*The is a FREE sample of our 3 Keys items.

North Carolina enters Saturday having played only six home games over the last 75 days, but the Tar Heels begin a six-game stretch in which four are at the Smith Center to conclude the regular season.

That begins against Virginia Tech at 2 PM on Saturday inside the Dean Dome.

UNC comes in after falling, 86-79, at Syracuse on Tuesday night. The Orange shot 62.5 percent from the field, the highest against the Tar Heels since Pittsburgh shot 64.5 percent in 2015. Carolina is 19-6 overall and 11-3 in the ACC.

The Hokies come in after a home win over Florida State by 12 points earlier this week. That followed a three-game losing streak which came right after a three-game skid. The Hokies are 14-10 overall and 6-7 in league play.

Here are 3 Keys for UNC to beat Virginia Tech, but first some important stats about Tech:

*Virginia Tech is No. 62 in the NET

*Virginia Tech is No. 62 in KenPom

*Virginia Tech is No. 169 averaging 74.3 points per game

*Virginia Tech is No. 89 at 46.3 FG%

*Virginia Tech is No. 56 at 36.5% on 3-pointers

*Virginia Tech is No. 76 averaging 8.5 threes per game

*Virginia Tech is No. 4 in FT% at 79.5

*Virginia Tech is No. 96 averaging 15 made FTs per game

*Virginia Tech is No. 296 with 7.1 fast break points per game

*Virginia Tech is No. 133 with 21.5 bench points per game

*Virginia Tech is No. 66 averaging 15.2 assists per game

*Virginia Tech is No. 159 with 11.8 turnovers per game

*The Hokies are No. 51 in adjusted offensive efficiency

*The Hokies are No. 43 in effective FG% at 54.1

*The Hokies are No. 66 in FG% inside the arc at 53.5

*The Hokies are No. 113 allowing 69.7 points per game

*The Hokies are No. 228 in D FG% at 44.5

*The Hokies are No. 228 in D three% at 34.0

*The Hokies are No. 297 averaging 2.5 blocks per game

*The Hokies are No. 305 averaging 5.3 steals per game

*The Hokies are No. 181 forcing 12 turnovers per game

*The Hokies are No. 87 in adjusted defensive efficiency

*The Hokies are No. 171 in FG% inside the arc at 50.1

*The Hokies are No. 161 in rebound margin at plus-1.4

*The Hokies are No. 274 in offensive rebounding % at 26.2

*The Hokies are No. 81 in defensive rebounding % at 26.7

Virginia Tech’s Leaders:

*Sean Pedulla (6-foot-1): 15.8 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 4.6 apg, 40.7 FG %, 36.4three% (43-for-118), 79.2 FT% (80-for-101).

*Hunter Cattoor (6-foot-3): 14.5 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 1.8 apg, 1 spg, 48.5 FG%, 43.8 three% (63-for-144), 88.9 FT% (72-for-81).

*Lynn Kidd (6-foot-10): 13.0 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 1.4 apg, 64.1 FG%, no threes attempted,86.8 FT% (66-for-76).

*Tyler Nickel (6-foot-7): 9.0 ppg, 2.0 rpg, 1.3 apg, 45.5 FG%, 41.6 three% (42-for-101), 80.5 FT% (33-for-41).

The Tar Heels need to find their old defensive selves immediately, which will trigger a return to their full form from the ten-game win streak. And that begins with stopping the Hokies, who love to shoot threes and create kickouts with two and three-dribble drives.

When on, Tech can score, and as the Heels saw Tuesday night, they can give openings for a team to have a hot performance. Minimal switching; challenge threes; allow no kick-out put-backs; and don’t send the Hokies to the free throw line.

The Hokies don’t block shots, they don’t generate many steals, they don’t defend on the ball as well as most ACC teams, and they don’t protect the rim area that well either.

This should be a highly efficient offensive performance for the Tar Heels, it’s certainly laid out for that. So, Carolina simply must play clean basketball when with the ball. No bad passes, no steel hands, no miscommunication on cuts/passes, nothing too forced, quality shot selection, and crashing the offensive boards should all lead to a good day in the box score for Hubert Davis’ squad.

Carolina should have gone to Armando Bacot more at Syracuse. It was inexcusable he attempted only nine shots, and was head-scratching when he was moved to the middle of the Orange’s zone, as it took away his strength and the team’s low post asset.

The Hokies should have trouble dealing with Bacot defensively and on the glass. So, it’s laying out for him to have a big performance, provided he avoids foul trouble. Tech’s guards can get to the rim enough they could draw some helpside fouls on him, or with dump-downs to the bigs forcing Bacot to rotate and commit fouls.

UNC must go right into Bacot early and often in this one, and it should prove to be a winning formula.