North Carolina Stays Home To Host Georgia Tech

North Carolina will return to the Dean E. Smith Center for their second straight game Saturday as they will host Georgia Tech.

The Tar Heels have won 14 straight home ACC games.
• This is the only week the Tar Heels play two ACC home games this season.
• 2017 first-team All-America and ACC Player of the Year Justin Jackson will be honored at halftime. Carolina will officially recognize raising Jackson's No. 44 to the rafters and will also present him with a Patterson Medal. Jackson was one of three recipients of the 2017 Patterson Medal, the top career achievement award presented to a UNC student-athlete, along with Hayley Carter (tennis) and Ryan Switzer (football). Switzer and Carter are scheduled to be honored at the Duke and Miami games, respectively. 
• Carolina has a quick turnaround, returning to action on Monday, Jan. 22nd, at Virginia Tech. It's the first of two Big Monday games on ESPN (also Feb. 12th vs. Notre Dame).
• Carolina is 16th in the nation in KenPom's offensive efficiency and 12th defensively.
• Luke Maye (17.8) and Joel Berry II (17.4) lead Carolina in scoring. The last time two Tar Heels averaged 17 points or more in the same season was 1983-84, when Michael Jordan (19.6) and Sam Perkins (17.6) were UNC's top scoring duo.
• Berry is fourth in the ACC in free throw percentage (.899), fourth in three-pointers per game (2.7) and fifth in scoring. Maye is second in the league in rebounding (10.8), fourth in scoring and ninth in field goal percentage (.512).
• Luke Maye leads the ACC and is eighth in the country in defensive rebounds (8.2). Nationally he is 12th in double-doubles (10) and 14th in rebounding (10.5).
• Cameron Johnson tied his career high with six three-pointers vs. Clemson. Johnson became the first player to make six three-pointers both for and against the Tar Heels (he hit six for Pitt in the Smith Center on 1/31/16).
• The 87-79 win over Clemson was Roy Williams' 831st. He passed Mt. St. Mary's Jim Phelan for seventh place in wins by a Division I head coach. Jim Calhoun is sixth with 873.
• Joel Berry II and Luke Maye are among 25 mid-season candidates for the John R. Wooden Award presented by Wendy's.
• Maye is one of five players who are on the mid-season list who were not among the 50 players on the preseason watch list.
• Carolina is one of four schools that have two players on the mid-season Wooden Award list; Berry and Maye are among the five ACC players on the list.
• Berry is one of 30 candidates for the Senior CLASS Award (Tyler Hansbrough won the award in 2009). "according to http://goheels.com/news/2018/1/19/mens-basketball-tar-heels-host-jackets-saturday.aspx


THE RPI
• Carolina is No. 2 in the nation in the NCAA's RPI behind Duke. Villanova, Virginia and Xavier are ranked 3-5.
• Carolina's strength of schedule is the toughest in the country. UNC's non-conference schedule was the eighth-most difficult in the nation. (UNC went 11-2).
• Carolina's first 19 opponents have an average RPI of 80, which is the highest in the country. "according to http://goheels.com/news/2018/1/19/mens-basketball-tar-heels-host-jackets-saturday.aspx


THE GEORGIA TECH SERIES
• Carolina leads the series against Georgia Tech, 66-24, including 13-9 under head coach Roy Williams.
• The Tar Heels have won seven of the last eight games against the Yellow Jackets.
• Georgia Tech beat UNC, 75-63, on 12/31/16 in Atlanta in the most recent matchup. 
• Carolina is 29-6 against the Yellow Jackets in Chapel Hill, including 24-4 in the Smith Center. UNC has won the last four at home.
• Joel Berry II had 19 points, four assists an five turnovers the last time the teams played in Chapel Hill in 2016. UNC won that game, 86-78."according to http://goheels.com/news/2018/1/19/mens-basketball-tar-heels-host-jackets-saturday.aspx


