University of North Carolina Athletics
Tar Heels Prepare For Kentucky
December 13, 2014 | Men's Basketball
Essential Info: North Carolina vs. Kentucky
Saturday Dec. 13, 2014 • Noon ET • Rupp Arena, Lexington, Ky.
Tickets: Sold out
Rankings: Carolina is No. 21 in the Associated Press poll and No. 18 the ESPN/USA Today Coaches poll. Kentucky is No. 1 in both polls.
TV: CBS. Marv Albert (play-by-play) and Greg Anthony (analyst) will have the call.
Radio: Tar Heel Sports Network (list of affiliates). Jones Angell (play-by-play), Eric Montross (analyst), Sean May (analyst) and Dave Nathan (host) will have the call. GoHeels TV subscribers can listen online.
Game Notes: Carolina | Kentucky
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On The Web: GoHeels.com | UKAthletics | Live Stats
Twitter: @UNC_Basketball | @KentuckyMBB
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Two of the three winningest college basketball programs in NCAA history will meet on Saturday when No. 21 North Carolina (6-2) visits No. 1 Kentucky (10-0) in Lexington, Ky. Kentucky has 2,150 wins, most in NCAA history. Kansas is second with 2,133 victories and Carolina is third with 2,120.
The Tar Heels will try to beat a No. 1-ranked team for an NCAA-record 14th time in Rupp Arena. The game will be televised nationally by CBS. Marv Albert (play-by-play) and Greg Anthony (analyst) will have the call.
Carolina players are scheduled to finish their fall semester final exams on Friday prior to practicing in Chapel Hill and flying to Lexington on Friday evening.
NOTING THE TAR HEEL DEFENSE
• Carolina's defense is holding its opponents to 33.5 percent shooting this season, ranking third in the ACC and fifth nationally. Kentucky leads the nation in field goal percentage defense.
• Carolina has held each of its first eight opponents under 40 percent shooting from the floor, the longest such streak in Roy Williams' 12 years as UNC's head coach. The previous longest stretch under 40 percent was five consecutive games in 2006-07. UCLA shot a season-high 38.6 percent against the Tar Heels thus far this season.
• The eight consecutive opponents under 40 percent is the longest streak by UNC since an eight-game stretch in 1995-96 (starting with Tulane on 12/1/95 through NC State on 1/4/96). Eight games also matches the longest sub-40 percent streak in Tar Heel history (single-game records date back to 1960).
VS. #1
• North Carolina has beaten the No. 1-ranked team in the Associated Press poll 13 times, more than any other team in college basketball history. Last season, unranked Carolina won on the road at top-ranked Michigan State in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge.
• Roy Williams has seven wins over No. 1-ranked teams in his career, tied for the most in NCAA history with Gary Williams of Maryland and Ohio State. Dean Smith had six such victories as the Carolina head coach.
THE SERIES VS. KENTUCKY
• Carolina leads the all-time series with Kentucky, 23-13, including wins in seven of the last 10 meetings.
• Kentucky has the most wins in NCAA history and Carolina has the third-most. Carolina and Kentucky are the top two teams in NCAA Tournament history in tournament appearances, games and wins. UNC has 18 Final Four appearances, most in NCAA history.
• Last year, the Tar Heels beat the Wildcats, 82-77, in Chapel Hill behind 21 second-half ponts from Marcus Paige. Forward James Michael McAdoo had 20 points, five rebounds, a team-high four assists and two steals. He was 12 for 19 from the free throw line. J.P. Tokoto made 7 of 10 field goals en route to 15 points.
