University of North Carolina Athletics
Tar Heels Visit BC Tuesday
February 9, 2016 | Men's Basketball
THE MATCHUP
♦ North Carolina (19-4, 8-2 ACC) will try to bounce back from its first losing streak of the 2015-16 season when it visits Boston College (7-16, 0-10) on Tuesday night.
♦ The Tar Heels and Eagles will tip off at 8:05 p.m. in the Conte Forum.
♦ Tim Brando (play-by-play) and Cory Alexander (analyst) will call the game for an ACC Network syndicated television audience. Find more info on the ACC Network. Stream the game live with WatchESPN.
TAR HEEL STORYLINES
♦ Carolina is coming off back-to-back losses for the first time in 2015-16. UNC will be playing the third of three consecutive road games in a nine-day span. The run began with losses at Louisville and at Notre Dame.
♦ Carolina was tied with Louisville atop the ACC standings at 8-2 prior to Louisville's game on Monday night at Duke. Virginia was a half-game behind at 8-3.
♦ Arriving in Chestnut Hill with a 19-4 overall record, UNC's next win will mark the 57th 20-win season in Tar Heel history.
♦ UNC is ranked No. 9 in the Associated Press poll and No. 8 in the coaches' poll this week, dropping seven spots in each poll from last week.
UP NEXT
♦ After the game at Boston College, the Tar Heels will return home for three consecutive home games against Pitt (Sunday Feb. 14), Duke (Wednesday Feb. 17) and Miami (Saturday Feb. 20).
♦ Carolina has eight regular season games reamaining on its 2015-16 schedule (including Tuesday at BC).
A TAR HEEL WIN WOULD ...
♦ Improve UNC to 20-4, 9-2 ACC in 2015-16.
♦ Snap Carolina's first losing streak of the season.
♦ Give Carolina its 57th 20-win season, including its 12th in 13 seasons under Roy Williams.
♦ Make UNC 4-4 on the road this season, including 4-2 in ACC play.
♦ Improve Roy Williams's record on the road in ACC play to 68-37.
♦ Give UNC its ninth win in a row over Boston College and its 13th in the last 15 meetings.
♦ Improve Carolina to 6-1 all-time on the road at Boston College.
♦ Improve Roy Williams' career record as a head coach to 770-206 overall.
♦ Make Williams 352-105 at Carolina.
A TAR HEEL LOSS WOULD ...
♦ Drop Carolina to 19-5, 8-3 ACC.
♦ Mark Carolina's third consecutive loss and its first three-game losing streak since losing three in a row to Wake Forest, Miami and Syracuse to start ACC play in 2013-14. UNC's last four-game losing streak came in 2009-10.
♦ Be BC's first win over the Tar Heels in nine tries, snapping UNC's eight-game winning streak over BC.
♦ Drop UNC to 3-5 on the road in 2015-16, including 3-3 in ACC play.
♦ Drop Roy Williams' career record to 769-207 overall.
♦ Make Williams 351-106 at Carolina.
A WIN AWAY FROM 20
♦ Carolina needs one win to clinch its 57th 20-win season in 106 seasons as a varsity program.
♦ UNC has won at least 20 games 42 times in the last 45 years (every season since 1970-71 except 2001-02, 2002-03 and 2003-04).
♦ The 2014-15 season marked Carolina's 11th 20-win season in a row under head coach Roy Williams, who has won at least 20 games 25 times in 27 seasons as a head coach (and won 19 in each of the other two years).
♦ Carolina won at least 20 games for an NCAA-record 31 consecutive seasons from 1970-71 to 2000-01.
TAR HEEL TIDBITS
TEAM NOTES
♦ After a perfect, 7-0 month of January, the Tar Heels are 0-2 in February with losses at Louisville and Notre Dame.
♦ Carolina's assist-to-turnover ratio (1.69) ranks second in the nation and would be the best of any Tar Heel team since turnovers were first recorded in 1981-82. The second-best figure is 1.53 in 1985-86. Other top-five seasons include 1.45 (2008-09), 1.45 (2011-12) and 1.42 (1997-98).
♦ Cutting Down on Turnovers: UNC is averaging 10.9 turnovers per game, the lowest figure of any Carolina team since turnovers were first recorded in 1981-82. Last year, the Tar Heels averaged nearly 13 turnovers per contest.
♦ There have been seven seasons in which UNC has committed fewer than 13 turnovers per game. The current record was set in 2013-14 (11.94 per game). The other seasons below 13 are 2011-12 (11.95), 2012-13 (12.3), 2008-09 (12.4), 1994-95 (12.9) and 1981-82 (12.9).
♦ UNC's three-point percentage of 30.8 would be the lowest in school history if the season were to end today. The current low is 32.8 percent, set in 2010-11.
♦ Carolina started 8-0 in ACC play for the first time under Roy Williams. The last time UNC began ACC action better was 2000-01 (an 11-0 ACC start under head coach Matt Doherty).
