By R.L. Bynum
CHAPEL HILL — Shooting from outside the arc will have a lot to do with the arc of No. 12 North Carolina’s ACC opener.
The Tar Heels (12–1) take on Florida State (7–6), which ranks second nationally in 3-point attempts per game (36.2) and 12th in 3-pointers (11.4). But volume hasn’t translated to efficiency. The Seminoles are 281st in 3-point shooting percentage at 31.42%, one reason they finished nonconference play 7–6.
First-year FSU coach Luke Loucks embraces the approach of Alabama coach Nate Oats, who prioritizes up-tempo play, a high volume of 3-point attempts and a lot of drives to the basket.
“They put a lot of pressure on you,” Davis said Monday ahead of Tuesday’s 7 p.m. game (ESPN2). “They play at a tremendous pace. I think their average possession is around 14, 15 seconds. They have got a number of guys that not only can take shots, but can get hot and hit multiple shots from three.”
St. Bonaventure transfer guard Lajae Jones is only making 32.4% of his 3-point attempts, but he’s one of the players who is dangerous if he gets hot. Jones scored career-highs of 36 points and 10 3-pointers in FSU’s 98–72 home win Nov. 21 over Georgia Southern.
What makes UNC a 16½-point favorite in the game, though, is the inside punch from Arizona junior transfer Henri Veesaar and freshman Caleb Wilson. They should have a clear edge against 6–10 Clemson transfer Chauncey Wiggins, who averages only 4.3 rebounds per game.
Carolina, meanwhile, is trending toward historic territory from beyond the arc. The Tar Heels are averaging 8.46 3-pointers per game, on pace for the second-most in program history behind the 8.67 mark set in 2018–19 (which included Cameron Johnson, Coby White, Kenny Williams and Luke Maye).
The Tar Heels’ 25.2 attempts per game already exceed the school record of 23.9 from that same season.
For UNC, the challenge is twofold: defend the arc and make the most of their own opportunities. Davis emphasized that efficiency starts with discipline.
“It doesn’t matter if you’re a really, really great shooter; if you’re not shooting good shots, it’s not going to go in,” he said. “Just our growth in understanding what a good shot is compared to a great shot — and being able to be stubborn and persistent to be able to get those types of shots on every possession — I think will go a long way in regards to our percentages getting higher.”
The Tar Heels have shown flashes of that stubbornness, but Davis wants more.
“I feel like our looks are getting better,” said Davis, who added that there are a number of factors to explain why his team is only making 33.6% of its shots outside the arc. “It could be something technical, whether it’s elbow in or not getting your feet set, not being balanced, going straight up and down.”
Against Florida State’s frenetic style, Davis said that every possession matters. The Seminoles average 85.0 points per game, compared to 81.4 for UNC.
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“It’s important for us to protect the paint, but also put us in a position where we can contest and be able to finish the possessions off those 3-point shots,” Davis said.
If UNC can combine smart shot selection with defensive discipline, they’ll have a chance to control the tempo and the scoreboard in a game the Tar Heels enter as the heavy favorite.