LAST YEAR IN ATLANTA
• Josh Okogie scored a game-high 26 points to lead Georgia Tech to a 75-63 win over the Tar Heels in the ACC opener for both squads.
• Carolina committed a season-high 20 turnovers, shot a season-low 33.3 percent from the floor and scored just 63 points.
• Carolina shot 33.3 percent from the floor in both halves (12 for 36 in each half).
• Carolina's points per possession was a season-low .64 for the game.
• The Tar Heels were 5 for 26 from three-point range. It was the fewest made threes in at least 25 attempts since UNC went 5 for 27 against Wake Forest in 2011.
• Justin Jackson topped UNC in scoring with 16 points, but was 6 for 17 from the floor (0 for 5 3FGs) and had three turnovers.
• Joel Berry II made two early three-pointers, but was 3 for 13 from the floor (2 of 9 3FG) and had one assist and a career-high six turnovers.
• Luke Maye had five offensive rebounds and tied his (then) career high with six boards.
• Georgia Tech was 28 for 33 from the free throw line for the game, including 25 of 28 in the second half. "according to http://goheels.com/news/2018/1/19/mens-basketball-tar-heels-host-jackets-saturday.aspx


GAME 19: UNC 87, CLEMSON 79
• Carolina extended its NCAA-record home winning streak over Clemson to 59 games. That is 23 games longer than the next-longest active streak (Marquette over Milwaukee).
• The Tar Heels shot 65 percent from the floor in the second half, their second-highest percentage in a half this season (.679 in first half vs. Tulane on 12/3/17) and highest in a half in ACC play this year.
• All five Tar Heel starters scored in double figures for the first time this season. UNC is now 15-2 when at least three players score in double figures.
• Carolina shot 51 percent from the floor for the game. It was the eighth time this year and second straight ACC home game the Tar Heels have shot 50 percent from the floor.
• Clemson scored 56 points on 43 second-half possessions. Its points per possession of 1.30 was the highest in a half vs. UNC this year. The Tigers had a PPP of 1.11 for the game, highest by an opponent in a UNC win this year.
• The Tar Heels scored 49 points on 39 second-half possessions (1.26) and finished the game at 1.14 PPP, their second-highest of the season (1.15 vs. Tulane).
• Clemson's 56 points in the second half were the most in a half against UNC this year. But the Tigers' 23 points in the first 20 minutes were the lowest in any half by an opponent.
• Carolina had 23 assists on 26 field goals (UNC assisted on 88 percent of its field goals). The 23 assists are the most since UNC had 31 against Western Carolina on 12/6/17.
• UNC had assists on 16 of its first 17 field goals.
• Carolina made five of its first 15 three-pointers, then made 10 of their next 16 attempts, including nine of 14 (64.3 percent) in the second half. Four different Tar Heels made two or more three-pointers.
• The 15 made three-pointers equal the fifth most in any game in UNC history and are the second most this season (16 vs. WCU).
• Carolina attempted 31 three-pointers, second most in the Roy Williams era and tied for the ninth-most in school history.
• UNC shot 48.4 percent from three-point range, second highest in school history for at least 31 attempts.
• The Tar Heels took 31 of their 51 field goal attempts from three-point range, the first time this year UNC attempted more threes than twos.
• It was the first time in the Roy Williams era the Tar Heels attempted more three-point shots than two pointers (and did so by 11).
• It was the first time Carolina attempted more threes than twos since 3/18/03 vs. DePaul in the NIT. UNC took 28 threes and 27 twos.
• Carolina came into the game No.1 in the nation in rebounds, but grabbed a season-low 29 (previous low was 36 vs. Michigan State). UNC had a season-low five offensive rebounds (previous was nine four times).
• Carolina tied its season low with 14 points in the paint (also at Virginia when UNC scored a total of 49 points).
• Clemson did not score a second-chance point. That's the second time in six ACC games this season an opponent did not score a second-chance point (also Wake Forest).
• Clemson shot 61.3 percent from the floor in the second half. That is the highest in a half this year by any opponent. The Tigers missed their first attempt of the second half, then made 15 in a row, before finishing three for their final 15.
• The Tigers out-scored the Tar Heels, 26-14, in the paint. That was the fourth time this year UNC was out-scored in the paint and was the second-largest margin (Ohio State out-scored UNC by 14 in the paint).
• Cameron Johnson tied his career high with six three-pointers and led UNC in scoring for the first time with a game-high 21 points. Johnson made six three against Syracuse at Pitt last year and made six threes against UNC at the Smith Center on 1/31/17.
• This was Johnson's sixth career 20-point game. It was his highest scoring output since he had 22 against Syracuse last year.
• Theo Pinson scored 12 points and led UNC with a game-high seven rebounds, a game-high six assists and a game-high three blocks.
• Pinson tied his career high with three blocks (also vs. Kansas State and Arkansas).
• Carolina is 10-0 when Pinson has five or more assists and 12-1 when he has more assists than turnovers.
• Pinson was 8 for 8 from the free throw line, including 6 for 6 in the final 1:17. He is 38 of 41 (92.7 percent) from the line in the last nine games.
• This was the sixth time this year Pinson has scored in double figures and the first time as a senior he has done that in consecutive games.
• Luke Maye tied his career high with five assists.
• Joel Berry did not make a field goal in the first half (0-5 FG, 0-2 3FG), but went four for seven from three-point range in the second half and ended with 17 points.
• Kenny Williams scored 12 of his 15 points in the first half. It was the 15th time this year Williams scored in double figures.
• Brandon Robinson tied his career high with two three-pointers, both in the first half. He had scored two field goals in the previous nine games. He also had two assists (he had two assists in the previous seven games). "according to http://goheels.com/news/2018/1/19/mens-basketball-tar-heels-host-jackets-saturday.aspx


