A 1-seed in the NCAA tournament is slipping away.
North Carolina has lost three of its last five games. The Tar Heels are in a funk that they must break out of soon if they want a 1-seed or to win the ACC. What’s worse? They were favored in those three games. An obvious issue is defense as a whole, as there is no doubt some regression.
Bracket Matrix
On BracketMatrix.com, North Carolina is only projected to be a 1-seed in five out of 105 predictions.
UNC was looking great two weeks ago, sitting at 17-3. Now 19-6 with losses to Georgia Tech, Syracuse, and a home loss to Clemson, the Tar Heels are not winning games that are killers to a resume. The wins over Duke and Miami were big, but of the three recent losses, only Clemson looks to have a shot at the NCAA tournament.
What Has Happened?
After winning at Florida State, UNC had held all eight ACC opponents to 70 or fewer points per game. Since then, all five teams North Carolina has faced have scored over 70, with three reaching 80. The Tar Heels were heralded as one of the best defensive teams in the nation. This five game stretch has knocked the team down in nearly every metric.
Next Up?
On Saturday, Virginia Tech comes to Chapel Hill. They have multiple players who can get hot from three. A week later, UNC travels to Virginia for what is always a tough battle. Miami, NC State, Notre Dame, and going to Duke cap off the year. It will not be an easy stretch, and if North Carolina doesn’t wake up, it could be detrimental to both their NCAA tournament seed and a chance to win the ACC.
How will UNC respond?
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