♦ Carolina has had seven different players lead the team in scoring in games this season.
♦ 80 or More: Carolina has scored 80 or more points in 17 of 23 games and is averaging 84.5 ppg this season.
♦ The Tar Heels are 229-28 in 13 seasons under Roy Williams when they score at least 80 points (16-1 this season).
♦ 90 or More: The Tar Heels have scored 90 or more points seven times his season after doing so five times all of last year.
♦ 100 or More: UNC is 49-1 under Williams when it scores 100 points or more.
♦ UNC has gotten a season-low 14 points from its bench in each of the last two games (losses at Louisville and at Notre Dame).
♦ Carolina has shot 50 percent or better from the floor in 14 of 23 games this year. The Tar Heels are shooting .478 as a team.
♦ The Tar Heels have shot 50 percent or better in the second half of 23 of their last 33 games (including 14 of 23 games in 2015-16).
♦ Carolina is 169-16 under Roy Williams when its opponents shoot under 40 percent.
♦ Roy Williams is 769-206 as a head coach, including 351-105 at Carolina, 149-59 in ACC regular-season games and 180-26 in the Smith Center.
♦ 25-Point Games: No Tar Heel player scored 25 points in a game last season, but the team has had seven 25-point performances already this year by four different players: Justin Jackson (25 vs. Northern Iowa), Kennedy Meeks (25 vs. Temple), Marcus Paige (30 at Florida State) and Brice Johnson four times (25 vs. Tulane, 27 vs. UCLA, 39 at Florida State and 27 vs. Wake Forest).
♦ Carolina is 2-1 vs. ranked opponents this season (wins over Maryland and UCLA and a loss to Louisville). The Tar Heels are 65-52 against ranked foes under Roy Williams.
♦ In the NCAA stats: The Tar Heels are ninth in the nation in scoring at 84.5 points per game, 13th in scoring margin at 13.8, second with an assist-turnover ratio of 1.69, seventh with 18.4 assists per game, 18th in rebounding margin (8.5) and 28th in field goal percentage (47.8).
♦ KenPom Ratings: Carolina is ranked No. 6 in the nation in the KenPom.com statistical rankings. UNC is fourth in the nation in adjusted offensive efficiency (119.7) and 39th in adjusted defensive efficiency (95.6).
INDIVIDUAL NOTES
♦ Roy Williams has 351 wins at Carolina, three behind Bobby Cremins for fourth place in ACC history.
♦ Brice Johnson is among 10 watch list finalists for the Karl Malone Award, given to the top power forward in the nation.
♦ Johnson has led UNC in scoring nine times this season (most on the team) and in rebounding 15 times (most on the team).
♦ Johnson is 10th in the ACC in scoring (16.6 ppg), first in rebounding (10.4 rpg) and first in field goal percentage (60.8). He also leads the conference in defensive rebounding (7.87 per game).
♦ Johnson had 10 double-doubles in 108 games in his first three seasons and has 14 in 23 games as a senior.
♦ Johnson has five double-doubles in a row, the longest streak of his career.
♦ Johnson enters the Boston College game with 858 career rebounds, 13th in UNC history. Scott Williams is 12th with 861 and John Henson is 11th with 885.
♦ Johnson is averaging a team-high 16.6 points and 10.4 rebounds per game this season. His previous career highs were 12.9 ppg and 7.8 rpg last season.
♦ Point guard Joel Berry II has played turnover-free in five of Carolina's first 10 ACC games.
♦ Berry has the third-highest scoring increase in the ACC this season (+8.1 ppg) behind Duke's Grayson Allen and N.C. State's Cat Barber.
♦ Berry has stepped into a starting role this season and improved across the board statistically, including scoring (4.2 to 12.3 ppg), field goal percentage (40.4 to 41.7), three-point percentage (35.4 to 37.1) and assists (1.5 to 4.2 per game).
♦ Berry has scored in double figures in 13 of the last 14 games (12 games in a row before finishing with nine at Louisville on Feb. 1).
♦ Berry has scored in double figures in 19 of 23 games this season. As a freshman he scored in double figures one time.
♦ Berry leads UNC with 36 steals and is fifth in the ACC at 1.57 per game.
♦ Isaiah Hicks became the seventh different player to lead Carolina in scoring this season when he scored 21 points at Syracuse.
♦ Hicks made five or more field goals three times in his first 84 career games (through the Tulane game) and has made five or more field goals in six of the last 13 games.
♦ Hicks has 255 career rebounds – 117 on the offensive glass and 138 on the defensive (46 percent offensive rebounds, the highest percentage among active Tar Heels).
♦ Marcus Paige has scored 1,636 points entering the Boston College game, tied for 19th in Carolina history with Kenny Smith. Wayne Ellington is 18th with 1,694
♦ Paige is the ACC's top active career scorer with 1,636 points and Brice Johnson is fourth with 1,420.
