ACC Basketball: 5 key storylines for No. 11 Florida State vs. North Carolina
By Ian Mumm
UNC guards key to success
Garrison Brooks and the rest of North Carolina’s frontcourt depth have been very productive throughout the team’s turnaround this season. However, it’s been the play of backcourt members Caleb Love, RJ Davis, Kerwin Walton, and Leaky Black that has largely determined whether this team is capable of pulling out wins. Inserting Walton into the starting lineup helped to stretch the floor for Carolina’s bigs and provided much-needed balance and production from the perimeter for head coach Roy Williams.
The consistency from this group has not been there though on a nightly basis. In their loss to Marquette, this collective of guards went 7-29 (24.1%) from the field and 3-15 (20%) from the perimeter for a combined 23 points. Over the team’s last 10 games against Power 6 opponents, Carolina has put together a record of 6-4 but the play of their top 4 backcourt players has directly coincided with the outcome.
In six wins, the quartet of Love, Walton, Black, and Davis has averaged 38.2 points on 45.3% shooting from the field and 47.0% from 3. In losses though that production drastically falls off with this group contributing 25.8 points on 31.9% shooting and 28.6% from the perimeter. Collectively this group has shown to be very comfortable on the floor at times, while others just can’t seem to buy a bucket.
If Carolina is to have a chance at pulling off the upset, they’re going to have to find ways to create quality scoring chances for their guards. If they can manage to make them comfortable early, good things can come from their production.