By R.L. Bynum
CHAPEL HILL – Michael Malone is trying to blend in 11 new players, and the lineup data are beginning to offer clues about which combinations are working.
Through three exhibitions and Monday’s 80–72 season-opening win over Western Carolina, the five-man unit with the best scoring margin has been Neo Avdalas, Terrence Brown Jr., Jarin Stevenson, Sayon Keita and Jaydon Young.
The group is +11 in 7:41, outscoring opponents 19–8 across 12 possessions while shooting 6-of-8 from the field (75%) and 3-of-4 beyond the arc, according to Hudl InStat data. That group committed one turnover, and all six of its rebounds came on the defensive end.
Malone said the staff tracks those combinations in games and in practice, though he does not let a chart run his rotation. He starts each night with a substitution chart as a reference and then adjusts to what he sees.
“We’re always looking at the analytics, the best two-man, three-man, four-man or five-man combos out there,” Malone said. “That’s not just in our games, but we use that tracking from our practices as we try different groupings of players together to see what may help.”
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Another productive defensive stretch belongs to a group of Avdalas, Brown, Stevenson, Matt Able and Maximo Adams, which allowed 2 points in 5:16 (10 possessions) while scoring 10 on 3-of-8 shooting. That unit made up for its misses with three offensive rebounds among its seven total rebounds.
Avdalas, Brown and Stevenson are constants in several productive groups, including the most-used one. With Keita and Able, that unit is +2 across 22:13 (the tracking data splits it into entries of +6 and −4), outscoring opponents 47–45 over 48 possessions.
Avdalas and Brown share ball-handling duties, and Brown said the two have built a comfortable working relationship.
“Me and Neo are really comfortable with each other,” Brown said. “I talk to Neo all the time, on and off the court. That’s my guy.”
An all-reserve group has also been effective in limited minutes. Alex Samodurov, Isaiah Denis, Angelo Brizzi, Young and Adams are +7 in 4:23, outscoring opponents 11–4.
Other groups built around Samodurov, Denis and Young have also finished in the black in small samples, including +5 in 2:23 with Brizzi and Kevin Thomas and +4 in 2:11 with Stevenson and Adams. A version with Stevenson and Brizzi was −7 in 2:14, a reminder of how quickly these brief stretches can swing.
Malone singled out Brizzi after Monday’s game, saying his value does not always show up in the box score. He also praised Adams, who had four rebounds off the bench.
“I thought Angelo Brizzi, sometimes his stats don’t say it, but I think Brizzi brings a calming influence,” Malone said. “They call him Uncle Angelo for a reason. So, Uncle Angelo can steady the ship.”
Two groups with Adams and Keita together have been slightly outscored. Avdalas, Brown, Stevenson, Keita and Adams are −1 in 13:12 (21–22), shooting 40% overall and 3-of-8 on 3-pointers, and a version with Able in place of Brown was also −1 in 4:19. Adams has been part of several positive groups without Keita, including the +8 unit that held opponents to 2 points.
Among lineups that keep Avdalas, Brown, Stevenson and Keita together, Young has produced the best results as the fifth player (+11 in 7:41). The version with Able is +2 across 22:13, and the one with Adams is −1 in 13:12. Young’s sample is the smallest of the three, so the gap may not hold.
Defense has been the foundation, which makes the rebounding the frustrating part. Stevenson and Keita each had two rebounds Monday, matching their totals in the exhibition finale, while Avdalas had seven and Brown five. Malone said he does not believe effort is the problem, but he does want more from his big men.
“I think it’s four games now where our field-goal percentage defense has been terrific in my eyes,” Malone said. “So, you do all that hard work, only to see the shot taken, and then now they get an extra opportunity.”
