North Carolina has spent most of ACC play searching for a defensive identity. The breakdowns have been obvious, but lately, so has the growth.
UNC still ranks 16th in the conference in scoring defense (82.1 points allowed per game) and last in opponents’ 3-point field goal percentage (42.1 percent). On paper, that’s bad. Where the Tar Heels have started to make an impact, though, is by finally forcing turnovers — even if the season-long numbers don’t show it yet.
The Tar Heels rank 340th nationally in turnovers forced, averaging just 9.6 per game. That’s terrible, yes. But in the last two games, UNC has forced 25 turnovers, an average of 12.5 per game, and turned that pressure into points.
In the win over Georgia Tech, North Carolina’s defense finally translated activity into production. The Tar Heels forced 14 turnovers and converted them into 18 points, a turnaround that UNC head coach Hubert Davis emphasized in his postgame remarks.
“That was huge for us defensively against Georgia Tech,” Davis said. “I mean, their number one way to score is in transition, whether it’s threes, being able to attack the basket, get to the free throw line, make layups, and dunks. One of the things that I told them is in transition, the great thing about it is it’s all dictated by us.”
“If you make shots, take good shots, take care of the basketball, get to the offensive glass, get to the free throw line, you’re never in transition defense,” Davis continued. “That being said, basketball happens. And if you run back, sprint back with a sense of urgency and talk, you should have five on five back, and you’re still in control in transition.”
That Georgia Tech performance came right after an equally important effort against Virginia, one of the ACC’s best offensive teams. UNC forced 11 turnovers, turned them into 19 points on the other end and dominated the points-off-turnovers battle 19-2 — one of the biggest reasons Carolina was able to pull the upset.
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This article originally appeared on Tar Heels Wire: UNC basketball: Pressure defense begins to translate activity into production