TRENDING...
• Carolina has scored 789 points on 822 first-half possessions and 785 on 822 second-half possessions. Overall, UNC is scoring .96 points per possession, while the opponents are scoring .88.
• Carolina scored more than 1.0 points per possession in both halves against Clemson (1.03 in the first and 1.26 in the second), the sixth time this year it was 1.0 or better in both halves (two straight home games vs. Boston College and Clemson).
• Carolina's bench averaged 23.1 points in non-conference play. In the six ACC games, UNC's bench is scoring 13.0 per game. 
• The Tar Heels lead the country in rebound margin (11.7) and are second in rebounds per game (43.4). "according to http://goheels.com/news/2018/1/19/mens-basketball-tar-heels-host-jackets-saturday.aspx

REBOUND MARGIN
11.7 – North Carolina
11.3 – Duke
11.3 – Michigan State
10.6 – Wichita State
10.3 – Gonzaga

REBOUNDS PER GAME
44.1 – Duke
43.4 – North Carolina
42.4 – Michigan State
41.8 – Texas A&M
41.7 – Bethune-Cookman

"according to http://goheels.com/news/2018/1/19/mens-basketball-tar-heels-host-jackets-saturday.aspx

• Carolina has had a plus-10 or more rebound margin four previous times in its history – three of those four seasons have come in the Roy Williams era (2007-08, 2011-12 and 2016-17 under Williams and the undefeated season in 1956-57).
• Roy Williams' teams have finished in the top 10 nationally in rebound margin in 14 of his previous 29 seasons as a head coach, including ninth, ninth and first in the last three seasons.
• On the offensive end, Carolina is sixth in the country in rebounding their own missed shots. UNC gets 37.4 percent of their own missed shots. Carolina is 13th in the country in protecting its defensive backboards. The Tar Heels are rebounding 76.7 percent of the opponents' missed field goals and free throws. 
• Luke Maye has led UNC in both scoring and rebounding in three of the first six ACC games (Wake Forest, BC and Notre Dame). Maye has led in both categories seven times this season.
• Maye leads UNC in blocked shots with 21. At 6-8, Maye would the shortest Tar Heel to lead the team in blocks since Danny Green (6-5) in 2006.
• Theo Pinson averaged 11.0 points, 7.3 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 0.7 turnovers in UNC's last three games, all wins.
• Carolina is 12-1 when Pinson has more assists than turnovers and 10-0 when he has five or more assists.
• Pinson is averaging 5.9 rebounds in UNC's wins and 3.3 in the losses. He has an assist-error ratio of 1.8 in the wins and has nine assists and 12 turnovers in the losses.
• Joel Berry II has scored the winning points in two of UNC's ACC wins this season. He hit the game-winning shot with 11 seconds to play against Wake Forest and made two free throws for a 69-68 win at Notre Dame.
• Berry has made at least three three-pointers in nine of the last 10 games and two or more in the last 10. That is the longest streak of games with multiple threes in his career.
• Maye has made 10 or more field goals five times this season – 13 vs. Boston College, 11 vs. UNI, Arkansas and Michigan and 10 at Davidson. Last year, the Tar Heels combined to make 10 or more field goals four times in 40 games – Justin Jackson twice and Joel Berry II and Kennedy Meeks one time each. Berry has also made 10 field goals twice this year. "according to http://goheels.com/news/2018/1/19/mens-basketball-tar-heels-host-jackets-saturday.aspx

