UNC vs. Miami: Three Things to Watch

A collective sigh of relief was felt Saturday afternoon when the North Carolina Tar Heels took down a solid Clemson team in a decisive fashion.

It is a quick turnaround against Miami, and UNC has a chance to get themselves off the bubble with a win.

The Miami Hurricanes are beatable. What can Carolina do to notch another important NCAA Tournament resume win on Monday night? Here are three things to watch.

Can the Shooters Remain Hot?

In the win against Clemson, Carolina shot 45.5 percent from beyond the arc. This was the second-highest total since the win over Wake Forest in early January.

The previous three games were indeed not the worse from three, but the ability to hit both open and contested threes was a welcome relief to Carolina fans.

The manner in which these open looks were created is the critical part of this analysis. As been said throughout this season, UNC is a better team when they drive to the basket and work inside out. The Tar Heels had open looks and could scoop up more offensive rebounds with the defensive spread across the floor.

This will be a vital factor tomorrow night.

What’s up with Pete?

Pete Nance logged only 19 minutes on the floor and went a goose egg for seven from the floor.

He had a variety of looks, including a drive to the basket, and turn-away jumper, and a wide-open three.

Are there nagging injuries? What is the deal?

Puff Johnson had 18 minutes on the floor had had eight points, including shooting two of four from three.

At this point in the season, is Johnson the better choice? And with the impressive efficiency of Jalen Washington, why is there reluctance for a two-post presence?

Does Guard Play Make a Difference?

The lowly Louisville Cardinals were kept in the game against Miami by senior guard El Ellis. This should not have been a surprise for Miami as Ellis is Louisville’s leading scorer tallying 17 points per game.

So why did Miami not have more focus on Louisville’s leading scorer? Can the Carolina guards take advantage of this hole in the Miami defense?

Everyone comes to play when they travel to Chapel Hill. so do not expect the same effort Miami puts on the floor against Louisville in Coral Gables.

The Tar Heels must keep their hot streak from beyond the arc alive. Let’s hope they do not deviate from their inside-out approach, but Carolina may find some open looks that will be the difference in the game.