Duke basketball: The projected ACC standings for next season
By Matt Giles
Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. Last season: 6-14 (T-13th). player. Predicted: 13-7. NORTH CAROLINA TAR HEELS. 5. 441
Projected ACC standings from a Duke basketball buff: No. 5 North Carolina
THE HEAD COACH:
Roy Williams is 885-253 across 32 seasons as a head coach, 467-152 across 17 seasons at North Carolina, and 202-88 against the ACC during the regular season.
THE KEY PLAYERS:
- Freshman guard Caleb Love: No. 13 overall on the 247Sports 2020 Composite
- Freshman big man Walker Kessler: No. 21 overall on the 247Sports 2020 Composite
- Sophomore forward Armando Bacot: averaged 9.6 points and 8.3 rebounds last season
- Junior forward Leaky Black: averaged 6.5 points and 5.0 rebounds last season
- Senior forward Garrison Brooks: averaged 16.8 points and 8.5 rebounds last season
THE STORYLINE:
True, North Carolina welcomes the nation’s No. 2 recruiting class, a six-deep haul that includes a likely starting point guard in five-star Caleb Love plus two of the five best centers in Day’Ron Sharpe and Walker Kessler. That alone should ensure the Tar Heels a winning record in ACC play.
On the other hand, losing habits — to the tune of a 14-19 record and a last-place conference finish last season — typically aren’t easy to break. Furthermore, though the frontcourt is packed with four giant weapons, including the possible preseason ACC Player of the Year in senior Garrison Brooks, the backcourt is inexperienced. The question is, can head coach Roy Williams feed all his big men enough minutes to keep them happy?