UNC Basketball: Top Storylines Ahead of Tar Heels' ACC Showdowns

After seven games of conference play, the North Carolina Tar Heels are sitting pretty near the top of the ACC standings with a 6-1 record. 

For the Tar Heels to remain among the top teams in the conference during the next two weeks, they will have to beat Syracuse, Louisville and Virginia.

The crucial three-game stretch begins Monday at the Smith Center against the Orange before the team travels to Louisville on Saturday. The Tar Heels finish off the difficult streak of games with another Monday home matchup against Virginia.

If North Carolina can maneuver through the three games with relative ease, it will only have to deal with Duke on its way to a possible regular-season title.

Here's a look at the biggest storylines ahead of the Tar Heels' three conference showdowns.

Statistics courtesy of ESPN.com.

North Carolina's 5-Game Winning Streak

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Following the heartbreaking loss at home to Notre Dame on Jan. 5, the Tar Heels have strung together five consecutive wins.

The run began when Marcus Paige hit a game-winning shot against Louisville at the Smith Center on Jan. 10. 

Following the win over the Cardinals, Roy Williams and Co. have defeated NC State, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest and Florida State.

Although those four wins didn't come against any of the top teams in the ACC, they did prove the Tar Heels can beat the teams they are supposed to in conference play.

The five wins also created plenty of momentum for the Tar Heels heading into the brutal three-game stretch against Syracuse, Louisville and Virginia.

The Success of the Tar Heels in the Paint

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Through 20 games, the Tar Heels rank second in the nation in rebounding with 43.5 boards per game.

Of the 870 rebounds the Tar Heels have pulled down this season, 36.3 percent of them have been of the offensive variety, which equates to just over 15 offensive rebounds per game.

Against the three stingy defenses they will face over the next week-and-a-half, the Tar Heels will need to gain an advantage on the offensive glass.

Success in the offensive-rebounding department will benefit the Tar Heels the most against Louisville, which possesses a terrific frontcourt player in Montrezl Harrell.

If the Tar Heels are able to dominate on the boards against Syracuse and Virginia, they should be able to exploit open spaces on the court for their guards to hit jumpers.

Marcus Paige's Recent Success

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Since making the game-winner against Louisville, Marcus Paige has put up better numbers in regard to shooting accuracy.

The junior guard, who has scored fewer than 10 points in only four games this season, has drastically improved his field-goal percentage over the last four games.

Paige is 19-for-40 from the field since Jan. 10, and he is 11-for-21 from beyond the arc during the four-game stretch.

While his point totals of 23, 12, 19 and eight are not mind-blowing numbers, he has been able to average 15.5 points per game while improving his shooting percentage.

Entering the Syracuse clash, Paige is now shooting 38.6 percent from the field and 38.1 percent from three-point range.

If his numbers continue to improve during the next few weeks, Paige could hit numbers close to 45 percent by the time the season ends.

Consistent Contributions from Multiple Starters

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While Paige is getting all of the attention for his recent success, the rest of the starting five deserve some credit as well.

In each of the last four games, at least three of the five starters have found their way into double digits. Against NC State and Virginia Tech, three starters scored more than 10 points. In the last two games, four starters have reached the double-digit mark in points.

In the win over Wake Forest, Kennedy Meeks, Brice Johnson, Justin Jackson and Paige all recorded more than 12 points. The victory over Florida State saw the same four players record high point totals. 

If the quartet of starters can keep up those same numbers during the brutal stretch, the Tar Heels might sit atop the ACC standings in a few weeks.

Theo Pinson's Injury

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The program announced Friday that Theo Pinson is out indefinitely with a broken bone in his foot, which means Roy Williams will have to adjust his rotation accordingly.

The freshman guard might not have been the most important contributor on the North Carolina roster, but he was able to give the team depth at the position.

In North Carolina's first game without Pinson, it primarily used a seven-man rotation with Nate Britt acting as the only guard off the bench. Williams did use three other players, but they all played fewer than 10 minutes.

Britt is certainly capable of carrying the load off the bench when Paige needs a quick breather, but the lack of depth at guard could hurt the Tar Heels if they experience foul trouble.

The biggest matchup nightmare North Carolina will face during its upcoming stretch of games will come against Virginia, whose guards thrive in shutting down their opposite numbers.

If Paige fails to find success in the backcourt, the Tar Heels will have to rely on Britt, who is shooting 32.6 percent from the field this season.

Follow Joe on Twitter at @JTansey90.