Carolina stays on the right trajectory . . . just in time.

The Tar Heels’ 10-point win over N.C. State Saturday had more pluses than minuses. They avenged the earlier loss in Raleigh, which Roy Williams has called the worst defensive game he’s ever coached.

They bumped their ACC record to 5-3 and 10-5 overall. And they kept shooting the ball well, following up their hot second half versus Wake Forest by making 57 percent and 52 percent on the Wolfpack.

All this as UNC embarks on a three-game swing at Pitt Tuesday night, at Clemson the following Tuesday and at Duke on February 6. Carolina is 6-0 at home, 3-1 on neutral courts but only 1-4 on the road.

The rest of the ACC is jumbled behind Virginia and Florida State, two teams Carolina plays at home in February, so the Heels have to win at least one of the next three road games (preferably two) to stay in the race and on the right side of the NCAA tournament bubble.

Williams likes the shot selection lately and pounding the ball inside, where Armando Bacot and Day’Ron Sharpe combined for 33 points and 18 rebounds against State, and still wants the balance of the second half when Kerwin Walton’s two 3-pointers held off the Pack.

With 14 offensive rebounds and 18 points off them, Carolina remains atop the ACC and among the national leaders, but it is still not the high-octane offense ‘Ol Roy wants with just 11 fast-break points and only 10 off State’s 11 turnovers (the Pack had 17 of the latter).

And, of course, hitting only 8 of 18 free throws won’t do, especially on the road. Before Pitt’s surprise loss at Wake Forest, the Panthers were one of the hottest teams in the ACC. Sophomore forward Justin Champagnie leads the ACC in scoring and rebounding on his way to Player of the Year. He will be a load for Leaky Black to handle.

Xavier Johnson leads the ACC in assists and runs the quickest backcourt in the conference. So, Pitt will be a good test for UNC’s improving freshman guards Caleb Love, RJ Davis, Anthony Harris and Walton who totaled 43 points and 12 assists against State, but also had 9 turnovers, 5 from Love.

“We’ve had 60 practices and 15 games,” Williams said, “so they are no longer freshmen.”

The next three games are the place to prove it.

 

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