Tar Heels Host Western Carolina Wednesday

• Carolina plays its seventh game in 14 days when it plays host to Western Carolina on Wednesday, Dec. 6th, at 7 p.m. at the Smith Center.
• The game will be broadcast on the Regional Sports Network (various sports cable channels throughout the country).
• Following Wednesday's game, the Tar Heels will take an 11-day break for exams before returning to action on Sunday, Dec. 17, at Tennessee.
• The WCU game is the first of four remaining regular-season non-conference games (WCU, at Tennessee, Wofford, and Ohio State in New Orleans).
• UNC is 8-1, coming off a 97-73 win over Tulane on Dec. 3rd. The Tar Heels shot 65.5 percent from the floor, its highest percentage since the 2008 NCAA Tournament.
• The Catamounts are 3-6 after beating Appalachian State, 72-71, on Dec. 4th.
• With a win, Carolina would improve to 9-1. That would be the sixth time in the last 15 years the Tar Heels would be 9-1 or 10-0 in the first 10 games. UNC was 10-0 in 2007-08 and 2008-09 and 9-1 in 2004-05, 2006-07 and 2016-17.
• Luke Maye is averaging 15.3 points more per game than he did a year ago (increase from 5.5 to 20.8). No Tar Heel has ever increased his scoring average for a season by 15.3 points per game.
• The largest increase in scoring from one season to another by a Tar Heel is 12.1 points by Donald Williams from his freshman to sophomore season. Williams averaged 2.2 points in 1991-92 and 14.3 in 1992-93. The Garner, N.C., native scored 25 points in the 1993 national semifinal vs. Kansas and 25 more in the national championship vs. Michigan to earn Final Four Most Outstanding Player honors.
• Two other Tar Heels – Larry Brown (4.5 in 1960-61 to 16.5 in 1961-62) and Reyshawn Terry (2.3 in 2004-05 to 14.3 in 2005-06) increased their averages by 12.0 per game.

RSN AFFILIATES
• The UNC-Western Carolina will be available on the following channels: ACC Network Extra (subject to blackout), FOX Sports South, FOX Sports Sun - Central and North Florida, FOX Sports Florida - South Florida, FOX Sports Midwest Plus, YES, NBC Sports Washington Plus, NESN, AT&T Sportsnet Pittsburgh, SportsTime Ohio, FOX Sports Detroit Plus, FOX Sports North, FOX Sports Wisconsin Plus, FOX Sports Southwest Plus, FOX Sports Arizona, FOX Sports San Diego, FOX Sports Prime Ticket, AT&T Sportsnet Las Vegas, AT&T Sportsnet Rocky Mtn and Root Sports Northwest.
• Watch online here with WatchESPN.

UNC-WESTERN CAROLINA SERIES
• This is the second game ever between North Carolina and Western Carolina and the first in 61 seasons.
• Number-one ranked UNC beat WCU, 77-59, on 1/30/1957. Helms Foundation National Player of the Year Lennie Rosenbluth scored a game-high 26 points and Tommy Kearns added 16 for the Tar Heels.
• It was the dedication game for Reid Gymnasium in Cullowhee.

HOME WINS
• Carolina has won 22 straight home games (includes the win over Notre Dame last season in Greensboro).
• It is the seventh-longest home winning streak in school history. The record is 31, set from 2010-12. A win over Western Carolina would match the fifth-longest streak (which was accomplished twice).
• The Tar Heels are 397-68 in the Smith Center, including 197-15 against non-conference opponents.
• Carolina is 202-27 under Roy Williams in the Smith Center.

ROY ... ONE WIN SHY OF 1,100
• Head coach Roy Williams has been part of 1,099 wins as a college coach, including 824 as head coach and 275 as an assistant.
• Williams has won 418 games as head coach at Kansas, 406 as UNC's head coach and was part of Dean Smith's staff for 10 seasons from 1978-88 when the Tar Heels won 275 games.

