UNC vs. Cal: Three Things to Watch

For 37 minutes and 56 seconds, the North Carolina Tar Heels led Stanford on Wednesday night.

But the continual mistakes finally caught up to UNC. And for the final one minute and one second, Carolina never saw the lead again.

January is off to a concerning start for the Tar Heels, especially given how some on the team are continuing to play exceptionally well.

The West Coast ACC swing continues for UNC, and much like in the old days, there are absolutely no nights off.

Here are a few things to watch when Carolina takes on California Saturday afternoon.

Struggles in the Backcourt

Once again, the perimeter defense has been a liability for UNC. Stanford ranked 14th in the ACC in three-point shooting at 33 percent, and ended the night shooting 57 percent. Over and over again, the Cardinal used baseline penetration to kick it outside or used a baseline screen to open up a shooter on the wing.

Or, just a lack of effort on the Tar Heel defenders allowed for open looks.

Late closeouts and missed assignments, a constant theme of the evening, were painfully evident in the final minute, as Stanford scored back-to-back three-pointers that ended up being the difference in the game.

And the woes in the backcourt are not just on the defensive end. The guards accounted for just four assists against Stanford, and it was not until after the halfway point of the second half that a guard, Luka Bogavac, made it into double figures in scoring.

The Tar Heel guards have reverted on defense and disappeared on offense. Caleb Wilson and Henri Veesaar had career games versus Stanford, but nothing to show for it. It is clearly evident that this team’s success now depends on the guards.

Slow Down the Man

In each of the past three games, Carolina has faced a top-five scorer in the ACC.

And those players scored well above their average. Stanford freshman Ebuka Okorie set a career high with 36 points, the most ever in program history by a freshman.

The Tar Heel defenders must find a way to slow down these top performers. As the calendar moves toward March, this becomes even more important.

Cal’s leading scorer is Dai Dai Ames. The junior guard is averaging nearly 18 points a game. After stops at K-State and UVA, Ames is breaking out for the Bears.

Justin Pippen, another guard and the second-leading scorer on the team, is another player to watch. The sophomore ranks in the top 15 in conference scoring and, similarly, is having a breakout year after transferring to Cal.

Free Throws

Carolina had a huge advantage at the free throw line against Stanford, and this margin could not make up for their deficiencies on the defensive end of the court.

Since facing St. Bonaventure on November 25, the Tar Heels have only outshot Florida State at the free throw line.

On Saturday, UNC squares off against the best free throw shooting team in the ACC.

At 79.4 percent, Cal is over 10 percentage points better at the charity stripe than Carolina.

If the frontcourt is generating the offense, there will be opportunities at the line from battling in the paint and on the blocks. The Heels must find a way to give themselves a few more points each game, especially if the backcourt continues to struggle on both ends of the court.