Preview: #7 UNC Returns Home as the Hokies Await for Their Contest


(Photo Courtesy Jim Hawkins/Inside Carolina) 

Chapel Hill - The #7 North Carolina Tar Heels will have a home again later today at 2:00 p.m. on ACCN as they look to regain momentum and their mojo after losing three out of their last five games. UNC is coming off a loss to Syracuse, where they just couldn't find a stop on the defensive end as the Orange completed the outing, scoring on a total of 63%. 
 
The recent struggles of the Heels appeared yet again in their last battle, which took place in New York, as they have not been possessing the kind of defense displayed during the scorching 10-game winning streak last month. Coach Davis and his team fell, 86-79. RJ Davis scored 19 points and handed out three assists on seven of 17 shots from the field. Cormac Ryan followed up behind Davis with 18 points on six of 14 shots while playing the entire 40 minutes. The frontcourt duo of Armando Bacot and Harrison Ingram each added 14 points and entered double figures in rebounds. Despite not being able to stop the Orange on defense, North Carolina had an efficient scoring night, shooting 48% FG and 44% as a team. Alongside capitalizing on the glass with a 31–23 margin, however, the guys in Carolina Blue were unable to stretch out the lead as hoped, gaining an edge of four points at most during the clash. 
 
Virginia Tech, who is currently 14-10 overall and 6-7 in ACC play, will enter the Dean Smith Center with a home win against the Florida State Seminoles, 83-75. The Hokies gained an advantage in rebounds (35-23), assists (22-17), and points off turnovers (23 points off 13 turnovers). Virginia Tech was lighting it up from down, as they converted 11 of 23 (48%) from behind the arc. Hunter Cattoor had a great scoring night, coming up with 20 points on six of 12 shooting attempts overall, making four of his six attempts from the three. Tyler Nickel, the former Tar Heel, added 15 points off the bench on 6 of 9 shooting through 29 minutes. Mike Young and his squad won two out of their last five games, so they look to rebound against the Tar Heels later this afternoon. 

Projected Starting Lineups 

Elliot Cadeau 
RJ Davis 
Cormac Ryan 
Harrison Ingram
Armando Bacot 

Hunter Cattoor 
Sean Pedulla 
MJ Collins 
Lynn Kidd
Robbie Beran

Key Matchup 

This key matchup is going to be perimeter-based, as the two lead guards, RJ Davis and Hunter Cattoor, is the battle to watch. The fifth-year senior, Cattoor, averages 15 points on 49% shooting and 44% from behind the three-point line. Davis leads UNC with 21 points on 43% shooting overall and 41% from downtown. Two experienced guys in the ACC will duke it out and ultimately be a huge deciding factor in the final outcome. 

The Projected Winner by the Numbers 

UNC is listed at 85.2%, according to the matchup predictor on ESPN Analytics.




 

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