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UNC Basketball: 2018-19 keys for Tar Heels against Miami

By Trevor Marks

MIAMI, FLORIDA - JANUARY 19: Coby White #2 of the North Carolina Tar Heels drives to the basket against Chris Lykes #0 of the Miami Hurricanes during the first half at Watsco Center on January 19, 2019 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
MIAMI, FLORIDA - JANUARY 19: Coby White #2 of the North Carolina Tar Heels drives to the basket against Chris Lykes #0 of the Miami Hurricanes during the first half at Watsco Center on January 19, 2019 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) /
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CHAPEL HILL, NORTH CAROLINA – DECEMBER 15: (L-R) Brandon Robinson #4, Cameron Johnson #13, Luke Maye #32 and Garrison Brooks #15 of the North Carolina Tar Heels celebrate during the final minute of their game against the Gonzaga Bulldogs at the Dean Smith Center on December 15, 2018 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. North Carolina won 103-90. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
CHAPEL HILL, NORTH CAROLINA – DECEMBER 15: (L-R) Brandon Robinson #4, Cameron Johnson #13, Luke Maye #32 and Garrison Brooks #15 of the North Carolina Tar Heels celebrate during the final minute of their game against the Gonzaga Bulldogs at the Dean Smith Center on December 15, 2018 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. North Carolina won 103-90. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images) /

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).

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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.

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