Getting To Know Carolina's Hoops Opponents -Part III

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With North Carolina’s basketball season almost here, THI continues a series taking a healthy look at each of the Tar Heels’ nonconference opponents for the 2021-22 campaign.

UNC has 11 non-ACC games, but we will focus on 12 teams in this series, since the Heels will play one of two clubs in their second game at the Mohegan Sun in November. The series is broken into four parts, with three opponents featured in each segment. We will go in chronological order.

Here is our third installment:

Date: Nov. 23, 2021

Head coach: Mike Morrell (Entering year four as head coach of the program)

2020-21 Record: 10-10 overall, 9-5 Big South

2021 Postseason: Lost in the first round of the Big South tournament to Longwood

Returning starters: Jamon Battle, 6-5, Jr. F (8 PPG, 3.7 RPG,); Evan Clayborne, 6-6, Gr. F (7.7PPG, 6.2 RPG,1.7 BPG); Tajion Jones, 6-5, R-Sr. G (15.9 PPG, 4 RPG, All-Big South second team); LJ Thorpe, 6-5, R-Sr. F (11.6 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 3 APG);

Other key returners: Trent Stephney, 6-2, So. G (9.5 PPG,3.3RPG, 3.1 APG); Coty Jude, 6-9 Sr. F (7.7 PPG, 2.7 RPG)

Transfers: Drew Pember, 6-10, Jr. C (scored two points on the season at Tennessee); Quay Kimble, 5-10, Gr. PG (11 PPG, 3.3 RPG, 5.3 APG at DIV. II Lees-McRae); Jordan Hairston, 6-0, So. G (5.8 PPG, 2 RPG, 2 APG at Texas A&M Corpus Christi)

Key stats: Last season, Asheville averaged 73.4 points per game, while shooting 47.6% from the field, and averaging a league-high making 8.9 threes per game in conference action.

Keynotes: The Bulldogs had less than an optimal end to the 2020-21 season after the program had to shut down for the entire month of February due to COVID-19.

Most recent meeting: Nov. 13, 2011

All-time series: UNC leads 6-0

Preseason projection: UNC Asheville was voted to finish third in the Big South this season.

Asheville’s primary strength: “I really like our group we have a lot coming back. We’re old which is the first time we’ve really been able to say that since I’ve been here as the head coach going into my fourth year. We really like our group, we got two guys on the preseason All-Leauge Team which obviously speaks to the careers they’ve had, and the year they had last year. To put it mildly, we’re very excited about our group.” - Head Coach Mike Morrell

Asheville’s primary weakness:

While Mike Morrell brings in what he says is one of the more talented teams he’s coached this year he will go up against his toughest schedule yet.

“I think it's a really challenging schedule. Scheduling every year is tough, but this year’s schedule is more challenging than usual.” (UNCA also plays in the same conference as Winthrop who went 20-1 last season)- Head Coach Mike Morrell

“Mike Morrell has a really good team, but the CAA will be really good this year, and their non-conference schedule is a gauntlet”- Mid Major Hoops

Date: Dec. 1, Chapel Hill, NC

Head coach: Juwan Howard (Entering year three as head coach of the program)

2020-21 Record: 23-5 overall, 14-3 Big Ten

2021 Postseason: Lost in the elite 8 of the NCAA tournament to UCLA

Returning starters: Eli Brooks,6-1, Gr. G (9.5 PPG,3.1 RPG, 3.1 APG); Hunter Dickinson,7-1, So. C (14.1 PPG, 7.4 RPG, 1.4 BPG)

Other key returners: Brandon Johns,6-8, Sr. F (4.9 PPG, 2.3 RPG); Terrance Williams II, 6-7, So. F(1.9 PPG, 2.2 RPG);

Transfers: DeVante’ Jones, 6-1, Gr. PG (19.3 PPG, 7.2 RPG, 2.9 APG at Coastal Carolina)

Possible impact freshmen:

Moussa Diabate,6-11, Fr. F (5-star prospect, No.25 nationally, No. 5 PF);

Caleb Houstan,6-8, Fr. G/F (5-star prospect, No.8 nationally, No. 1 SF);

Frankie Collins,6-1, Fr. PG (4-star prospect, No.52 nationally, No. 9 PG);

Kobe Bufkin, 6-4, Fr. G (4-star prospect, No.51 nationally, No. 12 SG)

Isaiah Barnes, 6-7, Fr. G (4-star prospect, No. 105 nationally, No. 28 SG)

Key stats: Last season the Wolverines shot 48.2% from the field, shot 38.1% from three, and knocked down 77% of their free throws.

