Five Things to Watch as UNC meets Winston-Salem State in Hoops Exhibition

The Tar Heels play host to their only exhibition on Friday night

Wendell Cruz | USA TODAY Sports

North Carolina plays host to Winston-Salem State on Friday night in what will be the Tar Heels’ only public exhibition game, as the Tar Heels met Villanova on Sunday in a closed scrimmage.

Carolina’s focus will be internal in this one, as the Rams, a Division II program who went 12-15 last season, will be overmatched.

Here’s what the Tar Heels will be looking to find out about themselves at the Smith Center:

Tough Enough?

Per Gregory Hall of Inside Carolina, Roy Williams wasn’t exactly pleased with his team’s toughness during a practice that was open to students on Tuesday afternoon.

Roy Williams to students in attendance: “Right now guys, we’ve got the softest team in the country”

— Gregory Hall (@gregoryhall_) October 29, 2019

It echoes what the coach shared after Carolina’s scrimmage with Villanova.

“They were much more aggressive than we were in the first part of the scrimmage,” Williams said. “We got more in line with the way we want to play after that."

More than any scouting report or X-and-O’s, it would figure that Williams has spent the rest of the week challenging his team to come out and play with an edge.

Look for Garrison Brooks and Brandon Robinson to set the tone in that regard. Those who get in line and bring the same intensity of a February ACC matchup will be rewarded with playing time.

It would certainly be a concern if there’s a lapse across the board in that regard.

Catalina Fragoso | USA TODAY Sports

Cole World

The hype and expectations around Cole Anthony just keep rising, and in Sunday’s scrimmage, the freshman delivered with 28 points to lead the Tar Heels.

A preseason All-ACC and rookie of the year pick, Anthony’s competitive debut in the Smith Center will be the most anticipated since that of Harrison Barnes.

He’s shown glimpses of his scoring ability in the high-school all-star games and during Late Night with Roy, but on Friday, fans will get their first look at exactly how Anthony fits into a Carolina system that allows a point guard to impact the game more than anyone on the floor.

Anthony has impressed his coaches and teammates with his maturity since arriving, already becoming one of the most vocal Tar Heels and a player who never takes a rep off in drills.

Leaky’s Fit

Anthony will garner the most attention this season, but there’s no player more intriguing on the roster than sophomore Leaky Black.

A 6-7, 185-pound forward, Black was originally an elite point guard prospect before hitting a growth spurt, and he hasn’t lost that ability, as Williams said at ACC Operation Basketball that, aside from Anthony, he feels most comfortable with the ball in Black’s hands.

Injured for much of last season, Black showed flashes of becoming a Theo Pinson-like playmaker for the Tar Heels.

His length and versatility this season will be the key for a number of lineup combinations for Carolina, especially if he’s able to emerge as a capable rebounder at his position.

Bacot Buckets

Overshadowed by Anthony, it’s almost forgotten that the 6-10, 230-pound Bacot was a top-30 recruit and McDonald’s All-American.

Carolina’s second-leading scorer with 18 points in the scrimmage vs. Villanova, any questions about his role this season were seemingly answered.

The big man has transformed his body over the past two years and has a smooth scoring touch, even out to the mid-range. If he can defend and rebound at a reasonable level, there’s no reason to think he won’t be the No. 2 option.

Carolina hasn’t had a true post scoring option since Kennedy Meeks, and Bacot should have plenty of opportunities on Friday night.

Lineup Fits

Given Williams preference for playing two big men, it figures that Cole Anthony, Garrison Brooks and Armando Bacot are set in the starting lineup. Anthony and Bacot both bring scoring while Brooks is Carolina’s best defender and a veteran leader.

From there, there are four candidates for two spots with Black, senior Brandon Robinson and graduate transfers Christian Keeling and Justin Pierce.

Ultimately, it will come down to what the Tar Heels need out of those two players: Black could be a playmaker with the potential to play 1-4, while Keeling brings scoring and experience and Pierce provides shooting and rebounding. Robinson has emerged as a leader who has always handled his role well, coming off the bench to knock down shots and use his length as a defender.

Behind them, just how deep will Carolina go into its bench? Andrew Platek didn’t have much of a role last season, while K.J. Smith and Ryan McAdoo have the chance to earn a few minutes. Among the big men, will Brandon Huffman earn a spot in the rotation, or could Walker Miller be an option in a thin frontcourt?