10 OR MORE FIELD GOALS IN A GAME, 2017-18
Luke Maye – 13 vs. Boston College
Luke Maye – 11 vs. UNI
Luke Maye – 11 vs. Arkansas
Luke Maye – 11 vs. Michigan
Luke Maye – 10 at Davidson
Joel Berry II – 10 at Stanford
Joel Berry II – 10 at Florida State

"according to http://goheels.com/news/2018/1/19/mens-basketball-tar-heels-host-jackets-saturday.aspx

10 OR MORE FIELD GOALS IN A GAME, 2016-17
Joel Berry II – 12 at Clemson
Kennedy Meeks – 11 vs. Oregon
Justin Jackson – 10 vs. Kentucky
Justin Jackson – 10 vs. Virginia Tech "according to http://goheels.com/news/2018/1/19/mens-basketball-tar-heels-host-jackets-saturday.aspx

• Carolina is hitting 8.3 three-pointers per game, which ties the school record set in 2002-03. Last year, UNC made 7.1 per game. The previous high under Roy Williams was 7.6 in 2012-13 when UNC started four perimeter players over the final 13 games. "according to http://goheels.com/news/2018/1/19/mens-basketball-tar-heels-host-jackets-saturday.aspx


MOST THREE-POINT FIELD GOALS MADE PER GAME
8.3 in 2017-18
8.3 in 2002-03
7.8 in 1994-95
7.6 in 2012-13
7.6 in 2001-02

"according to http://goheels.com/news/2018/1/19/mens-basketball-tar-heels-host-jackets-saturday.aspx

• Carolina has scored 85 or more points 12 times (all wins), 90 or more points six times, 100 points twice and has averaged just 62.2 points in its four losses.
• The Tar Heels have shot 50 percent from the floor eight times. UNC is shooting 46.2 percent for the season. That includes 49.4 percent in its 15 wins and 33.2 percent in the four losses.
• After making 15 three-pointers against Clemson Carolina has now scored 29.9 percent of its points on three-point field goals. That's the highest percentage in Roy Williams' 15 seasons as UNC's head coach. "according to http://goheels.com/news/2018/1/19/mens-basketball-tar-heels-host-jackets-saturday.aspx


SCORING FROM THREE-POINT FGs (last 15 seasons)
29.9 percent – 2017-18
29.3 percent – 2012-13
26.2 percent – 2005-06
25.5 percent – 2004-05
25.3 percent – 2016-17
"according to http://goheels.com/news/2018/1/19/mens-basketball-tar-heels-host-jackets-saturday.aspx

• Carolina is attempting one-third of its field goals from three-point range. That is the highest percentage in the Roy Williams era. The previous high was 31.7 percent in 2005-06. 
• This is the fifth time in the last 15 seasons UNC attempted at least 30 percent of its field goals from three-point distance. UNC attempted 39.9 percent from beyond the arc under head coach Matt Doherty in 2002-03.
• The opponents have out-scored UNC in points off turnovers in eight of the last 12 games, including an 118-76 edge in the last eight games. 
• Carolina scored more fast break points in 10 of the 13 non-conference games (and had the same number of points in the other three games), but has been out-scored on the break in five of the six ACC games.
• UNC out-scored Boston College, 19-2, in fastbreak points. The other five ACC opponents have out-scored UNC, 48-24.
• Carolina is 14-0 this year and 341-38 under Roy Williams when leading at the half.
• The Tar Heels are 8-0 this year and 197-5 under Roy Williams when shooting 50 percent from the floor.
• Carolina averaged 13.6 turnovers in its 13 non-conference games. In ACC play, the Tar Heels are committing 11.2 per game (take out the Virginia game when UNC turned it over a season-high 19 times and the Tar Heels averaged 9.6 miscues in the other five ACC games). "according to http://goheels.com/news/2018/1/19/mens-basketball-tar-heels-host-jackets-saturday.aspx


