records: UNC 16-10, 8-7 ACC; Miami 21-5, 12-4 ACC

• Carolina is 11-2 at the Smith Center this season.
• The Tar Heels shot 51.7% from the floor in the first half (and trailed by one at the half) and 37.8% in the second when the Canes outscored them, 45-38.
• One game after making 15 of 33 three-pointers, the Tar Heels made one of their first 16 threes and finished 5 of 31.
• Carolina’s three-point percentage of .161 was a season low (previous .167 on 3 of 18 against Iowa State).
• The Tar Heels were 24 for 35 from two-point range (.686).

• UNC had six assists, the fifth time in the last eight games UNC had fewer than 10.
• Leaky Black scored 13 points, had nine rebounds, three steals and two assists.
• It was the sixth time this season and 18th time in Black’s career he scored in double figures.
• Black has 45 rebounds in the last five games.
• RJ Davis led UNC with 23 points. It was the first time in six games this season and first time in 11 career games UNC lost when Davis scored 20 or more points.

• Caleb Love scored 20 points. UNC dropped to 5-2 this season when two players scored 20 or more.
• Armando Bacot scored 12 points on 5 for 6 from the floor and had a season-low four rebounds (other than the Virginia game when he had two in 1:18 of playing time due to injury).
• Carolina’s bench scored two points (by Puff Johnson). That’s the fewest since it had one point against NC State on January 21. The UNC bench had averaged 20.0 points in the last two games, including 25 points vs. Clemson.
• Carolina scored two fastbreak points, which equaled the season low (also vs. Gardner-Webb and Virginia).

Series vs. Miami
• Carolina is 26-10 all-time against Miami, including 19-9 since the Canes joined the ACC.
• The Tar Heels are 12-5 vs. Miami in Chapel Hill (all played in the Smith Center).

Next Game: Sunday, February 19 at NC State, 1 p.m. (ESPN)

Returning:
- Gavin Blackwell - So 5'11-180 - SPEED!!! We have only seen glimpses of what this guy can do with the ball in his hands!
- Tychaun Chapman - R-Fr 5'10-170 - Also known for speed and making guys miss. He might get lost in the shuffle for another year. We should get a look at him on special teams.
- Kobe Paysour - So 6'1-185 - I think Paysour is going to our outside...sure hands guy. He can probably be a first down machine. He doesn't have the scoot that Downs did or Blackwell. Chapman looks like he can move as well.
- Nate McCollum - Transfer 5'11-185 - I can't wait to see what this guy brings in the spring. It looks like he may be more physical than our other slot guys.
- George Pettaway- So 5'10-195 - WE HAVE TO GET THIS GUY ON THE FIELD!!!! Pettaway is a stud and VERSATILE! Our new OC ought to be licking his chops to figure out way to use this guy along with our other weapons. I could see him flexing between 2nd RB and slot. Catching passes...running the ball. There is no reason that we should predictable...and we don't have to be gimmicky. Just confusing defenses...not allowing them to sit on one player or drop 8 in coverage.

Depth Chart (Slot):
Pettaway (RB) or McCollum
Blackwell
Chapman

I was thinking after Saturday's game against Clemson that it was nice to have the team back and indeed it was...for ONE GAME. It's now painfully apparent that the Clemson game was the outlier. The big difference was that UNC got hot from 3pt range for one game combined with playing a Clemson team that was playing its worst since the beginning of the season. They still shot 33 times from 3pt range which is at least 15 more than they should. UNC proved that it's still a mediocre team at best last night against Miami, losing AT HOME in a game they desperately needed to make the NCAAT. I am so disgusted.

This battle will be a quick turnaround game as both team played Saturday but Miami played late Saturday and then had to travel to Chapel Hill.

To me this is the most important game for Legacy reasons for the Carolina core of: Black, Love, Bacot and Davis that they have played in. Getting to the Championship game, downing Duke twice late in the spring were very memorable moments for the players and the fans but if for some reason Carolina does not get into the dance after being rated the number one team coming to the season their time and Legacy they have built will be really tarnished. Especially if the reasons for not getting into March madness is the direct result of late losses at HOME 🏠.

Since the Hurricanes 🌀 come into this battle inside the top 25 teams in America a win here would give Carolina a great resume win. A loss at home would put UNC in deep do do again.

Miami reminds a bunch of Baylor who also play 4 athletic and talented guards with one big. The upper class men for the Hurricanes in Jordan Miller a 6’7 sharpshooter and Isaiah Wong the 6’4 do it all guard 💂‍♂️ lead the 4 guard attack which also features 6’5 Wooga Poplar and his sophomore teammate Nigel Pack who at 6 feet is still averaging 12’6 points a game so RJ Davis and and Trimble will have their hands 🙌 full.,

Norchad Omier is Miami’s only big and he is a bull a 6’7 and carries 235 on his frame and he is third in rebounding in the league. Bacot, Nance and Washington have to take it to him and hopefully get him in foul trouble and use their bigger height to a giant advantage.

The biggest question to me is on defense and who covers who. Miami’s 4 guards compliment each other so much and can adjust to the situation both offensively and defensively and they are big 6’7, 6’4 and 6’5 and a even 6 feet.

Because of their size in the backcourt and their quickness to me it is a no brainer to start Puff over Nance. Johnson has long arms and moves good laterally so it is a logical choice. Black on Miller will be the matchup to watch as well as Love trying to hold Wong. If Puff does get the start he will probably get matched against Wooga Poplar who 6’5 and averages close to 8 points a game.

Along with Love and Davis going to the hole instead of shooting from downtown Cary to score or go to the line I feel Mando needs to be the dominant factor in this game. 20 points is a must and owning the board is the key 🔑 because Carolina cannot give up second chance opportunities.

This should be a classic

Discussion
The Heels entered the game with their backs to the wall, and responded well, facing a wilting Clemson team. UNC shot a fairly average percentage from the floor overall, but was a staller 45% from 3. With only a 9% Loss of Ball, it resulted in a 1.14 points per possession offensive performance, this team's best since the College of Charleston game, 24 games ago. UNC has turned the ball over less in only 49 other games since 1996. Despite that clean play, they only got 0.53 assists per field goal, which is a 34th percentile performance.

Defensively the team was fair/poor, allowing 0.95 points per possession. This was nullified somewhat by a 5 possession advantage from better rebounding. For only the 8th time in these 25 games, UNC has had a positive Smith Index.

We'll take this win, but let's see what this team can do against the league's best team, Miami on Monday night.

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19 Miami Hurricanes
20-5, 11-4 CONF

ESPN
2/13
7:00 PM

North Carolina Tar Heels​

16-9, 8-6 CONF



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