To say this was a disappointing season is an understatement. The team really struggled, so much so that it was head coach Roy Williams' first losing season, ever. That's 32 seasons and one losing campaign. However, there is still a lot of optimism ahead for the squad for the 2020 ACC Tournament as this team is a threat to a lot of squads. If the Tar Heels can get healthy, they might have a shot at winning the whole thing.
What is abundantly clear about North Carolina is that they have the 14 seed in the tournament, the lowest seed. With a losing season, it is very unlikely to see them make the NCAA Tournament, so the only way they can make it is by winning the whole thing and clinch an automatic bid. So, let's take a look at their chances.
The first matchup will be against Virginia Tech. The Tar Heels are going to be a dangerous low seed if they are healthy and Cole Anthony plays to his ability, then they are as good as almost anyone in the conference. Problem is that inconsistency from their depth and injuries to key players have hurt UNC this campaign and that's why they have the 14 seed. That being said, Virginia Tech is a 11 seed and haven't played UNC at full strength. That's a great opportunity for the Tar Heels to advance to the next round. All they need to do is establish dominance on the boards and have Anthony shoot the ball well. Virginia Tech has also been struggling of late as they are 2-10 in their last 12 and UNC has actually played well of late having won three of their last four. If Anthony struggles, then the Tar Heels will have to get creative from there to win as they seem to struggle when he doesn't score efficiently.
Next up is Syracuse. The team played well against Syracuse this season as the offense made their zone defense look silly. Thats another game where the Tar Heels could easily move on if they execute the same way they did against them earlier this season.
If all goes according to plan, then this is where things get more difficult as they would have to face Louisville. Now, Louisville is the only squad that matches up so well against UNC that they will be the hardest challenge of the entire tournament. However, if the Tar Heels somehow manage to win that game, then it really honestly is a wild card of outcomes.
UNC, when healthy and consistent, matches up well with any team in the conference. Had things gone according to plan and injuries to key players had not limited them, a higher seed was probable. So, if everything goes to plan in this tournament, then anything is possible for the squad. They are capable of beating any of the schools in the ACC and have a chance at actually winning this tournament.
So, despite the optimism, the question of how well they do lingers. It certainly doesn't help that having the 14 seed reduces their chances significantly. It is a very steep hill to climb and the realistic chance of the Tar Heels to win this tournament are very slim. However, even if they do not win the tournament, there is a lot to build upon for 2020-21.
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