UNC Basketball: Tar Heels' Biggest Concerns Ahead of Conference Play

North Carolina played a superb game against the 2-3 zone of the Ohio State Buckeyes in its last contest. With just two more games remaining before the new year and the start of ACC matchups, UNC is on a high note.

However, it doesn't pay to get too optimistic when considering ACC basketball. The conference is so deep and so varied that every night is an upset in the making.

Also, the Tar Heels are playing far from perfect. Even in a well-executed win over a highly ranked opponent, there were glaring problems that reared their ugly heads yet again. With hopes of a conference title, these are the things North Carolina should be concerned with heading into January.

All stats courtesy of Sports-Reference unless otherwise noted.

Three-point defense

With 255 threes already attempted against them, the Tar Heels rank 327th in the country. Fortunately, up to this point, opponents are only connecting on 26.3 percent of those attempts. However, there is no surer way to get upset than to allow an inferior foe to load up on threes.

Against Ohio State, the Buckeyes found a good amount of room on the outside. They took 29 shots from distance, many without much more than cursory defense. If just a few more than 10 went in, UNC would have squandered away a big lead and a big win.

With power and depth inside, it will be behind the arc where opponents try to exploit Carolina during ACC play, and the team can't rely on opponents missing open shots forever. The defense must be extended.

Free-throw shooting

I'll let The Daily Tar Heel take this one: "Williams joked after the game to CBS that all of his athletes might have track scholarships by Christmas Eve. Needless to say, they'll probably do a bit of running when they land in Chapel Hill."

Chuck Burton/Associated Press

Backcourt rotations

Roy Williams is still ironing out his substitution patterns. Against OSU, all of Marcus Paige, J.P. Tokoto, Justin Jackson, Theo Pinson, Joel Berry and Nate Britt played at least 11 minutes.

Jackson and Pinson don't yet have the ball-handling skills to play the off-guard spot, and Tokoto is a borderline fit there himself. He has accumulated 14 turnovers in his past three games alone.

Either Berry or Britt must step up and claim control of that sixth-man spot. As currently constructed, rather than extending the bench, what Williams is doing seems to be undermining all participants.

Berry has played more than 12 minutes in a game three times this season. Whether coincidence or not, even though he failed to top 16 minutes all three times, those games were his most effective of the year.

With upcoming full-court pressure foes like Louisville, ACC play may be the time to insert Berry into a more fulfilling role.

Isaiah Hicks

The sophomore power forward started off the year nicely but has cooled very quickly as conference play has approached.

Coach Williams has attempted to keep Hicks' playing time consistent, which will certainly help a growing player. However, he hasn't always been worthy, and that has shown up in Williams' rotations and when he chooses to insert Hicks into ballgames.

Chuck Burton/Associated Press

Foul trouble has been a concern, but really it's come down to a lack of production. Hicks was active defensively and blocked eight shots through the season's first four games. In the next seven games, he only managed two total blocks.

In the last five games, he has only connected on nine total field goals. His ability to get to the line is also nonexistent compared to the season's start.

UNC really needs Hicks this season. While it has some depth in the frontcourt, Hicks is the athlete at power forward who can run opponents ragged similarly to Brice Johnson. The rest of the bench forwards lack the upside and ability that Hicks possesses.