CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — North Carolina is 12 days from its season opener against Central Arkansas on Nov. 3, but this week, the team will get a chance to go through its normal game day preparations against a Top 25 team.
The Tar Heels are headed to Salt Lake City to face the preseason No. 8 team in the country, BYU, on Friday. This is the second year in a row that UNC will play in a public exhibition, as it faced Memphis on the road last year before officially tipping off the season.
Hubert Davis noted that the “secret scrimmages” of the past were more controlled and situational, but playing in Friday’s road exhibition will help the squad gain useful experience in a game-like setting.
“There are huge benefits in playing games like this,” Davis said on Wednesday. “Obviously, playing against a really good opponent in BYU, it gives us an opportunity to be able to take a clear look at us, on things that we’re doing well, things that we need to improve on before the regular season starts. Same thing that happens in the NBA.”
Last season, North Carolina defeated Memphis 84-76 at FedEx Forum. The Tar Heels finished the year with a 23-14 record, sneaking into the NCAA Tournament. They defeated San Diego State in the First Four before losing to Ole Miss in the Round of 64.
North Carolina brought in 10 new scholarship players since the end of last season, and they’ve played against each other in two intrasquad scrimmages this month. Friday will be the first time this year’s UNC team will compete together against another program. Davis listed off the objectives for his team on Wednesday before heading to Utah.
“From a defensive standpoint, I’ve been clear and definitive, we’ve got to be a really good defensive team, good rebounding team, for us to have a chance to be the best team that we can possibly become,” Davis said. “Looking at our pace, we play at a tremendous pace. Taking care of the basketball, doing a much better job this year. Getting to the offensive glass.”
Davis said that he and the staff looked at film from BYU’s exhibition game against Nebraska, a game the Cougars lost 90-89 in Lincoln.
BYU went 26-10 last season in its first season under head coach Kevin Young, reaching the Sweet Sixteen. The team returns Richie Saunders, who earned First-Team All-Big 12 honors last season, and it also added Baylor transfer point guard Robert Wright III.
AJ Dybantsa, who had UNC amongst his finalists of schools to play for, was ranked as the No. 1 recruit for the class of 2025 by Rivals. Dybantsa was named a preseason All-American, and he was also voted as the Big 12’s preseason Newcomer of the Year.
“AJ is not only an outstanding player, he’s just a really neat kid that obviously is extremely talented out there on the floor,” Davis said. “But he’s also somebody that loves the idea of team and teamwork, and just watching a little bit of tape on them and their exhibition game against Nebraska, he’s just continued to grow as a player, as a teammate.
“But BYU is not AJ Dybantsa, BYU is BYU, and is a very good basketball team with a number of talented players out there.”
North Carolina is 101-45 under Hubert Davis as he enters his fifth season with the team. The Tar Heels were picked to finish third in the ACC. Freshman forward Caleb Wilson made the preseason All-ACC second team.
Friday will give UNC the opportunity to test its chemistry and gauge where it stands going into the Nov. 3 opener.
“I think there’s situational stuff that we haven’t practiced yet,” Davis said. “And so in that scenario, you are playing and you are playing what you have practiced at that point. And so that’s what we’ll do against BYU, and that’ll give us a good indication on things that we need to work on moving forward.”
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