Top UNC lineup combinations
| Lineup | Min. | +/- | Poss. | Points | Points against | FG% | Points/ poss. | Opp. points/ poss. | Net points per 100 poss. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avdalas, Brown, Stevenson, Keita, Young | 7:41 | 11 | 12 | 19 | 8 | 75.00% | 1.58 | 0.67 | 91.7 |
| Avdalas, Able, Brown, Stevenson, Adams | 5:16 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 2 | 37.50% | 1 | 0.2 | 80 |
| Samodurov, Denis, Brizzi, Young, Adams | 4:23 | 7.5 | 10 | 11.5 | 4 | 41.20% | 1.15 | 0.4 | 75 |
| Avdalas, Brown, Stevenson, Keita, Able | 14:54 | 6 | 31 | 32 | 26 | 47.60% | 1.03 | 0.84 | 19.4 |
| Date | Time/ scores | Month/day | Opponent/event (current ranks) | TV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| October | Exhibitions | |||
| 9 | W, 88–70 | Friday | vs. No. 21 USC in Greensboro | |
| 18 | L, 76–58 | Sunday | vs. Indiana in Indianapolis | |
| 27 | W, 89–82, OT | Tuesday | vs. Charlotte | |
| November | Regular season | |||
| 2 | W, 80–72 | Monday | vs. Western Carolina | 1–0 |
| 6 | 7 p.m. | Friday | vs. Wofford | ACCN |
| 10 | 7 p.m. | Tuesday | vs. Wyoming | ACCN |
| 13 | 7 p.m. | Friday | vs. Georgia | ESPN2 |
| 20 | 9 p.m. | Friday | vs. Marshall | ACCN |
| 23 | 7 p.m. | Monday | vs. Monmouth | ACCN |
| 27 | 7 p.m. | Friday | Dick Vitale Invitational vs. West Virginia in Charlotte | ESPN |
| December | ||||
| 1 | 7:30 | Tuesday | ACC/SEC Challenge vs. No. 12 Arkansas | ESPN |
| 6 | 3 p.m. | Sunday | vs. Butler | ESPN2 |
| 12 | Noon | Saturday | at Georgetown | Peacock |
| 15 | 7 p.m. | Tuesday | Tobacco Road Classic vs. N.C. State in Greensboro | ESPN2 |
| 19 | 2:30 | Saturday | CBS Sports Classic vs. No. 23 Kentucky in New York | CBS |
| 21 | 8 p.m. | Monday | vs. The Citadel | The CW |
| 30 | 4 p.m. | Wednesday | vs. California | ACCN |
| January | ||||
| 2 | 4 p.m. | Saturday | at Boston College | ESPN or ESPN2 |
| 5 | 9 p.m. | Tuesday | at No. 11 Louisville | ESPN or ESPNU |
| 9 | Noon | Saturday | vs. N.C. State | ESPN2 |
| 13 | 7 p.m. | Wednesday | at Florida State | ESPN2 or ESPNU |
| 16 | 2:15 | Saturday | vs. Stanford | The CW |
| 19 | 9 p.m. | Tuesday | vs. No. 9 Virginia | ESPN |
| 23 | Noon | Saturday | at Syracuse | ESPN or 2 or U |
| 26 | 7 p.m. | Tuesday | vs. SMU | ESPN or ESPN2 |
| 30 | 6 or 6:30 | Saturday | Nashville Hoops Showdown vs. No. 3 Illinois in Nashville, Tenn. | ESPN |
| February | ||||
| 2 | 7 p.m. | Tuesday | at Notre Dame | ESPN or ESPN2 |
| 6 | 2:15 | Saturday | vs. Georgia Tech | The CW |
| 8 | 6 p.m. | Monday | vs. No. 11 Louisville | ESPN |
| 13 | 5:30 | Saturday | at No. 2 Duke | ABC |
| 20 | 7 p.m. | Saturday | at Wake Forest | ACCN |
| 22 | 7 p.m. | Monday | vs. No. 14 Miami | ESPN |
| 27 | 7 p.m. | Saturday | at Virginia Tech | ESPN |
| March | ||||
| 2 | 9 p.m. | Tuesday | at Pittsburgh | ESPN or ESPN2 |
| 6 | 6 or 6:30 | Saturday | vs. No. 2 Duke | ESPN |
| 9–13 | Tues.-Sat. | ACC tournament in Greensboro |
Photo by Drew Horwitz
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