IN THE POLLS
• Carolina is 15th in the Associated Press poll and is tied for 14th in the USA Today/Coaches poll, which were released on 1/15. 
• Carolina is ranked in the AP poll for the 72nd consecutive week (last four weeks in 2013-14, all 19 weeks in 2014-15, 2015-16 and 2016-17 and the first 11 weeks this season).
• Carolina is ranked in the AP poll for the 888th time, most in college basketball history. "according to http://goheels.com/news/2018/1/19/mens-basketball-tar-heels-host-jackets-saturday.aspx

North Carolina comes into their game with Georgia with a record of 15-4 and 4-2 in the Atlantic Coast Conference "according to http://goheels.com/schedule.aspx?path=mbball after beating Clemson Sunday.

Cameron Johnson never let himself fret about the outside shot that had seemingly abandoned him in his brief North Carolina career. It's a big reason why the 15th-ranked Tar Heels still have their unblemished all-time home record against Clemson. "according to http://goheels.com/news/2018/1/16/mens-basketball-tar-heels-down-clemson-behind-johnsons-big-night.aspx

The Pittsburgh graduate transfer broke loose for a season-high 21 points, helping UNC hold off the 20th-ranked Tigers 87-79 on Tuesday night to improve to 59-0 at home in the series."according to http://goheels.com/news/2018/1/16/mens-basketball-tar-heels-down-clemson-behind-johnsons-big-night.aspx

Johnson's outside shooting was one of the biggest reasons he was considered such a key offseason addition for the reigning national champions, but he had made just 31 percent of his 3s since his debut Dec. 20 against Wofford. He made 7 of 10 shots and 6 of 9 3s against the Tigers — and the Tar Heels (15-4, 4-2 Atlantic Coast Conference) sure needed them all. "according to http://goheels.com/news/2018/1/16/mens-basketball-tar-heels-down-clemson-behind-johnsons-big-night.aspx

"It just fell today. Sometimes it happens," Johnson said. "I try not to worry about missed shots because it happens to the best of them, the best 3-point shooters shoot in the mid-40s (percentage). You've just got to keep going. You've just got to stay in the gym and not get down and try not to think about it, and just let it go." "according to http://goheels.com/news/2018/1/16/mens-basketball-tar-heels-down-clemson-behind-johnsons-big-night.aspx

In the end, UNC hung on despite seeing most of an 18-point lead erased by Clemson's torrid second-half shooting. "according to http://goheels.com/news/2018/1/16/mens-basketball-tar-heels-down-clemson-behind-johnsons-big-night.aspx

"I told the guys I started the season at (age) 67," coach Roy Williams  said, "I'm going to end the season at 97." "according to http://goheels.com/news/2018/1/16/mens-basketball-tar-heels-down-clemson-behind-johnsons-big-night.aspx

Marcquise Reed scored 21 points for the Tigers (15-3, 4-2), who missed their first shot of the second half and didn't miss again for nearly 11 minutes. That run of 15 straight made baskets changed the dynamic of what was heading for an oh-so-routine home win for UNC against Clemson. "according to http://goheels.com/news/2018/1/16/mens-basketball-tar-heels-down-clemson-behind-johnsons-big-night.aspx

The Tigers thrice closed within two points in the final 10 minutes but no closer, cooling off to make just 4 of their last 15 shots.
UNC, meanwhile, shot 65 percent after halftime. "according to http://goheels.com/news/2018/1/16/mens-basketball-tar-heels-down-clemson-behind-johnsons-big-night.aspx

"The way they shoot the ball now, I think it's one of their better shooting teams, and we were certainly worried about that," Clemson coach Brad Brownell said, adding: "There's a lot of guys to cover, and because of that, it's hard to cover them all."according to http://goheels.com/news/2018/1/16/mens-basketball-tar-heels-down-clemson-behind-johnsons-big-night.aspx


BIG PICTURE
Clemson: Year after year, the Tigers have faced the question of what it would take to end its unprecedented losing streak here. Tuesday looked to be as good of a chance as any, with this being the first meeting here with both teams ranked in the AP Top 25 since January 2009. But Clemson got a bad start and spent the rest of the night playing catch-up. "according to http://goheels.com/news/2018/1/16/mens-basketball-tar-heels-down-clemson-behind-johnsons-big-night.aspx

