UNC Basketball: Toughest Individual Matchups Remaining for Tar Heels

Three games into the ACC season, the North Carolina Tar Heels have handled some tough individual matchups to take a 2-1 conference record into Wednesday's trip to NC State. 

Although they have faced a few ranked opponents early on in the conference season, the Tar Heels will not jump into the heavy part of their schedule for a few weeks. 

During that stretch, North Carolina's key players will be forced to deal with some of the nation's top players.

Here is a look at the five toughest individual matchups the Tar Heels will face during the next two months of conference action. 

Brice Johnson vs. Devin Thomas

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Before the Tar Heels embark on their difficult schedule at the end of January and start of February, they have to visit Winston-Salem to face an upstart Wake Forest team. 

The Demon Deacons rank 22nd in the nation in rebounding thanks to the contributions of junior forward Devin Thomas. 

Thomas is listed at the same height as Brice Johnson, but the pair of 6'9" forwards are separated by 30 pounds in weight with Thomas being the heavier of the two. 

Look for Thomas to try to exploit that advantage early in the January 21 game at Lawrence Joel Coliseum in order to get the Demon Deacons off to a fast start. 

Johnson is no slouch down low with 11.3 points and 7.3 rebounds per game to his name, but he will have his hands full with Thomas, who averages close to a double-double per contest. 

Marcus Paige vs. Chris Jones

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If North Carolina's win over Louisville in Chapel Hill is any indication of how the second matchup between the teams will go, guard play will be one of the big keys to victory. 

Marcus Paige finally delivered a strong performance in the waning moments of the second half of the 72-71 Tar Heels win, hitting a game-winning layup to finish off his 10-point day. 

On the other side of the court, Chris Jones was one of two guards who had big days on offense for the Cardinals. Jones put up 19 points alongside Terry Rozier's 25 at the Smith Center. 

For North Carolina to go into Louisville and earn a major victory, Paige needs to get in Jones' face early on the defensive end. He also needs to find a way to make shots to create momentum in a dangerous road environment. 

Whoever wins the guard battle on the defensive end should end up on the winning end of the final score. 

Marcus Paige vs. Malcolm Brogdon

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Paige won't get any time to rest after the Louisville game. He and his teammates have to face Virginia just three days later in Charlottesville. 

The biggest challenge for the North Carolina guard on February 2 will be handling the defensive pressure of Malcolm Brogdon. 

In the Cavaliers' first big ACC test of the season against Notre Dame, Brogdon limited Jerian Grant to six points on eight field-goal attempts. 

Brogdon's reputation as a lockdown defender will be tested by Paige, who will be looking to avenge one of his poorest offensive performances from his sophomore season. 

Against Virginia last season, Paige was limited to nine points and three assists at John Paul Jones Arena.

Justin Jackson vs. Olivier Hanlan

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North Carolina's trip to Chestnut Hill on February 7 may seem like an easy win on paper, but the Tar Heels will be coming off a rough two-game stretch against Louisville and Virginia.

With Olivier Hanlan, Boston College's top scorer, ready to pounce in a potential upset, Justin Jackson must use his length to deny the junior of easy scoring opportunities. 

As we have seen throughout his career, Hanlan is more than capable of putting up over 20 points in a game against a big opponent. 

While J.P. Tokoto may match up with Hanlan on occasion, Jackson's length has the potential to put him under more duress. 

Jackson won't be able to shut down Hanlan completely, but if he can hold him under 15 points, North Carolina should avoid the upset. 

Kennedy Meeks vs. Jahlil Okafor

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The two toughest tests the Tar Heels will face after February 14 will come from the home-and-home series with Duke. 

The biggest weapon in the Blue Devils' arsenal is stud freshman Jahlil Okafor, who will enter the matchup against Kennedy Meeks with the upper hand. 

While putting a double-team on Okafor is an option for the Tar Heels, Duke has been able to exploit open gaps when the big man faces two defenders. 

Since Duke has a conglomerate of players ready to strike when open, Meeks will be tasked with shutting down Okafor by himself. 

One positive sign for North Carolina fans regarding this particular matchup is Meeks' performance against Louisville's Montrezl Harrell. The powerful Louisville forward only earned nine points in 38 minutes at the Smith Center Saturday.

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90.