UNC vs. Virginia Tech: Three keys to a Carolina victory

North Carolina is going for its third straight win when it takes on Virginia Tech at 8:30 p.m. ET.

The Tar Heels are coming off back-to-back victories, beating Syracuse on the road last Saturday and Louisville at home Monday. With three regular-season games remaining, North Carolina is still in the hunt for a double bye in the ACC Tournament. The Tar Heels enter the night in fifth place in the league at 10-5, tied with NC State. The Wolfpack own the tiebreaker after winning the teams’ only meeting this season.

Virginia Tech, meanwhile, is 7-8 in ACC play and 18-10 overall. The Hokies sit 11th in the conference and fall into the “next four out” tier in most NCAA Tournament projections. They are running out of opportunities, and that urgency makes them a dangerous matchup for Carolina.

Here are three keys to victory for North Carolina.

Strike First, Strike Hard, No Mercy

Carolina cannot afford to overlook the Hokies. Virginia Tech is well coached, with Mike Young known for detailed game plans. 

His team is fully capable of catching fire for a night and walking out of the Dean Dome with a win — but only if the Tar Heels cooperate. Even without Caleb Wilson, North Carolina is the better team and will have the crowd behind it. The Tar Heels need to land the first punch: hit shots early, build a cushion and keep the pressure on.

Make Your Freebies

The Tar Heels have to hit their foul shots. Over their past two games, North Carolina is 24-for-47 (51%) at the stripe.

Free-throw shooting has been a season-long issue, but UNC had shown signs of progress before the Syracuse game, hitting 77% over a two-week stretch from Jan. 31 to Feb. 17.

 Even so, the Tar Heels now sit at 68% for the season, ranking 319th nationally. If that trend doesn’t change, it could open the door for Virginia Tech to steal one in Chapel Hill.

Make the Hokies Uncomfortable

Virginia Tech almost never chooses to play at a breakneck pace, and there is little reason to think that changes Friday. The Hokies will try to drag the game into the mud, shortening possessions and milking the shot clock. North Carolina has to push back, whether that means mixing defenses, jumping passing lanes or turning every defensive rebound into a chance to get out and run.

Nobody expects the Tar Heels to run like a stock car circling Charlotte Motor Speedway. But if they can put together a few quick bursts and stack points in a hurry, that alone could be enough to send the Hokies home with a loss.

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This article originally appeared on Tar Heels Wire: UNC basketball: Keys to victory against Virginia Tech