Duke vs. North Carolina: 2019-20 biggest keys for game at Dean Smith Center

Tar Heels Rotation

While this may be a less talented UNC team than Roy Williams has had in years past, it is not bereft of good players.  A starting line up of Anthony, Bacot, Brooks, Black and Francis would be made up of two five-stars and three four-stars with all the players ranked within the top-100 of their respective classes.

They don’t have much on the bench, but Robinson was also a top 60 player coming out.  A big problem for UNC this year, besides 70 missed games from scholarship players, is players not playing up to their talent.  Recruiting is not an exact science but these players were some of the best in the nation coming out of high school.

Jeremiah Francis has been in and out of the line up with a knee injury but if he could assume the point, Anthony would be free to slide to the two which may be a better fit for his situation in college.  Anthony does not seem adept or even comfortable passing into the post and only averages 3.5 assists in 33 minutes.

Francis plays 17 a game and averages 2.1 dimes.  The Tar Heels may benefit from playing Anthony off the ball.  This would allow him to save energy for the end of games, receive spot-up shots from passes exiting the post and attack defenses that have already reacted to various actions.

Leaky Black is playing better of late, scoring in double figures in four of his last six.  He has a tendency to float around the perimeter although he is not really a shooter, only sinking 32% of his threes with 13 makes.  Black’s game is suited for the point forward role and getting out in transition.

UNC doesn’t really get out and run so he is only averaging six points a game.  A good spot for him would be on the high block or elbow area where he is a better mid-range scorer.  He could also pass out if defenses collapse on him and be a playmaker out of the high post area.

Although Christian Keeling played well against FSU, he was brought in to provide shooting and help along the perimeter.  He averaged at least 17 points every year in three seasons at Charleston Southern and hit 81 three-pointers in his last one.  As a Heel, he is only scoring 4.8 a game on 38% from the field and 21% from three.