Keynotes: Michigan will rely on talented freshman and potential lottery pick Caleb Houstan to replace the production of former Wolverines forward Franz Wagner (8th pick in 2021 NBA draft).

Most recent meeting: Nov. 28, 2019

All-time series: The all-time series is tied 4-4

Preseason projection: Michigan was voted to win the Big Ten by the media. The Wolverines were also ranked No.6 in the AP preseason poll.

Michigan’s primary strength: "At the onset, we need to talk about what Michigan returns from last season. Dickinson and Johns are proven players upfront, Terrance Williams has shown some potential on the wing, and Eli Brooks returns in the backcourt. Even if that’s a limited group, having two All-Big Ten caliber options and a talented 2020 recruit is a great place to start. Simply put, when a player like Brooks is an “afterthought,” you get some perspective on the talent here.

Michigan's Primary weakness: "If there’s one clear weakness with Michigan’s team this season, it’s the significant turnover from last season. The Wolverines lost three starters and its two best bench players from last season. Even if you love Michigan’s returners and its culture, that’s a ton of contributions walking out the door. For perspective, that’s 66 percent of minutes from the Big Ten Tournament game Michigan played against Maryland last March. Obviously, that’s a lot walking out the door. -Thomas Beindit, BT Powerhouse

Date: Dec. 11, Chapel Hill, NC

Head coach: Mike Schrage (Entering year three as head coach of the program)

2020-21 Record: 10-9 overall, 4-7 CAA

2021 Postseason: Lost to Drexel in the championship game of the CAA tournament.

Returning starters:

Darius Burford, 6-0 So. G (8.9 PPG, 3.3 RPG, 1.3APG);

Chuck Hannah, 6-7, Sr. F (2.9 PPG, 2.8 RPG);

Hunter Mcintosh, 6-2, Jr. G (15.7 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 2.3 APG)

Other key returners:

Hunter Woods, 6-6, Jr. G (7.9 PPG, 6.8 RPG)

Kris Wooten, 6-2, Sr. G (5.8 PPG, 1.1 RPG);

Michael Graham, 6-8, So. C (4.2 PPG, 3.1 RPG, 1BPG)

Transfers: Andrew Junkin, 7-0, R-Jr. C (1 PPG, averaged three minutes a game at Mississippi State)

Torrence Watson, 6-5, Sr. G (1.8 PPG averaged seven minutes per game at Missouri)

Most recent meeting: Nov. 20, 2019

All-time series: UNC leads the all-time series 3-0

Preseason projections: Picked to finish sixth in the CAA.

Key stats: The Phoenix shot 41.5% from the field last season, 32.5% from three, and 74.1% from the charity stripe.

Keynotes: Elon will get the services of Jerald Gillens Butler back after he only played in three games last season because of injury. In those three games, Butler averaged 15.7 PPG and 5.7 RPG, his infusion back into the lineup should give the Phoenix a much-needed scoring boost. Elon will also get Zach Ervin back. Ervin missed the entire 20-21 season due to injury but averaged 8.4PPG as a true freshman.

Elon's primary strength: Head Coach Mike Schrage understands that his team will go as far as senior guard Hunter Mcintosh leads them.

"I'm really lucky to be his coach. He's about the right stuff and the right stuff all the time. He's all-conference for a reason, and he's got a chance to be all-conference academically too. I couldn't be more proud to be his coach." - Schrage

Elon's primary Weakness: Senior guard Hunter McIntosh (first-team All-CAA) wants his teammates to learn to embrace the process for the team to accomplish its goal of winning the conference.

"Last year, we came up short. There's a lot more room to grow and accomplish. But we have to take care of November and December. March will come. We've got to be everyday guys and do the work now." - McIntosh