UNC Basketball: 3 keys to beating Florida State to start ACC play

UNC Basketball will open ACC play Saturday afternoon against the Florida State Seminoles with the two teams occupying different ends of the emotional spectrum. The Heels are feeling good in the midst of a two-game winning streak against ranked SEC teams that includes a 100-point outburst against Tennessee, while Florida State is licking its wounds after blowing a 17-point second-half lead against Georgia.

What a difference a year makes for the Tar Heels. Carolina is ranked 17th in the AP poll, but a win over Florida State, combined with their victory earlier in the week over the Volunteers, should result in a healthy jump towards the top 10. At this point last year, the Heels entered ACC play in the midst of a three-game losing streak, and that distressing stretch continued with a loss to Virginia Tech.

Now, Hubert Davis’ Tar Heels look like a much different team than the one that wasn’t strong enough to shoulder the burden of high expectations last year. UNC is playing with more tempo, and a newfound emphasis on sharing the ball has raised the Heels’ assist rate and shooting percentage from deep.

Newcomers Harrison Ingram, Cormac Ryan, and Elliot Cadeau have fit in seamlessly with returning stars RJ Davis and Armando Bacot, and Coach Davis seems to already realize that those five represent his best lineup. Still, the Tar Heels also have a deep bench this year, and Davis has gotten useful minutes from a much-improved Seth Trimble and Jalen Washington, while transfers Jae’Lyn Withers and Paxson Wojcik have also found their spots to contribute.

How can Carolina keep the good times rolling against a Florida State team that traditionally plays them tough? Here are three keys to victory for UNC.