The boo birds and naysayers are coming out of the woodwork.

The Tar Heels have already won 20 games on the season but ended January in a way that does not bode well for furious February. First was the one-sided defeat at Miami Saturday in which Carolina could not score and could not stop the Hurricanes from scoring. Returning home, the Heels barely beat the last place team in the ACC, Pitt, which had a three-pointer to win at the buzzer.

Roy Williams said it himself and hundreds of fans have chimed in on the Internet and social media: Carolina has to play better defense all over the court. Pitt stayed close by knocking down 13 three-pointers that seemed like 33. And the Panthers, who have endured terrible losses to Louisville and Miami lately, used the same dribble penetration and high ball screen action that set up many of those treys and drives to the basket for Miami, as well.

So here we go into February with struggling Notre Dame coming to the Smith Center Saturday night. The Irish have lost three straight, two at home, and dropped to the middle of the crowded ACC standings. Will Carolina’s suddenly porous defense snap them out of their doldrums?

Pitt’s 56 percent shooting was the highest against UNC this season and represents a scary trend in which opponents of late are making more of their shots against the Tar Heels. Carolina wins by shooting well itself, as against Pitt, and loses when it cannot maintain offensive consistency, and this is no time for that to happen.

The rebounding domination returned versus Pitt, but the defense had Williams moaning and groaning after the game. Teams are learning that Carolina is vulnerable against high ball screens that make Kennedy Meeks & Co. come out to guard them, and that is generally when the defense breaks down and opens up.

Ol’ Roy has three practices to get ready for Notre Dame and three more before the trip to Cameron on February 9; two of the best shooting teams in the country that will enter both games with new found confidence. What a difference a week makes.

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