Cardinal Has 3 Weapons Deserving of UNC Focus

The North Carolina Tar Heels travel to Maples Pavilion on Wednesday, Jan. 14, to take on the Stanford Cardinal. This will be a tough place to play for UNC, as Stanford is on a roll.

The Cardinal are coming off a loss to a strong Virginia team, but they won two straight games prior to that defeat, including a victory over top-25 Louisville. Stanford holds an overall record of 13-4 and will be pulling out all the stops against the Tar Heels in hopes of securing a home upset.

UNC, UNC Basketball, Jarin Stevenson — Jackson McCurdy, North Carolina Tar Heels On SI

Here are three Stanford players to watch ahead of the matchup against UNC.

3. Jeremy Dent-Smith, guard

Jeremy Dent-Smith is a new name in Division I college basketball after transferring from Division II Cal State Dominguez Hills, where he spent three seasons. He averaged 19.2 points, 4.6 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game, cementing himself as one of the program’s best players while leading the Toros to the Division II national championship game.

UNC — Jackson McCurdy, North Carolina Tar Heels On SI

Dent-Smith is averaging 6.6 points per game this season but has reached double figures five times. While his numbers do not jump off the stat sheet, he has shown flashes of his potential and stepped up in big moments. Dent-Smith hit a clutch layup to seal Stanford’s upset win over Louisville, securing the program’s first victory over a top-25 team this season.

His minutes have decreased slightly since conference play began, but he could thrive in this matchup against UNC. The Tar Heels have struggled defensively against guards in recent games, and that trend is expected to continue unless there is a noticeable improvement in effort and intensity on the defensive end.

UNC, UNC Basketball — Jackson McCurdy, North Carolina Tar Heels On SI

2. Benny Gealer, guard

Benny Gealer is a senior guard who has spent all four years at Stanford, a rarity in today’s college basketball landscape. He has steadily improved each season, and that work is paying off with a career year across the board.

UNC — Jackson McCurdy, North Carolina Tar Heels On SI

Gealer has emerged as Stanford’s top perimeter threat, attempting nearly six 3-pointers per game while leading the team with a 43% shooting mark from beyond the arc. The Tar Heels have struggled to defend the 3-point line in recent outings. SMU shot 52% from deep, while Wake Forest connected at a 40% clip, and UNC was fortunate to split those two games.

Expect Gealer to put pressure on UNC’s defense with his shooting. The Tar Heels allowed Wake Forest’s Nate Calmese to score 28 points on seven 3-pointers despite entering the game averaging just 10 points. With those defensive issues in mind, Gealer could be poised to set a season high in scoring.

1. Ebuka Okorie, guard

UNC is not the only team featuring a standout freshman. Stanford brings its own in Ebuka Okorie, who has quickly established himself as one of the top players in the ACC and the nation. Okorie ranks eighth nationally in scoring, averaging 22 points per game.

Jarin Stevenson, UNC, UNC Basketball — Jackson McCurdy, North Carolina Tar Heels On SI

This matchup presents a familiar problem for the Tar Heels: defending a dynamic offensive guard. Wake Forest’s Juke Harris scored 28 points against UNC, while SMU’s Boopie Miller finished with 27. Both players average around 20 points per game, making it reasonable to expect a big night from Okorie, potentially 25 points or more.

UNC coach Hubert Davis could turn to Jaydon Young off the bench to defend Okorie in key moments, as Young played a crucial role defensively in the previous game. The Tar Heels will need to adjust their defensive game plan heading into this matchup. If not, Okorie could take over and lead Stanford to an upset victory at home.

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