UNC Basketball: Quality Depth Gives Tar Heels More Options, Less Predictability

North Carolina's relatively stress-free 76-60 win over North Carolina Central isn't one of those games that's going to get much mention in the season review. It could, however, be looked back on months from now as the place where the Tar Heels first showed signs of what they were capable of.

While both the box score and highlight reel might show that UNC appears deeper than it has been in years, it takes a much closer look to understand just how important that depth is. And, more importantly, how that depth appears to be interchangeable and can allow coach Roy Williams to mix and match to find the perfect player groupings.

"We did share the bulk around quite a bit," Williams said during his postgame press conference. "I think we'll have five or six guys that, throughout the course of the season, will have 20 points. I've always liked to balance teams; it's harder to prepare for."

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In other words, the 2014-15 Tar Heels are not going to be Marcus Paige and four other guys in Carolina blue. You'll become well acquainted with the names and numbers on those other jerseys.

On a night when Paige scored single digits (eight in 31 minutes) for only the sixth time since the start of last season, his lack of production was far down on the list of developments. Paige, like every player, is capable of having an off night, but unlike last season, when such a situation almost guaranteed a loss, it won't always be cause for concern anymore.

Not when UNC is getting valuable input from fellow guards J.P. Tokoto, Nate Britt and Joel Berry and tremendous efforts from all of its frontcourt players. In Friday's game, Brice Johnson led all scorers with 12 points, while Kennedy Meeks had 10, Justin Jackson had nine, Isaiah Hicks had eight and Joel James had seven.

Numbers don't really tell the story, though, because the opener wasn't a numbers-driven game.

Instead, it was one where Williams got to see how comfortable different players were with each other, such as when he brought out a three-point guard lineup with Paige, Berry and Britt or how he opted to go with four forwards to start. That meant starting not only Jackson at the 3 but fellow freshman Theo Pinson, thus having Tokoto come off the bench.

Tokoto had started the two exhibition games at the 2, but Williams said that he was benched because "he made a mistake in practice, did something I didn't like." Whatever disappointment he might have had about the lineup snub came forth in a very spirited effort. Tokoto had 10 points on 4-of-8 shooting, with five rebounds, four assists and one of UNC's 10 blocked shots. 

"He's had a great preseason, he's done some nice things for us," Williams said.

This was also the chance to see how well Johnson's and Meeks' new bodies looked in real action. The beefed-up Johnson showed more strength and power, while Meeks showed a greater agility and better stamina in putting up 10 points with nine rebounds and two blocks in 17 minutes. His time on the court wasn't a matter of fatigue as much as Williams' desire to give James and Hicks their shots in there, and they both impressed as well.

Hicks had eight points and six boards in 14 minutes. James, hardly used last season, looks vastly improved, as he made both of his field-goal attempts (including a sweet turnaround on the baseline while getting fouled) and all three foul shots for seven points in seven minutes.

It's a work in progress, noted Andrew Carter of The News & Observer, writing that "it won't always be as smooth as they're capable of making it looking. Sometimes, it will rarely be that smooth."

Williams spoke to this at length in the postgame, referring to the poor shooting from inside players and the higher-than-expected number of turnovers. Such things will occur with players who are not used to working together, who when put together will take time to adapt to each other's strengths and tendencies.

A very different starting lineup is likely on Sunday night against Robert Morris—which lost by 27 at home on Friday to Lafayette—as Williams continues to tinker ahead of the litmus test at the Battle 4 Atlantis in the Bahamas in less than two weeks. And as that next game progresses, you'll probably see several more unique quintets.

This could lead to some rough stretches of play during Atlantis as well as in tough nonconference games against Iowa, Kentucky and Ohio State. But by the time ACC play begins, UNC should have a firm handle on which lineups work best in which situations and be playing with confidence and momentum at that point.

Follow Brian J. Pedersen on Twitter at @realBJP.

Read mohere: http://www.newsobserver.com/2014/11/14/4322092/unc-opens-season-with-sloppy-but.html?sp=/99/103/#storylink=cp