Image Courtesy: Keeping It Heel
Projected Starters:
G:RJ Davis (Junior)
RJ’s scoring and toughness kept the Tar Heels in games in the NCAA Tournament while the other starters were struggling. Davis will have to keep that up to make the Heels a top ten team in the country.
G:Caleb Love (Junior)
Caleb Love’s clutch shot to end Coach K’s career in the Final Four is going to be what most Heels fans remember him for during his sophomore campaign. But the general public saw Love’s terrible shooting performance in the title game that led to Carolina’s demise.
G/F:Leaky Black (Senior)
Leaky’s defense and playmaking will again prove to be meaningful if the Heels make another run at a championship.
F:Pete Nance (Senior)
Nance, the Northwestern transfer, will replace former Oklahoma transfer Brady Manek at forward. Manek, arguably UNC’s best incoming transfer of all-time (Cam Johnson would also like to have a word). Pete may not shoot the ball at the level of Manek but he provides better size, rebounding, and inside offensive and defensive play.
C:Armando Bacot (Senior)
Bacot is the most important player to North Carolina’s success this upcoming season. If Bacot did not get hurt in the national championship game, they probably would have finished the job and won it all. He is a clear national player of the year candidate entering the season.
Bench
Justin McKoy, Senior, Forward
Puff Johnson, Junior, Guard
Rob Landry, Junior, Guard
Creighton Lebo, Junior, Guard
Dontrez Styles, Sophomore, Guard
Will Shaver, Sophomore, Forward
Seth Trimble, Freshman, Freshman
Jalen Washington, Center, Freshman
Tyler Nickel, Forward, Freshman
2022 Class (per 247sports composite)
32.Seth Trimble (#6PG) Menomenee Falls,WI (Menomenee Falls)
41.Jalen Washington (#9C) Gary,IN (West Side)
81.Tyler Nickel (#19SF) Elkton,VA (East Rockington)
Transfer Additions:
Pete Nance, Senior, Forward
2022-2023 Schedule Predictions:
11/7 UNC-Wilmington
Heels should cruise to an opening night win in the Dean Dome.
Projected Record: 1-0 (0-0) ACC
11/11 College of Charleston
North Carolina had some trouble with College of Charleston on their home floor next year but with an improved second unit, the Heels should be fine in this one.
Projected Record: 2-0 (0-0) ACC
11/15 Gardner-Webb
After the College of Charleston game, it is hard to see the Tar Heels lose a game against a lower mid-major squad.
Projected Record: 3-0 (0-0) ACC
11/20 James Madison
Projected Record: 4-0 (0-0) ACC
11/24, 11/25, 11/27 Phil Knight Invitational (Portland)
11/24 Portland
North Carolina should take care of business in round 1 in Portland against the host team, the Portland Pilots.
Projected Record: 5-0 (0-0) ACC
11/25 Iowa State/Villanova
The Tar Heels will face either Iowa State or Villanova in their second match up in Portland. Either way, this game will represent the first true test for North Carolina and I think they pass that test.
Projected Record: 6-0 (0-0) ACC
11/27 TBD
Based off of my projections, the Tar Heels would either see the winner of Connecticut/Oregon or Alabama/Michigan State in the finals of the Phil Knight Invitational. All four of those teams are expected to contend for spots in the NCAA Tournament, so it will definitely be a test. All teams lose at some point, and I think the Tar Heels will end up dropping their first game of the season here.
Projected Record: 6-1 (0-0) ACC
11/30 at.Indiana (ACC/Big Ten Challenge)
Indiana will be the first of three Big Ten opponents for North Carolina to face in the span of about three weeks. The Tar Heels lost to the Hoosiers last time they met in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge and with the challenging environment of Assembly Hall, the Heels will drop another game.
Projected Record: 6-2 (0-0) ACC
12/4 at.Virginia Tech
North Carolina continues on the road for their first ACC game against the Virginia Tech Hokies, who eliminated them from the ACC Tournament in last season’s semifinals. However, in their last regular season battle, the Tar Heels went into Blacksburg and defeated the Hokies. The Tar Heels will use those strategies to get back in the win column.
Projected Record: 7-2 (1-0) ACC
12/10 Georgia Tech
North Carolina will easily defeat Georgia Tech.
Projected Record: 8-2 (2-0) ACC
12/13 The Citadel
Projected Record: 9-2 (2-0) ACC
12/17 Ohio State (CBS Sports Classic; New York City)
In the first of two Big Ten games, North Carolina finally gets a quality win.
Projected Record: 10-2 (2-0) ACC
12/21 Michigan (Jumpman Invitational; Charlotte)
The Tar Heels will notch their second consecutive win over a Big Ten school, this time in the first ever Jumpman Invitational against Michigan.
Projected Record: 11-2 (2-0) ACC
12/30/31 at.Pittsburgh
Projected Record: 12-2 (3-0) ACC
1/4 Wake Forest
The Tar Heels will be challenged in this game and the Notre Dame game but I believe they will win both of these games.
Projected Record: 13-2 (4-0) ACC
1/7 Notre Dame
Projected Record: 14-2 (5-0) ACC
1/10 at.Virginia
The Tar Heels begin a road trip to play in tough environments in Charlottesville and Louisville. The Heels will drop this one and bounce back at the KFC Yum Center against the Cardinals.
Projected Record: 14-3 (5-1) ACC
1/14 at.Louisville
Projected Record: 15-3 (6-1) ACC
1/17 Boston College
Projected Record: 16-3 (7-1) ACC
1/21 NC State
Projected Record: 17-3 (8-1) ACC
1/24 at.Syracuse
Projected Record: 17-4 (8-2) ACC
2/1 Pittsburgh
Projected Record: 18-4 (9-2) ACC
2/4 at.Duke
Projected Record: 18-5 (9-3) ACC
2/7 at.Wake Forest
Projected Record: 18-6 (9-4) ACC
2/11 Clemson
Projected Record: 19-6 (10-4) ACC
2/13 Miami
Projected Record: 20-6 (11-4) ACC
2/19 at.NC State
Projected Record: 21-6 (12-4) ACC
2/22 at.Notre Dame
Projected Record: 21-7 (12-5) ACC
2/25 Virginia
Projected Record: 22-7 (13-5) ACC
2/27 at.Florida State
Projected Record: 23-7 (14-5) ACC
3/4 Duke
Projected Record: 24-7 (15-5) ACC
Final Regular Season Record: 24-7 (15-5) ACC
3/7-3/11 2023 ACC Tournament (Greensboro)