♦ Paige enters the Boston College game with 540 assists, 10th in school history. Jeff Lebo is ninth with 580.
♦ Paige is the only Tar Heel and one of four players in ACC history with at least 1,500 points, 500 assists, 350 rebounds, 250 three-pointers and 175 steals. The other ACC players to reach those threshholds are Travis Best of Georgia Tech, Malcolm Delaney of Virginia Tech and Jason Williams of Duke.
♦ Paige is one of four Tar Heels with 1,500 career points and 500 career assists (joining Phil Ford, Jeff Lebo and Kenny Smith).
♦ Paige made five three-pointers vs. Notre Dame to extend his career school record to 259.
♦ Paige has 66 assists and 17 turnovers in his 17 games this year (an assist/turnover ratio of 3.9).
PAIGE'S MINUTES PLAYED
♦ Marcus Paige played 36 minutes at Notre Dame on Feb. 6 to pass 4,000 for his career.
♦ Since the ACC began recording minutes played in 1980, eight Tar Heels have played 4,000 or more minutes – Ed Cota (4,631), Sam Perkins (4,459), Tyler Hansbrough (4,394), Ademola Okulaja (4,390), Kenny Smith (4,217), Matt Doherty (4,077), Jeff Lebo (4,048) and Paige (4,013).
♦ Paige has averaged 32.4 minutes played per game over four years. He is one of 14 Tar Heels to average 30 minutes a game since 1980. The others include: Joseph Forte (33.91), Raymond Felton (33.87), Cota (33.6), Antawn Jamison (33.4), Kenny Smith (33.2), James Worthy (33.2), Perkins (33.0), Jason Capel (32.0), Doherty (31.6), Okulaja (31.6), Hansbrough (30.9), Michael Jordan (30.8) and Lebo (30.4).
ON THE ROAD IN ACC PLAY
♦ Roy Williams' Tar Heel teams have been one of the nation's top road teams over the years.
♦ Williams's teams are 67-37 (.644) on the road in ACC play and have finished above .500 on the road nine times in 12 years under Williams.
♦ The Tar Heels are 3-2 on the ACC road this season (wins at Florida State, Syracuse and Virginia Tech and losses at Louisville and Notre Dame).
♦ Williams' ACC road winning percentage is second-best in ACC history behind Vic Bubas of Duke (.667 from 1960-69). Frank McGuire of UNC and South Carolina is third at .618.
♦ UNC has 38 winning road records in 62 overall ACC seasons.
♦ Under Williams, UNC went 6-2 on the road in the ACC in 2004-05, 7-1 in 2005-06, 8-0 in 2007-08, 6-2 in 2008-09, 6-2 in 2010-11, 7-1 in 2011-12, 5-4 in 2012-13, 5-4 in 2013-14 and 6-3 in 2014-15.
SCHEDULE TOUGHENS IN FEBRUARY
♦ Carolina has eight games remaining on its 2015-16 regular season schedule, and it's likely this challenging stretch will be good training for postseason play for the Tar Heels.
♦ UNC's final eight games include a home-and-home with Duke, trips to Virginia, North Carolina State and Boston College and home games vs. Pitt, Miami and Syracuse.
♦ The final eight Tar Heel outings will include six games against the top 55 teams in the KenPom.com statistical rankings as of Feb. 8 (No. 3 Virginia, No. 12 Miami, No. 17 Duke twice, No. 38 Syracuse and No. 55 Pitt).
♦ The final eight Carolina games also include six matchups against top-50 opponents in the NCAA RPI rankings as of Feb. 8 (No. 5 Virginia, No. 14 Miami, No. 24 Duke twice, No. 43 Pitt and No. 47 Syracuse).
PREVIEWING THE EAGLES
♦ Boston College enters Tuesday night's game with a 7-16 record, 0-10 in ACC play.
♦ The Eagles' last win was a 72-67 overtime victory vs. New Hampshire on Dec. 30.
♦ In the KenPom.com adjusted efficiency ratings, Boston College ranks 257th overall, including 342nd offensively (90.5) and 59th defensively (97.3).
SERIES HISTORY
♦ Carolina leads the series with the Eagles, 14-5, including a 5-1 mark in Chestnut Hill at the Conte Forum.
♦ The Tar Heels have won eight in a row over BC, including 12 of the last 14 meetings.
♦ Ten days ago in Chapel Hill, Carolina beat the Eagles, 89-62, in the Smith Center (see more details below).
♦ Roy Williams is 12-4 vs. Boston College as a head coach and has won 12 of the last 14 vs. the Eagles after losing the first two in 2005-06 (BC's first season in the ACC).
♦ Last season, UNC won at BC and also beat the Eagles in the ACC Tournament second round in Greensboro.
♦ After four consecutive years of meeting just once in the regular season, the Tar Heels and Eagles are meeting twice in 2015-16.
♦ The last time these squads had played a home-and-home in the regular season was a Tar Heel sweep in 2010-11.
