UNC Basketball: Trap Games Tar Heels Must Watch Out for in 2014-15

North Carolina is off to an okay start this season, but it may have already fallen victim to a trap game or two early on. The Butler Bulldogs are not quite what they've been in those national championship seasons. That didn't stop them from destroying the Tar Heels in many important facets of their game on November 26.

It is hard to say whether Carolina actually fell victim to a trap game per se. The Battle 4 Atlantis was played in a weird, squat arena, and UNC had no idea what future opponents were in store as it was the first game of the tourney.

Nevertheless, the Heels soundly lost to an inferior foe, one of the ultimate pet peeves of coaches and fans alike.

Then, in the Iowa loss, Carolina wasn't looking ahead or taking anything for granted. The Heels simply couldn't hit a shot. Up and down the lineup, no one could sink a jumper. There was little else to take away from that game.

However, UNC does have a few opponents coming up that it needs to be ready for. If they're not careful, the Tar Heels could lose a couple more games that they shouldn't.

William & Mary, 12/30/14

Not only will North Carolina be facing William & Mary in the midst of the holiday season, one day before New Year's Eve, but it is also the team's final out-of-conference game of the season. It will only be natural to look ahead to the ACC slate in store.

This goes doubly since the opponent is a member of the down Colonial Athletic Conference.

It doesn't help matters that the Tribe has a big scoring guard in Marcus Thornton who gets to the free-throw line in droves.

Notre Dame, 1/5/15

Despite the 15-17 record a year ago, this team is no joke. The Irish are also off to a fast start to the 2014-15 season, averaging 86.3 points per game and shooting an insane 58 percent from the floor as of December 2. That makes Notre Dame the best shooting team in the country by a healthy margin.

And it's not just the slight schedule that has ND cruising. It's also thanks to the return of its best player, Jerian Grant. Grant is off to a fast start himself after being suspended last year for academic failings.

This game will also come right before Carolina has to host Louisville, a textbook look-ahead situation. Notre Dame should not be overlooked.

Georgia Tech, 2/21/15 and 3/3/15

The trap nature of these Georgia Tech tilts has little to do with the Yellow Jackets. They were a poor team last year and should be again this season.

However, it just so happens that the home-and-home with GT coincides with a home-and-home pairing of a slightly bigger rival.

The first Georgia Tech match comes directly after UNC's first game against Duke.

The second Georgia Tech match comes directly before UNC's second game against Duke.

It would be easy enough to have a letdown on February 21. It would be just as easy to be looking ahead on March 3. Carolina should be careful so it doesn't slip up in one or both of these winnable contests.