Roy Williams Previews Virginia Tech

Heels, Hokies meet for first time this season

North Carolina faces Virginia Tech on Thursday in the ACC Tournament Quarterfinals. Due to COVID testing and tracing cancellations, the Tar Heels and Hokies didn’t meet in the regular season.

“Yeah, you know, it's strange because I haven't seen them nearly as much as I've seen some of the other teams in our league, and it's because we didn't play them at all,” Roy Williams said. “We played Clemson once, and we lost that home game. We played Miami once and lost that home game. And Boston College would be the other team that I hardly saw them play. That's Boston College and Virginia Tech both in that same category.”

Usually, when teams meet in the tournament, they’re very familiar with each other after the regular season. But the Hokies and Heels will have a scouting challenge.

“They're a little bit of a mystery,” Williams said. “I have seen them play some but not nearly as much as I have the other teams. They'll be even more rested than we are, and we understand that, but Michael (Young, Virginia Tech coach) does a great job. I saw their game against Virginia and they were off the charts so good in that game. I probably saw a few moments of some of the other games, but their game against Virginia, that stretch that they had in the second half was just off the charts.”

The Tar Heels didn’t have big man Garrison Brooks for the second-round win over Notre Dame, and his status will be a game-time decision on Thursday.

“I have no idea,” Williams said of Brooks. “I have no idea. I'd like to give an update because that would mean I have one. Again, we thought he was going to be able to play up until today. We didn't practice him yesterday except the warmup stuff, and I thought he would be able to go, but it was still bothering him. It's the same thing, the first play of the Duke game when he made the basket and came down on Matthew Hurt's foot.”