1/5/2017 football Edit

Meeks' Recent Play A Positive For The Heels

After a mediocre stretch, Kennedy Meeks has raised his play over Carolina's last three contests. (Bruce Young, THI)

Andrew Jones • TarHeelIllustrated

Publisher

Andrew Jones has covered sports for 26 years, including all major college & professional sports for daily newspapers & national sites. He's done radio and TV & is entering his seventh year at THI.

CLEMSON, SC – While North Carolina’s turnover and defensive problems have been an issue over the last three games, senior big man Kennedy Meeks’ play hasn’t been an area of concern.

Meeks has returned to his ways from earlier in the season when double-doubles were more the norm and he was a presence in the paint, especially tearing it up on the offensive glass. It’s come at a pretty good time, too.

Foul-prone senior forward Isiah Hicks has averaged 4 fouls a game over the last seven contests, part of a stretch in which Meeks was also fouling, but Meeks has cured that, at least for now, and it’s translated into some sensational numbers.

In the last three contests, Meeks is averaging 14 rebounds per game, and he’s averaging 12.7 points. The 6-10 Charlotte native is doing this while being whistle for just 3 total fouls.

That said, there’s still plenty of improving ahead for Meeks. Tuesday’s 14-point, 16-rebound performance in an 89-86 win over Clemson at Littlejohn Coliseum was huge in the Tar Heels pulling out the victory, but his 5-14 from the floor, chock full of missed chippies around the basket drew the attention of UNC Coach Roy Williams after the game, but also Meeks.

“Those are opportunities I can’t miss, I’ve got to hit those shots,” said Meeks, who is averaging 12.8 points and 9.9 rebounds per contest. “Whether it’s 10 offensive rebounds or however many it is, I just want to go out there and stay there and definitely give my team an opportunity.”

He is, though, and certainly more than for most of December when a funk saddled his game. And with the improved play has also cleared his head some, as evident with some of his other play on the court. In the three-game stretch, Meeks has handed out 9 assists while turning it over just 4 times. And really, he should have even more assists, but some easy conversions on the other ends of his passes weren’t converted.

“I’m just trying to help my team win games,” he said.

Meeks has six double-doubles on the season so far after having just two a year ago. He had eight as a sophomore and two as a freshman.