Ready or Not, Inexperienced Tar Heels Prepare to Host Irish on Wednesday

UNC has one player with significant ACC experience on the roster.

Ready or not, here comes Notre Dame.

With six newcomers on the roster and four players sidelined — including the lone senior with ACC experience — for Wednesday’s season-opener (7 p.m, ACC Network) at the Smith Center, North Carolina faces a level of uncertainty it hasn’t experienced since 2014.

“It’s been really unsettled … we’re piecemealing things together, ‘Oh, we’ve got a game?’,” Carolina coach Roy Williams said. “We’re not just focused on playing a game; we’re trying to prepare for the long haul, but it’s been more difficult … it’s been the most difficult preseason for trying to get your team ready that I’ve ever had.”

The timing couldn’t be worse for Carolina, which stands to start four players on Wednesday night that have never played — much less started — in ACC game as the Tar Heels play a conference opponent in a season opener for the first time since 1966.

Williams has been outspoken about his opposition to the new 20-game ACC schedule.

The only thing he opposes more is that 20-game schedule starting with a league game that could impact the standings five months from now.

“I see no benefit,” he said. “Now, if I had five guys starting, 12 guys back that all played, I might say it was OK, but I don’t see any benefit from starting that way.”

That’s an area where the Irish certainly stand to reap the benefits after taking their lumps last season as Coach Mike Brey was forced to get away from his “Get old and stay old” principle, playing several youngsters in key spots as Notre Dame struggled through a 14-19 season, going 3-15 in the ACC.

Notre Dame endured a tough season, but that experience could be valuable as the Irish look to return to the NCAA Tournament in 2020.

Charles LeClaire | USA TODAY Sports

Carolina returns a total of 46 starts, all belonging to Garrison Brooks.

Notre Dame guard TJ Gibbs has 69 starts, with 10 different Irish players getting at least two last season.

“It’s not like we’re taking rookies down there,” Notre Dame coach Mike Brey said. “These guys have all played; everybody that plays, has started numerous ACC games … I’m just hoping that starts kicking in for us, and Wednesday would be good.”

That’s not to say the Tar Heels don’t have experience, it’s just that experience hasn’t proven it at the ACC level yet. With senior Brandon Robinson sidelined with an ankle injury, there won’t be time for a learning curve for graduate transfers Christian Keeling (79 starts at Charleston Southern) and Justin Pierce (54 at William & Mary), who are likely starters on the wing.  Behind them, Andrew Platek and Leaky Black, who is still getting back to 100 percent after an ankle injury, will be responsible for helping make up for Robinson’s absence.

“We lose him at the two, three and now Andrew Platek, Christian Keeling, or Justin Pierce or Leaky Black are going to start at the two or three and not one of those guys has ever started an ACC game,” Williams said. “So, just losing B-Rob is more than just one guy going down.”

Cole Anthony has established himself as a leader for the Tar Heels by virtue of his conditioning work and willingness to speak up on the court, while fellow McDonald’s All-American Armando Bacot will get his share of shots, but as good as those two might be, there’s no substitute for ACC experience.

“Talent always wins, but experienced talent really wins,” Williams said. “Experience can make up in a lot of areas for talent early in the season and then we see it again late in the season.”

Brey learned that firsthand last season, and now, Notre Dame is on the other side of the equation.

“We’re older, we’re better, we’re stronger and we’re a little more confident and the league lost a lot of men, thank God,” he said. “Thank God the league lost a lot of men. I think the combination of those two aspects, we can get right back in the mix of this thing and be in the mix for a tournament bid.”