GAME NINE – CAROLINA 97, TULANE 73
• Carolina shot a season-high 65.5 percent from the floor (38 of 58 field goals). Its previous high this year was .548 vs. Michigan.
• It was the first time UNC shot 60 percent in a game since beating Notre Dame in Philadelphia to win the 2016 NCAA East Regional.
• It was UNC's highest FG percentage since shooting 67.7 percent against Arkansas in the 2008 NCAA Tournament second round in Raleigh.
• UNC also shot a season-high 67.9 percent from the floor for a half in the first half (19 of 28). The previous high was 64.5 percent vs. Michigan in the first half.
• It was the first time UNC shot 60 percent from the floor in both halves since 2/21/15 vs. Georgia Tech
• UNC shot 63.3 percent from the floor in the second half, the fifth time in the last seven games the Tar Heels made at least half of their field goal attempts in the second half.
• UNC has scored 85 or more points in all eight wins this season.
• UNC blocked a season-high nine shots.
• Carolina is 194-5 under Roy Williams when it shoots 50 percent from the floor.
• Carolina is 133-4 under Roy Williams when it scores 90 points.
• Luke Maye led UNC with 22 points, 10 rebounds, four assists and a career-high four blocked shots.
• It was Maye's fifth double-double this season (and fifth game with 20/10).
• It was Maye's seventh 20-point game this season.
• It was the third consecutive game Maye set or tied a career high (11 field goals vs. Michigan, 17 rebounds at Davidson and four blocks vs. Tulane).
• Maye and Kenny Williams scored in double figures for the eighth time in nine games this season.
• Williams scored all 13 of his points in the first half.
• Freshman Brandon Huffman set season highs in points (9), rebounds (6) and blocks (2).
• Freshman Jalek Felton set season highs in points (9) and assists (3).
• Theo Pinson matched Luke Maye with a team-high four assists. It was the sixth time in nine games Pinson led UNC in assists this season and the 27th time he did that in his career.
• It was the sixth time Maye led UNC in scoring, seventh time in rebounding and fourth time in both. It was also the second time in five games Maye led UNC in points, rebounds and assists (Arkansas), something that had not been done since Reggie Bullock in 2013.

LUKE MAYE
• Junior forward Luke Maye was named the ACC Player of the Week following Carolina's wins over Michigan, Davidson and Tulane.
• It was the second ACC Player of the Week award this season for Maye. He was a co-winner after UNC's season-opening win over Northern Iowa.
• Against Michigan, Davidson and Tulane, Maye averaged 24.3 points, 11.0 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.7 blocks. He shot 29 for 46 from the floor (.630) and 13 of 18 from the line (.722).
• He scored a game-high 27 points and had six rebounds and three assists vs. Michigan (11 for 16 from the floor), had 24 points and a career-high 17 rebounds at Davidson (had a double-double in the first half with 13 and 10), and netted a game-high 22 points, 10 rebounds and four blocks and added a team-high four assists vs. Tulane.
• Maye leads Carolina in scoring (20.8), rebounding (10.3), field goals made and attempted (75 for 133), blocks (11) and minutes (31.9).
• Maye is second in the ACC in scoring and rebounding. Duke freshman Marvin Bagley III is first in both categories. Maye and Bagley are the only ACC players averaging 20/10. Maye is also ninth in FG percentage (.564).
• Maye has scored 185 points in nine games. Last year, as a sophomore, he scored 194 points in 35 games.
• Maye has made 10 or more field goals in a game four times – 11 vs. UNI, Arkansas and Michigan and 10 at Davidson. Last year, the entire roster 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.

10 OR MORE FIELD GOALS IN A GAME, 2017-18
Luke Maye– 11 vs. UNI
Luke Maye– 11 vs. Arkansas
Luke Maye– 11 vs. Michigan
Luke Maye– 10 at Davidson

