Florida State vs North Carolina: 2019-20 key storylines for ACC matchup

CHAPEL HILL, NORTH CAROLINA - FEBRUARY 01: Cole Anthony #2 talks with head coach Roy Williams of the North Carolina Tar Heels during the first half of their game against the Boston College Eaglesat the Dean Smith Center on February 01, 2020 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images) /

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CHAPEL HILL, NORTH CAROLINA – JANUARY 25: Brandon Robinson #4 of the North Carolina Tar Heel (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images) /

Team Identity

A lot of North Carolina’s struggles this year can be directly attributed to injuries. It seems that UNC doesn’t even know who’s playing from game to game and that makes it hard to form any continuity, offensive or otherwise.

Now the question is whether Brandon Robinson is out for a few games or not. He really stepped up while Anthony was out to give UNC a perimeter option. Even with Anthony back, Robinson was the only other reliable scorer and shooter. As mentioned, the Tar Heels shot poorly from three but only Anthony and Robinson hit any, two apiece, and took all besides two of them.

Only two other players took any threes and they were both 0-1. The Heels are the 14th ranked team in the ACC in three-point percentage. Besides the lack of shooters, UNC also lacks playmakers outside of Anthony.

They don’t have another serious driving threat outside of him and it just results in a compacted and set defense that doesn’t have to move too much. The Tar Heels may want to increase their ball movement side to side.

This would allow their big men to work for position and receive easier entry passes against a shifting defense. A moving defense would also let shooters get open since UNC doesn’t have the players who can create their own shots outside of Anthony or ones that can rise up and hit contested jumpers.

UNC is also 12th in both blocks and turnovers, 11th in steals and 13th in free throw percentage. All these numbers say this is a team that doesn’t get out in transition, doesn’t score easy or efficient buckets, doesn’t defend particularly well and gets bogged down or watches Cole Anthony try to create magic.

I mentioned in a previous piece that North Carolina may want to be a slow it down, grind em’ out kind of team. I still don’t see how they can’t be with the personnel they have. I know it’s the opposite of the running Roy that UNC knows so well, but when you are 10-11 and 13th in the ACC, the opposite may just be what’s called for.

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