The 96 points scored by UNC basketball on Saturday afternoon greatly exceeded the 81 points conceded by the Tar Heels (20-6, 12-3 ACC) against unranked Virginia Tech (15-11, 7-8 ACC). Overall, it was a remarkable comeback game following the team’s loss against Syracuse earlier in the week.
And it’s reasonable to argue that UNC’s offensive struggles haven’t been particularly noticeable during its 3-3 run after a 10-game winning streak. However, in their first full practice week without a game in months, third-year head coach Hubert Davis is trying to inculcate habits in his players on the defensive end
Think about the fact that the Tar Heels reeled off 10 straight points while preventing any opponents from scoring more than 70. They have now conceded more than 70 in each of their last six games, with four of their opponents surpassing 80.
In his Monday media conference via the ACC teleconference, Davis addressed the seemingly reoccurring defensive concerns:
“I felt that we were extremely focused in throughout that 10-game period, especially [in the] halfcourt, defending without fouling, completing plays with a rebound, guarding the paint, and also guarding the three. These are the things we have done throughout the last six games or so, although not as
And those are the things that we’ve discussed as a team and a group that we need to return to. It’s just a matter of being more reliable and sound from a basic defensive position, guarding the paint, supporting the assist, and doing the little things that add up to huge wins.
“One of the things I’m looking forward to this week is that we don’t have a midweek game, which means that for the first time in a while, we can train for the sake of practicing, rather than preparing in order to get ready for a certain opponent.