"I think we got caught up in the moment, really," guard Shelton Mitchell said. "Especially with us, how we haven't won here, I think we all got caught up in the moment. ... A lot of guys didn't have a good start, so I think once we started out, we kind of got in a slump and then we dug ourselves a hole way too deep." "according to http://goheels.com/news/2018/1/16/mens-basketball-tar-heels-down-clemson-behind-johnsons-big-night.aspx

UNC: While the Tigers faced annual futility, the Tar Heels have long had the opposite issue — the pressure each time to ensure the streak doesn't end on that particular squad's watch. And that pressure could be felt in the Smith Center when the Tigers made their incredible second-half shooting surge to get back in it before the Tar Heels held on to make this game end just like all the others here. "according to http://goheels.com/news/2018/1/16/mens-basketball-tar-heels-down-clemson-behind-johnsons-big-night.aspx


MAYE'S CUT
Luke Maye scored 11 points while playing with a stitched-up cut on the right side of his nose, an injury suffered shortly before halftime when he took an elbow from teammate Kenny Williams on a rebound. He came up with a couple of big baskets late, including a 3 with 4:50 left and UNC up 69-66. "according to http://goheels.com/news/2018/1/16/mens-basketball-tar-heels-down-clemson-behind-johnsons-big-night.aspx

Maye said he needed five stitches and was tested for a concussion before returning. "according to http://goheels.com/news/2018/1/16/mens-basketball-tar-heels-down-clemson-behind-johnsons-big-night.aspx

"I think it looks OK," Maye said of his cut. "I feel like I already have a girlfriend, so it's all good." "according to http://goheels.com/news/2018/1/16/mens-basketball-tar-heels-down-clemson-behind-johnsons-big-night.aspx


THE STREAK GROWS
UNC's 59-0 all-time home record against Clemson, including a 28-0 mark in the Smith Center, is the longest home winning streak against a single opponent in NCAA history. "according to http://goheels.com/news/2018/1/16/mens-basketball-tar-heels-down-clemson-behind-johnsons-big-night.aspx

"Even though we play them again at their place, it was good just for them not to come in here and end that streak," said UNC's Joel Berry II, who had 14 of his 17 points after halftime. "according to http://goheels.com/news/2018/1/16/mens-basketball-tar-heels-down-clemson-behind-johnsons-big-night.aspx

Georgia Tech comes into their game with North Carolina with a record of 10-8 and 3-2 in the Atlantic Coast Conference."according to http://www.ramblinwreck.com/sports/m-baskbl/sched/geot-m-baskbl-sched.html  haven lost their last game to Virginia.

Georgia Tech lost momentum on Virginia's four-point play right before halftime and never got it back in a 64-48 defeat to the second-ranked Cavaliers on Thursday night at McCamish Pavilion. "according to http://www.ramblinwreck.com/sports/m-baskbl/recaps/011818aab.html

Georgia Tech (10-8, 3-2 ACC) led only once -- an early 2-0 advantage -- but seemed to be on its way to taking momentum into the locker room when freshman Curtis Haywood II drained a three-pointer to pull the Jackets within five points at 24-19 with less than 20 seconds to go in the opening period. "according to http://www.ramblinwreck.com/sports/m-baskbl/recaps/011818aab.html

However, with 0.5 seconds left in the first half, Virginia's DeAndre Hunter was fouled by Tech's Abdoulaye Gueye  while making a three-pointer in the corner. Hunter made the subsequent free throw and the Jackets found themselves trailing by nine points, 28-19, at the half. Georgia Tech didn't pull any closer in the second half. "according to http://www.ramblinwreck.com/sports/m-baskbl/recaps/011818aab.html

Tadric Jackson led Georgia Tech with 14 points off the bench. Hunter scored 17 on 7-of-9 shooting from the field to pace Virginia (16-1, 6-0 ACC). "according to http://www.ramblinwreck.com/sports/m-baskbl/recaps/011818aab.html

Tip-off is set for 2:00pm from the Dean E. Smith Center. The game will be televised on ESPN2. "according to http://goheels.com/schedule.aspx?path=mbball