The North Carolina Tar Heels are coming down the stretch in the regular season. A big win on Monday gave the Heels a much-needed boost, and now they must take care of business against a Virginia Tech jockeying for position in the middle of the ACC standings.
Here are a few key factors for the game on Saturday night.
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Will the Upswing Continue for Trimble?
Seth Trimble scored in double figures in his first nine games of the season. Two before his injury, and seven after.
After the California road trip disaster, Trimble has been on a roller coaster.
Trimble scored just five points versus Notre Dame, but dropped 16 and 18 points in the next two games against Virginia and Georgia Tech.
Over the next five games, Trimble alternated between single-digit and double-digit scoring.
In the last two games, Trimble has elevated his game. He scored 13 points against Syracuse, going 5-7 from the field. Trimble left some points at the free throw line, going just 3-7 from the charity stripe.
On Monday night, Trimble scored a career-high 30 points in the important win over ranked Louisville. And a key part of his performance was his efficiency from the field. Trimble did not score a career-high solely because of shot volume. He shot 68.8 percent from the field, the ninth-best of his career when scoring 10 or more points.
Trimble credited this performance to being aggressive. After the game, Trimble said, “Last couple days, I was on myself, just about being as aggressive as possible, especially with the way that Louisville played. I feel like I could have made a lot of opportunities, which I did today.”
This aggressiveness was seen on the defensive end of the court as well. The guard-heavy lineup of Louisville could have been a problem for a backcourt that has struggled with defensive effort this season, and those shooters pushed the Cardinals out to an early 10-point lead in the first half.
Led by Trimble, the defense held Louisville scoreless for over four minutes in the second half, which changed the trajectory of the game.
With just three games left in the regular season, Trimble needs to stay on the upswing. The performance of the backcourt will be a major factor in the team’s success during tournament time, and Trimble must set the example for the guards.
Focus on the Frontcourt
Amani Hansberry, 6’8” forward and Virginia Tech’s leading scorer, will be the focal point of the Hokies’ offense on Saturday night.
Hansberry has scored double figures in all but three games this season. Interestingly enough, he scored just seven points in VT’s upset win over ranked Clemson.
Tobi Lawal, another 6’8” forward, is the leading rebounder for Virginia Tech. His 8.8 rebounds per game rank in the top five in the ACC.
Once again, Jarin Stevenson will be tasked with being the defensive anchor in the paint. Behind Trimble, he had the second-most minutes played against Louisville. Stevenson led all Tar Heels with seven rebounds, two steals, and two blocks.
Stevenson and Henri Veesaar will be challenged by Virginia Tech’s big men. Whichever frontcourt controls the glass and generates high-percentage looks around the rim will have the most significant impact on the game’s outcome.
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Offensive Dominance at Home
Virginia Tech ranks 10th in the ACC in scoring offense and is the sixth-best three-point scoring team in the conference. Inconsistency has been an issue for the Hokies.
VT hung 82 against Wake Forest, but only managed 69 in a home loss to Florida State.
If this game were in Blacksburg, the narrative might be a bit different. But the Tar Heels are undefeated this season in Chapel Hill and have defeated their opponents by an average of 18 points. In ACC play, the margin is just nine points. Some have been blowouts, while others are nailbiters.
These numbers show that while the Smith Center remains a key advantage, Virginia Tech could produce a highly competitive, single-digit dogfight if it keeps the game close in the second half.
The Hokies must hope for a high-scoring affair, as their scoring defense, field-goal percentage defense, and rebounding rank in the bottom third of the ACC.
