GAME INFO:
December 11, 2021
8:00pm pm pm Tip Off
Dean Smith Center (Capacity: 21,750)
Chapel Hill, NC
TV: ACCN
UNC given a 94.5% chance to win by ESPN
Records:
UNC: 6-2
Elon: 2-7
Last Time Out:
UNC: Beat Georgia Tech 79-62
Elon: Lost to High Point 77-83
SERIES INFO:
Carolina is 20-4 vs. Elon, including 3-0 in the ACC era.
The Tar Heels have won 15 of the previous 16 games played in Chapel Hill, including 12/29/2011 and 11/20/2019.
UNC has won the last 13 times the teams have played one another.
Team Leaders
Points:
UNC: Love (16.3 PPG)
Elon: T. Watson (13.1 PPG)
Rebounds:
UNC: Bacot (9.9)
Elon: M. Graham (6.0)
Assists:
UNC: Love (4.3)
Elon: D. Burford (3.6)
Georgia Tech Notes:
RJ Davis had 23 points on 8-11 shooting, 4-6 from 3, 3-3 FT, 5 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 TOs
Caleb Love had 17 points on 7-18 shooting, 3-5 from 3, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 TO
Armando Bacot had 15 points on 7-11 shooting, 1-2 FT, 13 rebounds, 4 assists, 5 TOs
Leaky Black had 5 points on 2-2 shooting, 1-1 FT, 2 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 TO
Brady Manek had 15 points on 6-10 shooting, 3-6 from 3, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 TOs
TEAM STATS:
56.4% FG (31-55)
58.8%% 3 PT (10-17)
87.5% FT (7-8)
33 rebounds
21 assists
14 turnovers
8 steals
It seems like it’s been forever since we have seen Tar Heel basketball, but the boys return to the Smith Center Saturday night to take on Elon. The Heels are coming off of a very solid win at Georgia Tech to open up ACC play. A game that would have probably resulted in a loss last year resulted in a 79-62 win. Remember the game was tied at half time. That is back to back outstanding second halves by the Heels. RJ Davis and Caleb Love were outstanding. The game has seemingly slowed down for them. Love looked unstoppable going to the basketball, and both shot well from behind the arc. As a team, the Heels had a higher 3 point percentage than field goal percentage. Don’t say that very often. Turnovers were still high, but it was offset by a season high 21 assists. 7 different Heels had an assist. Oh yeah, back to Love. He had 5 assists and 1 turnover.
You can’t discuss this game without discussing the job Ant Harris and Leaky Black did on Michael Devoe. Devoe was held to 15 points on 6-15 shooting, and 1-5 from 3. He also had 3 turnovers. Black and Harris absolutely dogged him all afternoon. Black came out when Devoe did and then was subbed back in whenever Devoe re-entered the game. Harris saw a lot of minutes and rightfully so. His job is to be a lockdown defender. We have enough scorers. We have so many weapons on the offensive end and they all haven’t been on the same page yet. That is also without contributions from Kerwin Walton. This is why Harris sees minutes. He knows his role. His role is not connected to the freshman’s playing time. Those two things are completely different situations.
