UNC Miami Basketball: What You Need to Know

The UNC Miami basketball game is one of the most popular games in the country. Here’s what you need to know about it.

Introduction

It’s official: the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC) will be playing the University of Miami (UM) in the 2019-20 NCAA Basketball season The game will take place on December 20, 2019, at Coral Gables Florida. Here’s what you need to know about this matchup between two ACC schools.

This will be the first time that UNC and UM have faced each other in men’s basketball since 2013. In the 2013 season, UNC won both games against UM. However, in recent years UM has had more success in men’s basketball, making the NCAA tournament Sweet Sixteen in 2016 and 2018. UNC last made the Sweet Sixteen in 2017.

Interestingly, UNC’s current Head Coach Roy Williams and UM’s current head coach Jim Larrañaga were both born in Miami. Additionally, these two coaches have faced each other before when Williams was at Kansas and Larrañaga was at George Mason in that matchup, Kansas won both games.

In short, this game will be a battle between two ACC schools with a lot of history between their coaches and programs. Be sure to tune in on December 20th to watch what is sure to be an exciting game!

UNC’s 2017-2018 Roster

The 2017-2018 UNC Men’s basketball roster features eleven scholarship players. The team is composed of one senior, three juniors, four sophomores, and three freshman. Here is a closer look at each player:

Senior Joel Berry II is the only player on the roster with prior NCAA Tournament experience. He was named to the 2016 All-ACC tournament first team after averaging 17.7 points, 3.5 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game in the Tar Heels’ championship run.

Junior Theo Pinson is the team’s emotional leader and best defender. Pinson was named to the ACC All-Defensive team last season and will be counted on to provide leadership and steady play on both ends of the court this season.

Junior Kenny Williams is another key Defensive Player for UNC. Williams averaged 7.4 points and 2.8 rebounds per game last season while shooting 41 percent from three-point range He will be counted on to provide outside shooting and solid defense again this season.

Sophomore Luke Maye had a breakout performance in UNC’s Sweet Sixteen win over Butler last season, scoring 16 points and grabbing 10 rebounds in 29 minutes off the bench. Maye will be expected to provide energy and scoring off the bench again this season.

Sophomore Cam Johnson redshirted last season after transferring from Pitt, but he is eligible to play this season and should be an important contributor for the Tar Heels Johnson is a skilled shooter who averaged 11 points per game while shooting 41 percent from three-point range at Pitt two seasons ago.

Sophomore Seventh Woods missed most of last season with injuries but is healthy now and ready to contribute on both ends of the court with his athleticism and energy. Last year, as a freshman, Woods averaged 4 points per game in 23 games played

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Key Players to Watch

In order to beat the University of Miami you must know who their key players are and how they operate on the court. The UNC team has been preparing all season to face off against Miami, so rest assured, they know a thing or two about the Hurricanes. Here are three Key Players from Miami that UNC will be keeping a close eye on.

1) Shimone Okeke
Okeke is a 6’8” Power Forward who transferred to Miami this year from Auburn. He is averaging 11.5 points and 6.9 rebounds per game Okeke is a solid post player and his biggest strength is his rebounding ability. He is also a good shot blocker, averaging 1.3 blocks per game.

2) Isaiah Wong
Wong is a 6’3” guard who is averaging 16 points, 3.8 assists, and 3.5 rebounds per game. He is a very scrappy player and excels at getting to the basket and drawing fouls. He is also a very good three-point shooter, shooting 34% from beyond the arc.

3) Chris Lykes
Lykes is a 5’7” guard who missed most of last season with an ankle injury but has come back strong this year, averaging 15 points per game Lykes is very quick and shifty with the ball and he uses his speed to his advantage when driving to the basket where he often finishes with acrobatic layups.

The Coaching Staff

UNC has one of the youngest and most talented coaching staffs in college basketball Head Coach Jim Larrañaga is in his ninth season with the Hurricanes and has led the team to six NCAA tournament appearances, including a trip to the Sweet Sixteen in 2013.

Assistant coaches Jamal Robinson and ChrisCaputo are both in their second seasons with UNC. Robinson is a former Miami assistant who helped recruit many of the current Hurricanes, while Caputo comes from Larrañaga’s George Mason staff and is one of the Top Defensive minds in college basketball

The freshmen on this year’s team will be coached by Michael White, who is in his first season with UNC. White was a highly regarded assistant at Florida State before coming to Miami, and he is considered one of the best young coaches in the game.

The 2017-2018 Schedule

The 2017-2018 UNC Miami Basketball Schedule is one that will have fans eager for the season to start. With a few new faces on the team, as well as some key returners, the Tar Heels are looking to make some noise this season. Here are a few things you need to know about the schedule:

-The season opens up with a Home game against Northern Iowa on November 10th. This will be followed by a road game against UCLA on November 15th.
-Other key games on the schedule include a home matchup against Duke on February 8th, and a road game at NC State on March 3rd.
-The ACC Tournament will take place from March 6th-10th, and the NCAA tournament will start on March 13th.

Make sure you mark your calendars and get ready for an exciting season of UNC Miami Basketball!

home court Advantage

home court advantage is often cited as a key factor in College Basketball UNC Miami will look to utilize its home court advantage when it takes on Duke in its final regular season game. The game will be played at the Smith Center on Sunday, March 8th at 6pm EST. The Tar Heels have an all-time record of 32-7 at the Smith Center, while Duke has a record of 27-12.

In order to give itself the best chance to win, UNC Miami will need to do a few things. First, it must take care of the ball and limit turnovers. The Tar Heels are averaging 14 turnovers per game, which is something they will need to improve upon if they want to beat Duke. Secondly, UNC Miami must shoot well from three-point range. The Tar Heels are averaging 7.5 three-pointers per game and shooting 34 percent from beyond the arc. They will need to be even better against Duke, as the Blue Devils are holding opponents to 30 percent shooting from three-point range.

If UNC Miami can take care of the ball and shoot well from three-point range, it will give itself a great chance to beat Duke and solidify its position as one of the top teams in College Basketball

Rivalries

One of the most heated rivalries in basketball is between the University of North Carolina (UNC) and the University of Miami (UM). The two schedule a game every season, and the match-up usually has huge implications for both teams. Here’s everything you need to know about this rivalry:

The rivalry between UNC and UM began in 1953, when the two teams first played each other. Since then, they’ve played each other nearly every season. The match-up is usually very close, and both teams are usually ranked highly in the polls.

In recent years UNC has had more success than UM. UNC has won the last five games between the two teams, dating back to 2014. UM’s last win came in 2013.

This season, both teams are once again ranked highly in the polls. UNC is currently ranked #5 in the country, while UM is ranked #10. The winner of this game will likely have a better chance at making the NCAA Tournament’s Elite Eight.

The Fans

diehard fans that have stuck with the team through its ups and downs. These fans are passionate about their team and show it through their words and actions. Whether it’s setting up tailgates for home games or traveling to away games, these fans show their support in any way possible.

NCAA tournament History

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has a long and storied history in the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament Also known as “March Madness”, the tournament is a single-elimination event that features 68 teams from across the country. UNC has been a part of the tournament every year since it began in 1939, and has made it to the Final Four (the semi-final round) 19 times. UNC has won the tournament six times, most recently in 2017.

Conclusion

The Tar Heels have had a successful season so far and look to continue their winning ways in the ACC tournament Miami has been a tough challenge for them, but they have come out on top in recent years With that said, it should be another exciting game between these two rivals.