Three East Tennessee Players North Carolina Must Keep Tabs On

Here are players the Tar Heels need to take seriously on Tuesday night against East Tennessee State.

Dec 13, 2025; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; USC Upstate Spartans guard Karmani Gregory (1) with the ball as North Carolina Tar Heels guard Luka Bogavac (44) defends at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

The North Carolina Tar Heels take on East Tennessee State on Tuesday night at the Dean E. Smith Center. It will be another opportunity for the Tar Heels to build confidence, and after struggling against USC Upstate over the weekend, this game will be proof of whether the players learned their lesson from the sluggish win over the Spartans.

Head coach Hubert Davis spoke on the 80-62 win being a learning experience for the team moving forward.

Dec 7, 2025; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels head coach Hubert Davis talks with guard Kyan Evans (0) and guard Derek Dixon (3) in the second half at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

• "It's a tremendous lesson," Davis said. "I told them, I'm a visual learner. I can remember things, but if I see it, I remember for the rest of my life, and my hope is that they could clearly see that there is a connection between how you prepare and how you practice in relation to how you play. And I identify the areas that have to be there every day. It's not missed shots. It's not the turnovers. Everybody misses shots, everybody turns the ball over, everybody makes mistakes."

• "I just think the things that you have control over; I think those are the things that are non-negotiable," Davis continued. "You have to bring it every day. That's energy, effort, attention to detail, enthusiasm, and can't use the excuse that we have final exams. I'm married and I've got three kids. I got prepared for this game early."

With all that being said, here are three players the Tar Heels have to take account for against East Tennessee State.

Cam Morris III

Nov 15, 2024; Spokane, Washington, USA; UMass Lowell River Hawks forward Cam Morris III (23) runs the lane against Gonzaga Bulldogs forward Emmanuel Innocenti (5) and Gonzaga Bulldogs center Ismaila Diagne (24) in the second half at McCarthey Athletic Center. Mandatory Credit: James Snook-Imagn Images | James Snook-Imagn Images

The fifth-year senior is averaging 14.2 points per game while shooting 63.9 percent from the field and 54.5 percent from three-point range. The volume from beyond the arc is sparse, but he is incredibly efficient with these opportunities.

Morris III does not offer much in assists and rebounds, but he has scored double-digit points in the last four games and has only been held to single digits in two games this season.

Brian Taylor II

Mar 20, 2025; Wichita, KS, USA; SIU Edwardsville Cougars guard Brian Taylor II (11) is taken out of the game by head coach Brian Barone in the second half of a first round men’s NCAA Tournament game against the Houston Cougars at Intrust Bank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Taylor II is an even more dangerous offensive threat, as he shoots 37 percent from beyond the arc, but unlike Morris III, the senior guard shoots threes at a higher rate. This past weekend, North Carolina struggled against guard play, and Taylor possesses similar qualities to the Spartans' backcourt.

The veteran guard averages 13.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 3.2 assists per game while shooting 52.2 percent from the field.

Blake Barkley

Dean Smith Center | Grant Chachere, North Carolina Tar Heels On SI

Three-point efficiency is a common strength for East Tennessee State's top three players. Barkley averages 12 points and 4.9 rebounds per game while shooting 60.3 percent from the field and 46.2 percent from three-point range.

The sophomore forward has eclipsed 20 points two of the last three games, which includes shooting 15-of-23 across those two outings.

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