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

1) Jump on the Seminoles early

Carolina and its “white out” crowd were white hot against Tennessee in the first half on Wednesday. The Heels scored 61 points, causing Rick Barnes to comment at halftime that it was “the worst basketball half (from a) team I’ve ever coached.” UNC was able to score in a variety of ways against the Volunteers’ vaunted defense, but more than anything, it was the energy from Carolina that allowed them to race ahead.

The Tar Heels need to come out Saturday with that same verve, especially because they could conceivably bury Florida State early if the Seminoles are still in their own heads about the way they finished their last game. These Noles are better than the bunch that suffered through a 9-23 season last year, having already won against UNLV and Colorado, but they’re still a far cry from the formidable squad that reached an Elite Eight and two Sweet Sixteens in three straight NCAA Tournaments from 2018-21 (a streak that likely would have been four if not for the cancellation of the tournament due to the pandemic in 2020, when Florida State went 26-5).

Carolina took the only matchup with Florida State last year, a 77-71 win in Tallahassee. The teams will play at least twice this year, with the second date coming in late January.

Getting an early lead will show that the Heels aren’t looking ahead to a titanic matchup with UConn three days later in the Jimmy V Classic at Madison Square Garden. Last year’s Heels had difficulty stringing good performances together, but this year’s team feels different. Carolina has the talent to blow Florida State out of the building. Doing so would show the maturity that will be necessary to hang with the defending champs.