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Ample reasons why the Tar Heels need to play their best game at Notre Dame.
Carolina begins its “win out or else” challenge tonight at 9 (on ESPN) in South Bend against a team that will belie its record and be ready to play in the second-to-last home game for veteran coach Mike Brey.
The Fighting Irish have beaten UNC three out of the last four games at the Joyce Center, including last season’s 78-73 win when the Heels’ late comeback fell short. Even during a seven-game winning streak in the Roy Williams era, they survived two one-point wins under the Golden Dome. So don’t let Carolina’s 12-5 record since the Irish joined the ACC deceive you.
Neither should you be comforted by Notre Dame standing 10-17 and 2-14 in the ACC with five consecutive losses, 9 in the last 10 games and 10 in the last 13. In there were essentially one-possession defeats at Syracuse, at N.C. State, at Georgia Tech, at Duke and at Virginia.
Even with Pitt closing out the home season in South Bend, this is the one that alumni, fans and especially students want to get for Brey, who has a 21-year record there of 482-276, including the 2015 ACC tournament championship win over the Tar Heels in Greensboro.
ND’s never-quit attitude comes from its athletic heritage and Brey’s dogged determination and a veteran team that feels responsible for sending its coach out with a bad season.
Four of their top six scorers are seniors, including fifth-year Nate Laszewski, who has built a reputation as a “Carolina killer” with great performances over the years, including games of 25 points and 9 rebounds, 20 and 8, and 17 and 8. He likely wants his last one against UNC to be his best. For a 14th-place team, Laszewski remains the No. 19 scorer in the ACC, the No. 8 rebounder and second-best free-throw shooter. As a team, the Irish are better marksmen than Carolina and way better from the arc (who isn’t?).
Hubert Davis has used adjectives like “unbelievable” and “fantastic” when describing Notre Dame and most other opponents his 16-11 and 8-8 team is about to face. The Heels clearly have their backs against the wall and, at very best, are hanging on the wrong side of the NCAA bubble. They need to win tonight and at Florida State, plus upset Virginia and Duke at home to have a chance to return to the Dance.
Carolina defeated the Irish in Chapel Hill back in January in a contested game, but will definitely have its hands full in this rematch on the road in front of a packed house chanting “NIT! NIT!” and waving signs that NIT stands for “Not In Tournament” which could be UNC’s unfortunate fate with another loss.
Featured image via Todd Melet
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Wes Miller!
If you still like college basketball, watch Cincinnati under Wes Miller. It’s much more entertaining than UNC which is very boring as there is no method to the madness. They actually help each other on defense, work the ball around, block out, etc.; things UNC used to do! Wes Miller is an up and coming young coach. But we don’t have to worry about paying him what he’s worth as he’ll never coach at UNC.