17. North Carolina (12-2)
North Carolina hasn’t necessarily been stuck lately but this team is eager to prove that it belongs in the national conversation. The only blemish during nonconference play was a tough game against a really good Michigan State squad on Thanksgiving. Aside from that the Tar Heels have delivered, with great wins over Kansas, Kentucky, and in that close battle with Ohio State a few weeks ago. Hubert Davis is determined to lead another standout season but let’s pump the brakes a little.
Things were good on Tuesday, as North Carolina beat Florida State 79-66 in Chapel Hill. Caleb Wilson continued his brilliant freshman campaign with 22 points and 16 rebounds while Seth Trimble added 20 points of his own. We’re pumping the brakes because of Saturday’s effort as the Tar Heels fell 97-83 at SMU. Despite the tough showing, Trimble had another 22 points, but North Carolina really faded in the second half of that contest.
After winning seven games, a lot of that recent success came crashing down as North Carolina had an abhorrent defensive performance against the Mustangs. One poor effort doesn’t diminish the potential for this team but if this defense is going to be a question mark then the Tar Heels may struggle more than we expected in conference play. They’ll hope to get back on track next week against Wake Forest back at home, though they’ll have that sour taste in their mouth for seven days.