What has happened since the last time we played UNC? The Heels have gone 2-3 including their first winning streak since December. The Heels defeated a ranked Wake Forest squad on the road. Then, they got donkey punched by Duke at Cameron Indoor.
The Heels came into our last game off a 1-4 five game stretch. They shot 38.6% in lead up to our last game but were turning the ball over 15.5 times just before their NC State game. Their victory over NC State was won because UNC finally limited their turnovers. After a lackluster effort in Atlanta, the Heels went back to their turnover prone ways and have averaged about 14.4 turnovers per game in the last five games. The Heels are shooting about a percent better as of late but their two recent wins came off of poor shooting efforts from Wake and Miami more so than increased offensive efficiency.
For Tech to win, we've gotta do what we did in the first two meetings. Feed the big men the rock. If you combined Derrick and Gani's stats, you'd be short of a double-double-double average for the two UNC games. UNC cannot stop Gani Lawal. If the guards are making their shots and opening up the lane for Gani, we should win easily. UNC hasn't changed their minutes allocation or starting 5 since we last met. They only mixed it up once against Miami as a kick in the pants to slacking veterans. It didn't work.
Here are some more elaborate previews for the tournament:
SBNation - ACC Tournament Preview
SBNation - GT vs. UNC Preview
TarheelBlue.com - No. 10 Seed Tar Heels face No. 7 Seed Georgia Tech
Blogger So Dear - ACC Tournament Preview Part III
Carolina March - Why they can't get it together...
Tar Heel Fan - Expectations vs. Reality