Two of the hottest teams in the country are set to square off on Saturday afternoon for a huge ACC battle. North Carolina is fresh off of a 16 win over Duke earlier this week, and they have their sights set on winning the ACC regular season title. Florida State has been beating every one of late and doing it in convincing fashion.
North Carolina has moved into a first-place tie with both Duke and Virginia atop the ACC standings with an 11-2 record. The Tar Heels are 21-5 overall on the season and have climbed all the way up to number eight in the rankings. Florida State sits just behind that top group with a 9-4 record in league play. The Seminoles come into this game as the 16th ranked team in the country, and look poised to make a run in March.
Tar Heels Clicking on Offense
North Carolina still has some room for improvement, but it’s hard to imagine them getting any better on the offensive end of the floor. The Tar Heels are averaging 87.5 points per game this season and can put up points in a hurry. North Carolina is shooting close to 38 percent from the three-point line as a team, and they will shoot a ton of them in this game. If the Tar Heels get going on offense, they are impossible to stop.
In a world of freshmen dominating the college basketball landscape, it has been a pair of seniors leading the Tar Heels. Guard Cameron Johnson is averaging 16.7 points per game and is one of the most elite shooters in the country. Forward Luke Maye poured in 30 points in the win over Duke and has a ton of experience in playing in big games. North Carolina has a ton of other quality players, but these senior stars lead them.
Florida State Looks To Stay Hot
Florida State got off to a 1-4 start in conference play, but the Seminoles have won eight straight ACC games to get back into the race. Six of the last eight wins have been by at least double-digits, but the Seminoles face a tough test in this game. Florida State is averaging 77.2 points per game, but they have been even better on defense. The Seminoles are holding opponents to just 67 points per game, and have “incredible length” that should help them against North Carolina.
Mfiondu Kabengele and Terance Mann are the only two Seminoles averaging double-figures so far this season, but Florida State has a ton of depth. Kabengele and Mann have combined to pour in more than 25 points per game, and are also the two best rebounders for the Seminoles. Head coach Leonard Hamilton has about 10 players that he can turn to, it’s just up to him to find the right combination each game. The depth of Florida State could keep them in this game.
- Get more details: Florida State at North Carolina NCAAB Match-up
