CHAPEL HILL - ACC play is just about here for North Carolina.

The Tar Heels host Monmouth on Wednesday night and then it’s road games at Georgia Tech on New Year’s Eve and at dangerous Clemson on Jan. 3 in the first week of conference play. Carolina’s next non-ACC game after that will be the opening game of the NCAA Tournament in March.

The No. 9 Heels (11-2) know that after returning Monday night from break things will be even more serious, and they say they are ready.

“I think we’re in a great position…,” senior forward Kennedy Meeks said. “Practice when we get back is going to be big for us, especially going Atlanta. They have great fans, and it’s ACC play, so everybody’s coming out to play hard. What better time to play great than now?”

In leading to ACC play, they Heels have notched some impressive victories, but it’s the two losses that may carry the most value moving forward for a couple of reasons. First of all, the Heels didn’t play particularly well in many areas in either game, but trailed at Indiana by just 4 points with 4 minutes left and led Kentucky inside the final 30 seconds in Las Vegas.

The Heels lost both games because overall they were outplayed, but their ceiling was revealed, and it’s significant.

Now add the eventual return of junior wing guard Theo Pinson, who can also play the small forward and power forward position, the latter in pinches and more defensively than offensively, and the Heels will pick up a multidimensional player with experience, intangible skills, someone with leadership qualities who also should derail the positive developments of the season, but enhance them.

Pinson isn’t going to light up any scoreboards, but the Heels don’t need that from him, they need another stabilizing force out there, a player that will be more consistent than what the Heels have gotten from the two-guard position, and something that increases the team’s impressive depth on the perimeter.

“I feel like it’s been forever since I’ve been on the court with Theo,” junior Justin Jackson said. “For him, he’s all energy. He’s been working a lot on his shot, so we’re looking forward to him coming back and knocking down some shots. And defensively, he’ll be able to interrupt what (opponents) are trying to do a whole lot on offense.

“For him, it gives us another option to go small out there… So it adds a little more versatility to our team.”

The ACC is loaded, with six teams ranked and nine of the top 31 clubs based on this week’s AP voting. And the league is deeper than that. So, the challenges are going to be significant and continuous for the Heels.

Pinson’s return is uncertain at this time, and it absolutely will not be for Monmouth and likely not Georgia Tech, but unless there’s a setback in his healing, it will be within the next few weeks, and the Heels will grow from that point on.

They are already pretty darn good as it is, and should get a whole lot better. So, conference play is coming at a good time, and it will be fascinating watching what Carolina develops into.