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The Daily Tar Heel

Report Card: Grading UNC men's basketball season ahead of Duke game

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Photos courtesy of Cassidy Toy Reynolds, Nate Skvoretz and Viyada Soukthavone

Although there were high expectations for UNC — who ranked No. 9 in the pre-season — the Tar Heels have failed to meet them.

North Carolina is 1-4 against ranked opponents this season. While it seemed like the Tar Heels were figuring things out during a four-game winning streak, UNC suffered its only Quad 2 defeat of the season against Stanford in a one-point loss — which at the time was a Quad 3 loss. And in February, the Tar Heels will be tested again against the No. 2 team in the nation. But this time, it's not just a ranked opponent on the court — it's UNC's biggest rival, Duke.

And this year the Tobacco Road rivalry has more at stake than just crowning the “better blue.” UNC could be on the bubble of NCAA tournament selection. 

So before facing the toughest ACC test of the year, let's look at how UNC has fared this season.

Offense: B

The offense struggled to find a consistent rhythm at the start of the season but has found its tempo more recently. UNC is ranked No. 29 in the nation, averaging 82.5 points per game. 

Graduate guard RJ Davis has been a key player throughout his five years at UNC, but he's been underperforming during his final season. Despite averaging around 17 points per game, he hasn't been playing at the same caliber as previous seasons. He recorded a season-low seven points against California in January. Compared to last season, his 3-point percentage is down by over 10 percent, and he's averaging almost four less points per game. 

This has allowed first-year guard Ian Jackson to step up. 

Jackson has already cemented himself in North Carolina's record books by becoming the first Tar Heel to score 23 or more points in four straight games in his first season. Additionally, Jackson's 20 points against California pushed him to record 159 points in the last seven games. The total is one shy from tying the UNC scoring record for a first-year in seven straight games, which was set by Tyler Hansbrough in 2005-06. Jackson averages 15 points per game. 

With Davis underperforming, the Tar Heels have shot under 33 percent from behind the arc.

Defense: C-

The defense continues to be North Carolina's Achilles' heel, allowing 76.4 points per game. A big contributor to the defensive disparity is the team's inability to rebound. UNC ranked 89th in total rebounds and No. 265 in offensive rebounding in the country. 

Despite this, UNC has started to lean on its defensive blocks. The team has 82 blocks for an average of about four per game. They have mostly been handled by junior center Jalen Washington, who leads the team with 24. His most notable block came at the end of North Carolina's game against N.C. State to secure UNC's 63-61 win. 

Duke is ranked No. 6 in the nation in scoring defense. If the Tar Heels want to compete against the Blue Devils, they will need to step up defensively.

Starters: B

North Carolina's starting lineup has seen some shifts throughout the season, and has just recently found some sort of stability. First-year guard Drake Powell replaced graduate forward Jae’Lyn Withers in the lineup against Alabama in December and has remained in that role since. Powell averages 6.8 points and 3.5 rebounds per game.

Jackson replaced junior guard Seth Trimble in the lineup against Campbell in December, as Trimble was suffering from an upper-body injury. Jackson has since held onto his spot in the starting five. 

Despite these early adjustments, the overall core of UNC's lineup remains largely unchanged, with veterans such as Davis, Washington and sophomore guard Elliot Cadeau anchoring the squad. So far, the trio has averaged a combined 35 points per game. 

Bench: C+

North Carolina's bench has shown flashes of potential with Withers and junior forward Ven-Allen Lubin, but has remained somewhat inconsistent. UNC's bench only averages 23.38 points per game and ranks 135th in the nation.  

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The bench's overall contribution has been limited, putting additional pressure on the starting lineup to carry the load. As the Tar Heels prepare for a must-win game against the Blue Devils, the bench's production is a cause for concern. 

Overall: C+

@dthsports | sports@dailytarheel.com