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

• The Huntersville, N.C., native has scored 20 or more points in seven of Carolina's first nine games and has 25 or more points three times.
• He is the first Tar Heel to score 20 points in seven of his first nine games since Tyler Hansbrough in 2008-09 (Hansbrough did it seven times in his first nine and nine times in his first 11 games).
• Maye scored in double figures six times in his first two years with a high of 17 against Kentucky in the 2017 NCAA regional final.
• Maye had 28 points, 16 rebounds and five assists against Arkansas on Nov. 24th. He was the first Tar Heel to reach 28/16/5 in a game since Mitch Kupchak vs. Mercer in 1976.
• Maye has 10 or more rebounds seven times in his career. In three of them he grabbed 15 or more – 17 at Davidson, 16 vs. Arkansas and 15 last year vs. Florida State.
• Maye was selected to the all-tournament team in the Victory bracket at the PK80 Invitational.
• Maye has set or tied a career high in each of the last three games – field goals vs. Michigan (tied with 11), rebounds at Davidson (17) and blocks vs. Tulane (4).

FINAL FOUR MOP JOEL BERRY II
• Senior point guard Joel Berry II is second on the team in scoring with a career-high 16.5 points per game.
• Berry has scored in double figures in six games and had more assists than turnovers in six (was even in a/to in the other two games).
• He is tied for the lead in three-pointers with 19 and is shooting a team-high 86.8 percent from the free throw line.
• He has 1,328 points and is 43rd in UNC history in scoring.

MOST POINTS – UNC CAREER
40. Danny Green – 1,368, 2005-09
41. Rusty Clark – 1,339, 1966-69
42. Pete Brennan – 1,334, 1955-58
43. Joel Berry II – 1,328, 2014-active
44. Al Lifson – 1,322, 1952-55
45. Kevin Madden – 1296, 1985-90

• Berry has made 192 three-pointers, ninth most at UNC. Marcus Paige (first) and Jeff Lebo (sixth) are the only Tar Heels with more career threes who played most of their minutes at the point. His 510 attempts are the sixth most in UNC history.

MOST THREE-POINTERS — UNC career
1. Marcus Paige – 299, 2012-16
2. Shammond Williams – 233, 1994-98
3. Wayne Ellington – 229, 2006-09
4. Rashad McCants – 221, 2002-05
4. Donald Williams – 221, 1991-95
6. Jeff Lebo – 211, 1985-89
7. Hubert Davis – 197, 1988-92
8. Dante Calabria – 193, 1992-96
9. Joel Berry II – 192, 2014-active
10. Reggie Bullock – 188, 2010-13

• Berry was the Most Outstanding Player at the 2017 Final Four and the Most Valuable Player at the 2016 ACC Tournament. James Worthy and Berry are the only Tar Heels to win both of those awards.
• Berry is a preseason first-team All-America by ESPN.com, second-team All-America by USA Today and Sporting News' third team selection.
• Berry is on the preseason watch list for the John R. Wooden Award, the Oscar Robertson Award (USBWA Player of the Year) and the Naismith Award (all for National Player of the Year) and the Bob Cousy Award (best point guard).
• The Apopka, Fla., native also was a preseason first-team All-ACC selection and received the second-most votes for preseason player of the year (tied with Duke's Grayson Allen behind Notre Dame's Bonzie Colson).
• Berry has scored 861 more points than any Tar Heel on the roster (Theo Pinson is second with 467).
• He is the only Tar Heel in history to earn All-Final Four honors twice (2016 and 2017).
• He became the seventh player overall and the first since UCLA's Bill Walton in 1972-73 to score at least 20 points in consecutive national championship games.

HIGH MARKS FOR THEO
• Senior Theo Pinson leads the Tar Heels in assists (37). He is averaging career highs so far as a senior in scoring (10.0), rebounds (5.4) and a team-high 4.1 assists per game.
• Pinson has led UNC in assists in six of the first nine games this season and 26 times as a Tar Heel.
• Pinson led the 2017 national champions with 3.7 assists per game. He is the first non-point guard to lead UNC in assists per game since Steve Bucknall in 1988-89 (Marcus Paige played some at the point in 2015-16 and shared the team lead).
• Since 1975, the other non-point guards to lead the Tar Heels in assists were Mike O'Koren and Matt Doherty.