More on Tar Heels
— Florida State at No. 12 UNC: TV info, stats, scouting Seminoles, comparisons and notes
— ACC Network documentary looks extensively at UNC’s 1993 national championship team
— Wilson’s history-making first 13 games echo UNC’s greatest freshmen
— Above the rim and beyond: Wilson’s dunking show rolls on
— High arc, high impact: Veesaar’s 3-point shooting stretches floor, limits of UNC’s offense
— Analytics favor UNC in most games, but February road grit could earn high seed
— UNC second-highest ACC team in NET after jump; Quad 1 game becomes Quad 2; 4 becomes 3
— Eight is enough: Tar Heels settling into rotation entering ACC play
| Team | League | Overall | NET* | WAB* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. 1 Duke | 17–1 | 29–2 | 1 | 2 |
| No. 10 Virginia | 15–3 | 27–4 | 13 | 11 |
| Miami | 13–5 | 24–7 | 32 | 28 |
| No. 19 North Carolina | 12–6 | 24–7 | 23 | 19 |
| Clemson | 12–6 | 22–9 | 36 | 33 |
| No. 24 Louisville | 11–7 | 22–9 | 14 | 25 |
| N.C. State | 10–8 | 19–12 | 35 | 45 |
| Florida State | 10–8 | 17–14 | 69 | 74 |
| California | 9–9 | 21–10 | 65 | 49 |
| Stanford | 9–9 | 20–11 | 59 | 51 |
| SMU | 8–10 | 19–12 | 39 | 50 |
| Virginia Tech | 8–10 | 19–12 | 53 | 52 |
| Wake Forest | 7–11 | 16–15 | 64 | 81 |
| Syracuse | 6–12 | 15–16 | 83 | 92 |
| Pittsburgh | 5–13 | 12–19 | 109 | 146 |
| Notre Dame | 4–14 | 13–18 | 93 | 121 |
| Boston College | 4–14 | 11–20 | 159 | 217 |
| Georgia Tech | 2–16 | 11–20 | 167 | 210 |
* — Through Sunday games
Saturday’s results
No. 1 Duke 76, No. 19 North Carolina 61
Boston College 77, Notre Dame 69
Clemson 79, Georgia Tech 76
No. 24 Louisville 92, Miami 89
Florida State 92, SMU 78
Stanford 85, N.C. State 84
Wake Forest 80, California 73
Pittsburgh 71, Syracuse 69, OT
END OF REGULAR SEASON
ACC tournament
Spectrum Center | Charlotte
Tuesday through Saturday
UNC schedule
| Date | Month/day | Opponent/event (final ranks) |
|---|---|---|
| October | Exhibitions | |
| 9 | 7 p.m. Friday | vs. USC in Greensboro |
| 18 | 5 p.m. Sunday | vs. Indiana in Indianapolis |
| 27 | Tuesday | vs. Charlotte |
| November | Regular season | |
| 2 | Monday | vs. Western Carolina |
| 6 | Friday | vs. Wofford |
| 10 | Tuesday | vs. Wyoming |
| 13 | Friday | vs. Georgia |
| 20 | Friday | vs. Marshall |
| 23 | Monday | vs. Monmouth |
| 27 | Friday | Dick Vitale Invitational vs. West Virginia in Charlotte |
| December | ||
| 1 | Tuesday | ACC/SEC Challenge vs. No. 13 Arkansas |
| 6 | Sunday | vs. Butler |
| 12 | Saturday | at Georgetown |
| 15 | Tuesday | Tobacco Road Classic vs. N.C. State in Greensboro |
| 19 | 2:30 Saturday, CBS | CBS Sports Classic vs. Kentucky in New York |
| 21 | Monday | vs. The Citadel |
| 30 | Wednesday | vs. California |
| January | ||
| 2 | Saturday | at Boston College |
| 5 | Tuesday | at Louisville |
| 9 | Saturday | vs. N.C. State |
| 13 | Wednesday | at Florida State |
| 16 | Saturday | vs. Stanford |
| 19 | Tuesday | vs. No. 17 Virginia |
| 23 | Saturday | at Syracuse |
| 26 | Tuesday | vs. SMU |
| 30 | Saturday | Nashville Hoops Showdown vs. No. 5 Illinois in Nashville, Tenn. |
| February | ||
| 2 | Tuesday | at Notre Dame |
| 6 | Saturday | vs. Georgia Tech |
| 8 | Monday | vs. Louisville |
| 13 | Saturday | at No. 4 Duke |
| 20 | Saturday | at Wake Forest |
| 22 | Monday | vs. No. 24 Miami |
| 27 | Saturday | at Virginia Tech |
| March | ||
| 2 | Tuesday | at Pittsburgh |
| 6 | Saturday | vs. No. 4 Duke |
| 9–13 | Tues.-Sat. | ACC tournament in Greensboro |
Photo courtesy of UNC Athletics
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