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The North Carolina Tar Heels will take on one of their in-conference rivals, the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, on Wednesday night. This week, the Tar Heels have been moved out of the AP Top 25 due to their NC State loss.
Match Details
Fixture: North Carolina Tar Heels vs Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets - NCAA Men's Basketball
Date & Time: Wednesday, December 30th, 2020, 8 PM ET
Venue: McCamish Pavilion, Atlanta, Georgia
North Carolina Tar Heels Preview
The 5-3 North Carolina Tar Heels will look to bounce back after suffering a close loss to their in-state rivals, the NC State Wolfpack (79-78).
The Tar Heels are struggling at the start of games this season and are losing the first half of basketball by a total margin of -23 points. Here is what starting forward Armando Bacot had to say about the team's slow starts:
"We've just been coming out real flat and just not playing hard, and then we get down and that's when we play harder."
To get back on track, the North Carolina Tar Heels will have to come out playing hard in the first half against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets.
Key Player - Leaky Black
The key player for the North Carolina Tar Heels as they prepare to go up against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets is Leaky Black. The junior guard is shooting 31.5% from the field and is averaging 6.4 points a game.
For the Tar Heels to come away with their first win in ACC play this year, Black will need to gain confidence in his jump shot and be a legitimate option on offense.
North Carolina Tar Heels Predicted Lineup
F Garrison Brooks, F Armando Bacot, G Leaky Black, G Caleb Love, G RJ Davis
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets Preview
The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets are coming off a win against Delaware State, 97-69.
The Yellow Jackets were on fire against Deleware State, shooting 55% from the field. They had a stretch where they scored 20 straight points in just four minutes.
If Georgia Tech can put together a run like they did in their previous game, they will likely be able to come away with the win and upset the North Carolina Tar Heels.
Key Player - Jose Alvarado
The key player for the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets is Jose Alvarado. The senior guard had a career-night against Deleware State, going 11 of 14 from the field, including 4 of 5 from the 3-point range.
If Alvarado can be the best player on the floor, alongside his teammate Moses Wright, the Yellow Jackets will gain a victory over North Carolina and go to 1-1 in the ACC.
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets Predicted Lineup
F Moses Wright, F Jordan Usher, G Jose Alvarado, G Bubba Parham, G Michael Devoe
North Carolina vs Georgia Tech Prediction
The North Carolina Tar Heels will likely earn their first win in the ACC this season with a victory over the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets. The Tar Heels will come out of their first-half funk and grab an early lead against the Yellow Jackets.
Where to watch North Carolina vs. Georgia Tech
The game will be broadcasted live on the ACCNX through WatchESPN.
