UNC Basketball: Keys for Tar Heels against Boston College on the road

3. Let the good times roll

The Tar Heels are hot.

Boasting a top-10 offense in terms of KenPom’s adjusted efficiency metric (120.4, seventh) and in good ole points per game (87.3, third), UNC is getting nightly performances where a number of its players are capable of lighting up the stat sheet with dazzling scoring outbursts that leave opposing teams helpless. Over the past few games, freshman Coby White and fifth-year senior Cameron Johnson have particularly been finding success from all over the floor.

After a rough seven-game stretch of subpar shooting (36.3 percent from the field, 31.3 percent from three), White has produced outputs of 34 points (9-14 FG, 6-11 3PT, 10-10 FT) and 28 points (9-16 FG, 6-11 3PT, 4-6 FT) in his last two games against Syracuse and Clemson, leading the Heels in scoring against two strong defensive squads.

Outside of White, Johnson is playing his usual brand of high-efficiency basketball as well, shooting 61.1 percent from beyond the arc over his last three games on six attempts per game. UNC has been noted as a strong “away from home” team previously, and Johnson has been a big reason for this. The 6-foot-9 sharpshooter averages 18.2 points per game on road and neutral site games, compared to a lower 15.4 scoring average in home games. With Tuesday’s ACC matchup taking place on the road, a high-scoring game from Johnson could be in the cards.

Through 16 conference games, Boston College ranks 13th defensively in ACC play according to KenPom, with their defense being plagued by an inability to end possessions via blocks, steals, and rebounds, as well as a struggle to consistently defend opponents inside the arc.

With all that said, UNC should find the bottom of the basket often against the Eagles. If White and Johnson let the good times — and good shooting — continue, the Heels might find themselves in an uncompetitive game by halftime, and conference win number 15 by the end of the day.