UNC basketball vs. Miami: Scouting report, score prediction as Tar Heels face Hurricanes
North Carolina basketball had a get-right game on Saturday in a rout of Clemson.
Now, the Tar Heels (16-9, 8-6 ACC) have a chance to boost their NCAA Tournament resume with No. 15 Miami (20-5, 11-4) coming to Chapel Hill on Monday (7 p.m., ESPN).
In February 2022, UNC was 2-0 in Saturday-Monday turnarounds. The Heels have won five of the last six games in the series, but the Hurricanes earned a 28-point win last season in Florida.
Here are some things to know and a score prediction ahead of Carolina’s game against Miami.
Caleb Love-RJ Davis connection
Former UNC coach Roy Williams had a saying for games like the Tar Heels’ performance against Clemson: It all looks better when the ball goes in the basket.
The Heels made it look easy against the Tigers, shooting nearly 50% and knocking down 15 three-pointers. UNC dished out 17 assists and got 25 points from its bench.
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The efficiency centers around two players moving forward: RJ Davis and Caleb Love. That duo combined for 40 points on 12-for-24 shooting with eight assists against Clemson.
In last season’s loss at Miami, Davis and Love combined for 14 points on 5-for-22 shooting and six turnovers. If UNC is going to find the consistency it seeks, Davis and Love have to be at their best.
Miami’s impressive offense
The Hurricanes are No. 9 nationally in adjusted offensive efficiency, according to KenPom.com, and they look the part with an offense that flows through a potent quartet in Isaiah Wong, Jordan Miller, Nigel Pack and Norchad Omier. Wong is averaging 16.2 points, 4.4 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game. He had 25 points and eight rebounds in an 85-57 win against UNC last season.
Lockdown Leaky
UNC’s offensive onslaught overshadowed the defensive effort, but Leaky Black lived up to his nickname with a lockdown performance against Clemson’s Hunter Tyson. Tyson, who entered the game averaging 16 points, had a season-low three points against the Heels. It’ll be interesting to see how UNC uses its top defender Monday.
UNC vs. Miami score prediction
No. 15 Miami 79, UNC 77: The Heels don’t have much time to celebrate arguably their best performance of the season, but the quick turnaround might be a good thing for a squad that's searching for consistency, As winners of four straight with 20 victories on the season, Miami has simply been better at staying on track.
Staff writer Rodd Baxley can be reached at rbaxley@fayobserver.com or @RoddBaxley on Twitter.
This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: UNC basketball vs. Miami: Scouting report, score prediction
