UNC Basketball are winners of six straight. What will it take against Miami to extend that streak to seven games?
Winners of six straight, the No. 8 UNC Basketball have found a steady groove as they enter the latter stages of the regular season.
UNC secured another key Tobacco Road victory on Tuesday night, delivering a 113-96 beatdown against the free-falling NC State Wolfpack. Naming a single prominent contributor from that game is tricky, especially when the Tar Heel offense is blitzing ACC-caliber defenses like it did against State. Four Heels scored at least 17 points in the blowout win in what was an all-around showing from the whole roster: Luke Maye recorded 31 points and 12 rebounds, Coby White dropped 21 points, and perimeter marksmen Cam Johnson and Kenny Williams each scored 17 points apiece.
At 18-4 on the season and a robust 8-1 in conference play, the Heels are perched atop the ACC standings in a three-way tie with No. 3 Virginia (20-1, 8-1 ACC) and No. 2 Duke (20-2, 8-1 ACC).
Saturday’s 12:00 p.m. matchup against Miami (10-12, 2-8 ACC) provides UNC with a home rematch against a struggling Hurricanes squad that had lost five in a row before stopping the bleeding with a Wednesday win over Notre Dame, 62-47.
The Heels and Hurricanes faced off in Miami on January 19, where a 22-point performance from Cam Johnson helped UNC break a halftime tie and go on to win 85-76. If Roy Williams and co. wish to extend the winning streak to seven games with a home victory this weekend, what should the game plan emphasize?
Here are three keys for UNC to avoid an upset against Miami this weekend.