Speaking of which, another tune up game against a team that has lost 6 straight provides an opportunity for an extended rotation. Elon’s only 2 wins are against Randolph College and Bluefield, but they have played some good competition this year. They have played Florida, West Virginia, Ole Miss, and Temple. All losses, but they aren’t afraid to play power 5 teams. In a loss to Jacksonville St, all the starters scored in double figures. In their last game, a loss against High Point, Watson scored 34 points. He was 9-12 from the field and 5-7 from 3. He also went 11-12 from the free throw line. This team plays a 9-10 man rotation. The starting lineup has changed throughout the season. Woods was inserted into the starting lineup against High Point after coming off the bench for most of the season so far. Ervin and Watson have started most games, but came off the bench against High Point. The rotation is as follows:
STARTERS:
M. Graham F (Sophomore 6-8)
H. Woods G (Junior 6-6)
D. Burford G (Sophomore 6-0)
H. McIntosh G (Junior 6-2)
K. Wooten G (Senior 6-2)
BENCH:
S. Sherry F (Freshman 6-10)
C. Hannah F (Senior 6-7)
A Junkin C (Redshirt Junior 7-0)
Z. Ervin G (Junior 6-5)
T. Watson G (Senior 6-5)
J. Gillens-Butler G (Redshirt Senior 6-5)
Gillens-Butler is somewhat of an interesting case. He started against Florida, WVU, Ole Miss and Temple, but has not played in the last 3 games. He has scored in double figures once. The starting lineup is relatively experienced with 3 upperclassmen and 2 lowerclassmen (both sophomores). Only one freshman sees some time and that's Sherry at the forward position. He is the second tallest guy on the roster at 6’10”. Junkin is the tallest at 7’0”. Both average just over 10 minutes per game. They are joined by Graham, Gillens-Butler, Hannah, and Wooten when it comes to players that average between 10-20 minutes per game. Watson, Burford, Ervin and Woods averaged between 20-30 minutes. Hunter McIntosh is the only player averaging over 30 minutes at 31.3 minutes per game.
They have 4 guys averaging in double figures (Watson, Burford, McIntosh, Ervin). Woods, Burford and Ervin have been in double figures in 5 of their games. McIntosh and Waston have reached double figures in 6 games, Graham in 3, and Wooten in 1.
This is a Phoenix team that plays through their guards specifically on the perimeter. This team shoots a lot of 3’s. This could just be the result of playing from behind so much, but considering they start only 1 forward I would say that it represents their style of play. For example, McIntosh has taken 61 3’s on the year. Manek has taken 41 and that leads our team. The guys to look out from behind the arc are listed below:
Watson is 35.4% from 3 (17-48)
Burford 36.4% (8-22)
McIntosh 36.1% (22-61)
Ervin 39.3% (22-56)
Woods 42.1% (16-38)
Wooten 41.2% (8-19)
It’s hard to predict the matchup with the starters because I would imagine Elon’s starters may change. The change in starting lineup seems to be a move to get some rhythm going, but has been unsuccessful. But with Watson having 34 points in the last game it’s hard to see him not being reinserted into the starting lineup. Either way their lineup will leave one of our bigs guarding one of their guards. Bacot most likely gets the assignment on their forward which will most likely be Graham. Love most likely gets McIntosh and RJ gets the assignment on Burford or Wooten. If Watson gets reinserted into the lineup then maybe black guards him, but that would leave either Garcia or Manek on Woods who is 42.1% from 3. No matter what our bigs are going to have to step up and guard the perimeter. We need to play through our bigs as Bacot has another great opportunity for a big game and another double double. Love and Davis need to keep attacking the basket. If we come out with energy and put this team away early then it will give Hubert some opportunities to give some other guys extended meaningful minutes.
THINGS TO WATCH FOR:
Rotation (I hinted at it right above, but this game has the potential to see an extended rotation.Guys like Dunn and Styles may have the opportunity to see extended minutes if the team does what it’s supposed to do and puts Elon away early.)
Guard The Perimeter (Elon is a 3 PT dependent team. They shoot a ton of 3’s and play 4 guards. This means our bigs are going to have to guard the perimeter. Too many open 3’s will let a team with only 2 wins stick around)
Energy/Intensity (The Heels have been off for almost a week and this isn’t exactly a game that it is easy to get up for. Can they come out with energy early and play with intensity on the defensive end of the floor?)
Lots of Bacot (If the ball doesn’t go down low to Bacot on every possession that he is in the game then i’m going to be upset. Bacot is primed to pick up another double double in this game. He should dominate the paint.)
Getting Walton Going (This is a recurring theme every week at this point. We haven’t needed his shooting in double digit wins over Michigan and Georgia Tech, but this game seems like a good opportunity to reintroduce him to the offense. He has seen limited minutes due to defense and a short rotation. Walton should get multiple set plays called for him in this game, and if he plays good defense, he could see extended minutes. It would be nice to get him going before the UCLA game)
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