Why UNC Bench Especially Important Against Hokies

The North Carolina Tar Heels' depth has developed into a consistent and reliable feature of the team, and has been a major reason for their ability to stay afloat with Caleb Wilson out of the rotation.

That will need to be the case again on Saturday night, as the Tar Heels host the Virginia Tech Hokies at the Dean E. Smith Center North Carolina enters the matchup with a 16-0 record at home this season, and will look to improve it to 17 wins this weekend.

With all of that being said, here are predictions for the Tar Heels' role players' production against the Hokies on Saturday night.

Jarin Stevenson

Stat line prediction: 11 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 steals

Stevenson has vindicated head coach Hubert Davis' assessment of his role earlier this season, as the Alabama transfer has transformed into a do-it-all player for the Tar Heels since the start of conference play.

The junior center has averaged 12.2 points and 5.8 rebounds over the last five games while shooting 61.7 percent from the field. There is little reason to doubt Stevenson at this point, and he could fill up the stat sheet again versus Virginia Tech.

Derek Dixon

Stat line prediction: 8 points, 3 assists, and 3 rebounds

The freshman guard has struggled for a large stretch, but Monday night was a step in the right direction, as the 6-foot-5, 200-pound guard shot 2-of-4 from the field, including 1-of-2 from three-point range in the 77-74 win over Louisville.

While Dixon's shot has been extremely subpar over the last several games, his ability to make an impact in other areas of the game is telling of how mature and level-headed the freshman guard is.

Zayden High

Stat line prediction: 6 points, 8 rebounds, and 2 assists

Wilson and Henri Veesaar missing time may have been a blessing in disguise, as it forced High into the rotation, and he has flourished in his expanded role.

Since being elevated into a consistent rotational role, which has been a four-game stretch, the junior forward is averaging 10.2 points and 8.5 rebounds per outing. With Wilson still out of the lineup, High will continue to see valuable mintues and should continue to be productive.

Jonathan Powell

Stat line prediction: 6 points and 3 rebounds

The sophomore forward has been a steady piece for the Tar Heels throughout the season, and he should be able to continue that production on Saturday night.

Powell is an energizer off the bench, who tends to hit timely shots when the team is need of a boost during sluggish offensive stretches.

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