UNC Basketball: Toughest Matchup Each Projected Starter Will Face in 2015-16

The North Carolina Tar Heels are gearing up for the 2015-16 season, but as good as they are, the year won't be a cakewalk.

After sharing the top spot in the preseason coaches poll with Kentucky, UNC will likely get every team's best shot throughout the year. This could create some serious challenges with a tough schedule from beginning to end.

Between the nonconference and ACC season, a number of elite players could cause problems for Roy Williams' team. In many cases the games will come down to which side wins the key individual matchups.

Basketball is obviously a team sport, but the top players on North Carolina will likely circle a few specific games on the schedule where they will be truly tested. Here is a look at the toughest matchup for each starter for the upcoming season.

PG Marcus Paige

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Toughest Matchup: Melo Trimble, Maryland

When: Dec. 1

Marcus Paige is one of the best point guards in the nation, but this will be a long season for him based on the individual matchups on the schedule. He will have his hands full with conference opponents such as Demetrius Jackson (Notre Dame), Anthony Barber (North Carolina State) and Derryck Thornton (Duke), along with nonconference foes such as Isaiah Taylor (Texas), Bryce Alford (UCLA) and Jack Gibbs (Davidson).

Still, the biggest challenge on the schedule might be in the biggest nonconference game in the nation. Melo Trimble and the Maryland Terrapins will come to Chapel Hill in the Big Ten-ACC Challenge in what should be a matchup between two top-five squads.

Trimble is an excellent three-point shooter (41.2 percent from beyond the arc last season), but what makes him such a dangerous scorer is his ability to drive into the lane and either finish inside or draw fouls. No major-conference player had more made free throws than the Maryland guard.

As a result, the sophomore isn't just a threat to score points but could also put North Carolina's best player into foul trouble. If the Tar Heels want to win this key showdown, Paige will have to be completely focused from start to finish while keeping Trimble off his game.

SG Theo Pinson

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Toughest Matchup: Malcolm Brogdon, Virginia

When: Feb. 27

Few players gave North Carolina as many fits as Malcolm Brogdon did last season. While the Tar Heels played in both contests and won in the ACC tournament, Brogdon still ended up as the game's scoring leader each time, finishing with 17 and 25 points.

With Justin Anderson now gone to the NBA, Brogdon will take on even more of an offensive role this season. Although Virginia's slowed pace won't allow the 6'5" senior to lead the ACC in scoring, his efficient play on both ends of the court should allow him to be a realistic contender for the conference's Player of the Year award.

If Theo Pinson does end up in the starting lineup, he will likely be tasked with being a shutdown defender against most of the best players on the schedule. This will include difficult challenges against Xavier Rathan-Mayes, Damion Lee and others, but no one will be tougher to stop than Brogdon.

SF Justin Jackson

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Toughest Matchup: Brandon Ingram, Duke

When: Feb. 17, March 5

Most of the key players who led Duke to a national championship last year are gone, but as usual the Blue Devils reloaded with a talented recruiting class. Leading the way is Brandon Ingram, who is rated by 247Sports as the No. 3 player in the nation.

At 6'9", Ingram is a mismatch on the perimeter thanks to his athleticism and elite shooting ability. Few teams will have someone with the size and quickness to be able to defend the freshman.

This is where Justin Jackson comes in with his 6'8" frame and versatility. He didn't shown much as an on-ball defender last season, but he will need to guard players such as Ingram if he wants to have a career in the NBA. 

Matching up against Ingram will be a great test for Jackson on an individual level, and if he is successful, North Carolina will have a chance to defeat the rival Blue Devils.

PF Brice Johnson

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Toughest Matchup: Anthony Gill, Virginia

When: Feb. 27

Pittsburgh's Jamel Artis and Clemson's Jaron Blossomgame represent a pair of underrated threats who can put up big numbers against North Carolina, but neither of these teams should provide a real challenge to UNC on the scoreboard.

On the other hand, Anthony Gill could make a big difference in a key showdown against Virginia on Feb. 27. Gill doesn't always light up the box score, but he is one of the most efficient players in the country, finishing seventh in last season's KenPom.com Player of the Year race.

Most importantly, he is an excellent defender with the athleticism to stick with Brice Johnson throughout a game and slow down the Tar Heels' top low-post scorer. Add in his offensive rebounding ability, and he could be a troublesome matchup throughout the game.

Gill averaged 11.6 points and 6.5 rebounds per game last season, but North Carolina will have to look past the numbers to realize the senior is a legitimate threat in this contest.

C Kennedy Meeks

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Toughest Matchup: Zach Auguste, Notre Dame

When: Feb. 6

Notre Dame succeeded last season thanks to its perimeter play. However, the team is now in the hands of point guard Demetrius Jackson and center Zach Auguste—latter can be a real difference-maker in the ACC.

The 6'10" center was often overlooked while averaging 12.9 points and 6.5 rebounds per game last season, but he was huge in the team's run to the Elite Eight. Auguste averaged 16.8 points and 8.3 rebounds per game in the NCAA tournament, including recording 20 points and nine rebounds against the skyscrapers on Kentucky.

This all came on the heels of a 16-point, 13-rebound performance over UNC in the ACC Championship Game.

Kennedy Meeks played well defensively for much of the season and even held his own against Jahlil Okafor, but he will need to shut down Auguste if North Carolina is to survive a midseason road trip to Notre Dame.