Miami and North Carolina to Feature Clash of ACC Contenders

Entering the season ranked atop the AP Top 25 poll, this year has been underwhelming for North Carolina (UNC).

The Tar Heels have been plagued by inconsistency all season long, but their play at home has been anything but that. UNC is 11-1 this year at the Dean E. Smith Center, with its lone loss coming against ACC contender Pittsburgh in a one-point thriller.

This home-court advantage will be tested on Monday at 7 p.m., as the Heels welcome Miami, which has won its last four contests.

This rowdy UNC crowd will be a new experience for UM guard Nijel Pack, who will be playing the Heels for the first time in his college career.

“I feel like it’s going to be a good atmosphere … We’re all reaching for the same thing, is that ACC regular season championship. Obviously we know a road win is something we really need, and all these final games that we’re coming up on are really important,” Pack said about Miami’s upcoming game against UNC. “I feel like it’s going to be a really interesting matchup. It’s gonna be really fun as well.”

Last year’s rendition of Miami versus UNC was lopsided. The Hurricanes built a 27-point halftime lead and trampled the Heels, 85-57. After that loss, Carolina was only defeated in five other games that season and advanced all the way to the NCAA championship game.

The Heels brought back a lot of the talent from that squad, including star big man Armando Bacot, who will likely match up against UM’s Norchad Omier. 

The two players have contrasting playing styles. Bacot, at 6-foot-11 and 235 pounds, is able to use his frame and array of moves near the basket to anchor Carolina’s paint on both ends of the floor. Omier, at 6-foot-7 and 248 pounds, utilizes his blend of size and speed to race past slower big men and outmuscle smaller defenders.

Bacot and Omier, along with Syracuse’s Jesse Edwards, are the only three players in the ACC that average at least 14 points and 10 rebounds per game this season.

Miami and UNC will also feature a battle between highly touted guard duos in UM’s Nijel Pack and Isaiah Wong and the Heels’ RJ Davis and Caleb Love.

Davis and Love struggled in Carolina’s meeting with the ‘Canes last season, combining for only 14 points on 5-for-22 shooting from the field. 

With a win, Miami would extend its undefeated streak to five games, matching UM’s 5-0 start in ACC play last season.