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UNC Basketball: 3 keys to victory against Purdue in 2021 Hall of Fame Tip-Off Classic

By Jerran Anderson

Nov 5, 2021; Chapel Hill, NC, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels mascot performs in the second half at Dean Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 5, 2021; Chapel Hill, NC, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels mascot performs in the second half at Dean Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports /
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UNC Basketball forward Armando Bacot Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports
UNC Basketball forward Armando Bacot Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports /

3. Team defense has to turn a corner

UNC basketball has seen a lot of success on the offensive end of the floor, so far. Defensively, though, things haven’t quite gone as planned. While they’ve impressed on one end, on the other end, not so much.

The Tar Heels are allowing opponents to score 79.0 ppg, which ranks 310th in NCAA basketball and last in ACC basketball. In their last two games, they gave up more than 80 points to Brown (Ivy League) and College of Charleston (CAA). With a bigger foe in Purdue, the Tar Heels will need to prove they have a lot stronger front on the defensive end.

Armando Bacot comes to mind right away in that regard. He leads the team in blocks with 3.3 bpg and 10 total through the first three games. He’ll need to set the tone in the paint and slow down the Boilermakers on multiple fronts as the team’s anchor on defense.

Purdue basketball is shooting 41.7 percent from behind the arc and knocking down 11.7 3-pointers as a team. From the field, they’re shooting 51.9 percent from the field. Head coach Matt Painter has his squad playing very well and in their first early test, the Tar Heels have a big opportunity ahead of them to upset a Top 10 team in the rankings.

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