HERE AND THERE...
• Carolina has scored 85 or more points eight times (all wins), 90 or more points four times, and 45 points in its only loss.
• The Tar Heels have shot 50 percent from the floor five times. UNC is shooting 48.7 percent for the season. Take away the record-low 15 for 61 (.246) against Michigan State, and UNC is shooting 51.5 percent from the floor in the other eight games.
• KenPom's stats rank Carolina 14th in adjusted offensive efficiency and 17th in adjusted defensive efficiency.
• Carolina has assists on 56 percent of its field goals. That is the lowest percentage in the last five years and the fourth-lowest in Roy Williams' 15 years as UNC's head coach.
• Last year, the Tar Heels led the nation in rebounds per game, offensive rebounds per game and rebound margin. Despite losing its top three rebounders and playing three true freshmen big men a combined 36 minutes per game, the Tar Heel are sixth in the nation in rebound margin (12.3 per game) and seventh in rebounding (43.9 per game). UNC is 60th nationally in offensive boards (12.8 per game).
• Ten Tar Heels are averaging 10 or more minutes per game, including four freshmen (forwards Garrison Brooks and Sterling Manley and guards Jalek Felton and Andrew Platek).
• Luke Maye, Theo Pinson and Kenny Williams are averaging a career high in minutes played, and Joel Berry is averaging the same as he did a year ago.
• Five of Carolina's first nine opponents currently have a winning record and the most recent four have a combined record of 23-8.
RANKINGS
• Carolina is No. 11 in the Associated Press and No. 10 in the USA Today/Coaches polls released on Dec. 4th.
• Carolina is ranked in the AP poll for the 882nd time, most in college basketball history.
• UNC has been ranked 663 times in the AP top 10, second-most behind Kentucky.
• This marks the 55th season (out of 70) the Tar Heels have been ranked in the top 10.
• Carolina was ranked No. 9 in the preseason AP poll. It marked the 12th time in Roy Williams' 15 seasons as head coach the Tar Heels entered the year ranked in the top 10. UNC has finished the year in the AP top 10 nine times in Williams' first 14 seasons.

CAMERON JOHNSON ON THE MEND
• Cameron Johnson is out four to six weeks after undergoing surgery on Nov. 15 to repair a torn meniscus.
• Johnson suffered the injury in practice on Nov. 13. He did not play in the season opener against Northern Iowa after spraining his neck in practice on 11/7.
• He led UNC with 18 points in 16 minutes in the "jamboree" vs. ECU, UNCG and UNCW on Nov. 5 and had 11 in the exhibition against Barton on Oct. 27.
• Johnson averaged 11.9 points, 4.5 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game last year as a Pitt Panther. He shot 44.7 percent from three-point range.
• Johnson matched his career high with 24 points against the Tar Heels in the Smith Center on 1/31/17.

WOODS ALSO ON THE SHELF
• Sophomore guard Seventh Woods has not played in the last two games due to a strained left foot.
• Woods was averaging almost 11 minutes per game off the bench.

CAROLINA ON THE ALL-TIME WINS LISTS
• Carolina is second all-time in NCAA winning percentage and third in wins.
• Carolina has won 2,214 games, third behind Kentucky and Kansas. Only four schools have won at least 2,000 games.
• Carolina's winning percentage of .739 is second behind Kentucky. Only five schools have a winning percentage of at least .700.
• Carolina is first in Final Fours with 20.
• Carolina is second in NCAA Tournament appearances with 48.
• Carolina is third in NCAA championships with six.
• Carolina is second in NCAA Tournament games with 168.
• Carolina is second in NCAA Tournament winning percentage at .732.
• Carolina is first in ACC regular-season championships with 31.
• Carolina is first in ACC victories with 672.
• Carolina is second in ACC Tournament wins with 97.
• Carolina is second in ACC Tournament winning percentage at .683.
• Carolina is first in ACC Tournament championship game appearances with 34 and second in titles with 18.
• Carolina is first in NBA first-round draft picks with 49 and third in overall NBA draft picks with 112.

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Players Mentioned

Joel Berry II

Garrison Brooks

Jalek Felton

Brandon Huffman

Cameron Johnson

Sterling Manley

Luke Maye

Theo Pinson

Andrew Platek

Kenny Williams

Seventh Woods