Where: Dean Smith Center, Chapel Hill, NC
When: Thursday, December 27th, 2007
TV: ESPN2
Records: UNC 11-0; Nevada 7-4
No one was surprised that UNC responded to Roy's two days of practice hell by running UCSB out of the Dean Dome. The question is what kind of effort you get from this same team five days later with most of them likely to have been home and relaxing with the family? For me it boils down to this group of players coming out performing at a high level without the tough practice and disappointed coach while transiting through the small break around Christmas. Of course there is also the probability that one or two players are recovering from tryptophan induced comas from Christmas dinner.
As for Nevada, they have traditionally been one of the better mid-major programs out there. So while this shows up as another unranked opponent they are by no means a team to be taken lightly. Despite the little break and what is probably going to be a smaller crowd due to the lack of students on campus, the Heels need to come out sharp and dominate early.
UNC 102 Nevada 73