After a morale-boosting win to complete a season sweep of Duke, the North Carolina men’s basketball team now must quickly shift its focus to postseason play.
Saturday's win virtually guaranteed the Tar Heels a spot in the NCAA Tournament. But it also helped them jump Louisville to claim to sixth seed in the ACC Tournament.
From now on, there are no more chances to bounce back. It’s single-elimination. In order to have success in March, the Tar Heels will have to do something they haven’t been able to do all year: maintain consistency.
Here’s what the path looks like for UNC in both tournaments.
ACC Tournament
The Tar Heels were already a lock for a single bye heading into their final matchup of the regular season. All that was left to be decided was whether they were the sixth or seventh seed. Either position meant avoiding top-ranked Virginia through the early rounds, a team Roy Williams-led squads have recently struggled against.
The path for UNC appears easier than that of the seventh-seeded Cardinals. The Tar Heels will face either Wake Forest or Notre Dame, two teams that they have already beaten. Louisville will also face one of two teams they’re unbeaten against. But the big difference is the third round opponent.
The Cardinals will have to battle Florida State if they advance, which, despite a bad loss against the Fighting Irish, is still a threat to win the whole tournament. Leonard Hamilton is a top head coach in the ACC and should have his team prepared to bounce back. The Seminoles have a potent offense fueled by depth and good 3-point shooting. It's a benefit that North Carolina gets to avoid them until the semifinals, if both teams make it there.
If UNC wins, its next opponent is Virginia Tech, which has had several long pauses due to COVID-19 cases and hasn't played a game since Feb. 27. The Tar Heels dominated the last opponent that came into their matchup off a break, beating Louisville 99-54. If the Hokies start out rusty, North Carolina should be able to advance.
