The #9 ranked Hokies travel to Chapel Hill Monday to battle the #14 ranked Tar Heels for sole position of 1st place in the ACC.
The Tar Heels are 31-7 all time against the Hokies, and have won 7 of the last 8 matchups head to head.
The Hokies are coming off an 87-71 win at home against Wake Forest on Saturday.
On Wednesday January 9th, they defeated Georgia Tech 52-49 on the road, and last Tuesday January 15th they lost 59-81 to Virginia on the road.
The Tar Heels defeated the Miami Hurricanes on Saturday by a score of 85-76 on the road. Last Saturday January 12th, they lost 83-62 to Louisville at home and on Tuesday January 15th they beat Notre Dame at home 75-69.
Bovada have the Tar Heels as 4 point favourites with an O/U total of 155.
(15-2 overall, 1-2 on the road, 4-1 in conference play)
Virginia Tech boasts a well rounded attack, with 4 players averaging over 12 points per game (Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Kerry Blackshear, Ahmed Hill, Justin Robinson). As a whole, they average 78 points per game, 33 rebounds per game, 7 steals per game, 11 turnovers per game and allow a prickly 58.8 PPG. They shoot 50% from the field, 42% from 3 point range, and 75% from the free throw line. They are led in scoring by Nickeil Alexander-Walker, a well rounded guard who leads them in usage % at 26.6%.
Alexander-Walker averages 18.3 PPG, 4.3 rebounds per game, and 3.6 assists per game and is deadly from 3 point range, shooting 44% on the year from 3 point land to go along with shooting 61% from 2 point range and is an opportunistic defender as well averaging 2 steals per game and 0.5 blocks per game. Kerry Blackshear is their most effective big man, and he is 2nd on the team in PPG at 13.4. Blackshear also leads the team in rebounding at 5.8 rebounds per game and averages a block per game as well. Blackshear is shooting 59% from 2 point land and can also step out and knock down 3’s at a 33% clip.
(14-4 overall, 8-1 at home, 4-1 in conference play)
The Tar Heels are led by a pair of veterans in Cam Johnson and Luke Maye, with freshmen Coby White and Nassir Little factoring in majorly as well. The Tar Heels average 87 points per game, 44 rebounds per game, 8 steals per game, 14 turnovers per game and allow 73.3 PPG. As a team they shoot 47% from the field, 37% from 3 point range, and 74% from the free throw line. Johnson is a Graduate Transfer from Pitt, leading the team with 15.9 PPG, averages 5.7 rebounds per game, and chips in on defense with 1.3 steals per game. Johnson shoots 53% from 2 point range, and knocks down 3s at a 47% rate.
The Senior forward Luke Maye is a focal point of the offense as well, averaging 14.4 PPG while shooting 48% from 2 point range and knocks down the 3 point shot at a 31% rate. Maye is an excellent rebounder as well, averaging 9.9 per game with 2.3 rebounds per game coming on the offensive end. Freshman Coby White is a dangerous point guard, averaging 14.2 PPG and 3.9 assists per game, and shoots 51% from 2 point range and 35% from 3 point range.
It’s a rare occurrence that an ACC opponent not named Duke comes into Chapel Hill ranked higher than the Tar Heels. This is going to be a raucous atmosphere, and both teams are going to be physical. North Carolina is still feeling the effects of their disappointing loss to Louisville, and will want to impose their will on another potential contender. The Hokies are good, but their only nonconference win worth speaking of is an 89-83 win over Purdue on a neutral floor. In conference, they’ve beaten bottom feeders Boston College, Wake Forest, and Notre Dame and got the swept of the floor by Virginia. Virginia Tech is among the best 3 point shooting teams in the country, but North Carolina holds their opponents to just 32% from 3 point range and if the Hokies can knock down their 3’s this could get ugly.
The Cam Johnson vs. Nickeil Alexander-Walker matchup will be a fun game within a game when they get matched up, as they are both excellent 2 way players capable of scoring in a variety of ways. As most conference games do, this one may come down to free throw shooting, and the Tar Heels are among the best in the country at not only getting to the line but converting their attempts. This one should be close throughout, with the Tar Heels pulling away and sealing the victory with some free throws.
Final Pick: North Carolina (-4)
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