UNC Basketball: Trap Games Tar Heels Must Watch out for in 2015-16

With a win over No. 2 Maryland, the North Carolina men's basketball team showed it has the ability to beat anyone in the nation. However, there could still be some bumps along the road this season.

Marcus Paige's return to the lineup was a big boost for the Tar Heels, which won an 89-81 battle of heavyweights Tuesday night. The point guard finished with 20 points and five assists in 34 minutes in his first game of the season, while the rest of the team played with an intensity unseen so far this year.

The problem is UNC clearly won't be able to shoot 69 percent from three-point range all season, and opposing teams also won't turn the ball over 22 times in a game. These both happened against the Terrapins, but there will be more challenging games on the horizon, even with Paige at 100 percent.

While teams like Duke, Virginia and Louisville will provide obvious challenges in the ACC and nonconference foes like UCLA and Texas won't sneak up on you, many times, it is the lesser-known opponent that pulls off the upset. Here is a look at some potential trap games North Carolina might be overlooking on the schedule.

Dec. 6 vs. Davidson

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After a huge showing on national television against an elite opponent like Maryland, it's understandable to have a bit of a letdown in intensity the next game. This would not be ideal against a team like Davidson.

Although NBA MVP Stephen Curry isn't coming back, the Wildcats are plenty good without him. They are off to a 5-0 start to the year and are starting to prove themselves as one of the top mid-majors in the nation.

Davidson is one of the few teams that can run with the Tar Heels with a fast-paced attack that produces a lot of points. The team is averaging 88.2 points per game this year behind junior Jack Gibbs and his 26 points per game. He is coming off a 41-point effort against Charlotte where he shot 14-of-17 from the field (6-of-7 from three).

Between Gibbs, Brian Sullivan and Peyton Aldridge, this is a high-powered attack that North Carolina will struggle to contain. Unlike Maryland, however, Davidson doesn't turn the ball over. According to KenPom.com, the team leads the nation in turnover percentage, giving opponents fewer opportunities for stops.

UNC's size will be a big advantage in this game, but this will be a tough battle throughout.

Jan. 4 at Florida State

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Last season, Xavier Rathan-Mayes was the only legitimate scorer for Florida State, and if he struggled, the team was likely blown out. This year, the sophomore has barely been needed.

Malik Beasley and Dwayne Bacon have been two of the best freshman scorers in the nation this season, each capable of putting up 20-point games with regularity. Both remain a bit under the radar nationally, but these bigger guards are incredibly difficult to defend and will keep excelling throughout the year.

Of course, Rathan-Mayes can still be trusted to make big plays when needed, as well as seniors Montay Brandon or Devon Bookert.

Add in a frontcourt rotation anchored by 7'3" senior Boris Bojanovsky, and this is a group that will be tough to beat, even for a team as good as the Tar Heels.

While close losses to Hofstra and Iowa were certainly disappointing at this early stage of the year, this squad will only get better in the coming months and should remain a serious threat in the ACC this season.

Dec. 30 vs. Clemson

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Few teams will be able to match North Carolina's frontcourt this season, but Clemson is one under-the-radar squad that can give the Tar Heels a run for their money.

Although both were relatively quiet in the recent win over South Carolina Upstate, Jaron Blossomgame and Donte Grantham are versatile offensive scorers who can score from anywhere on the court. The two forwards could either cause problems for Justin Jackson in the post or Brice Johnson on the perimeter, making them tough to match up against.

Meanwhile, center Landry Nnoko has proven himself as an elite rim protector throughout his career, and he can help prevent either Johnson or Kennedy Meeks from getting easy baskets in the paint.

With this type of effort in the frontcourt and a set of guards who can take care of the basketball, this could be a challenging matchup for the Tar Heels early in the ACC season.

Feb. 14 vs. Pittsburgh

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Pittsburgh suffered its first loss of the season Tuesday at the hands of a good Purdue team, but the Panthers still have a squad no one should want to face this season.

Not only does Pittsburgh have all the tools of a talented team, it is also an experienced roster with seniors James Robinson and Sterling Smith and junior Jamel Artis leading the way. Meanwhile, junior Michael Young has been a monster this season with averages of 17.6 points, 8.8 rebounds and 4.4 assists per game.

This team can score in a variety of ways and makes smart decisions all over the court, which makes it a dangerous opponent.

To make this a tougher matchup for North Carolina, this game comes three days before the first matchup against Duke. With the players likely focusing on the rivalry, it would be easy to overlook a home battle against Pitt.

The problem is if the Tar Heels do lose their focus in this game, it will be a disappointing home loss.

Feb. 20 vs. Miami (FL)

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The final six games of the regular season feature two games against Duke, road battles at Virginia and North Carolina State as well as home games against Syracuse and Miami. It's easy for the last two to get lost in the shuffle, but each could provide serious challenges even in Chapel Hill.

Miami could especially be a difficult battle for North Carolina due to the matchup.

The Hurricanes have an elite backcourt in Angel Rodriguez and Sheldon McClellan, two seniors who have seemingly been in college for decades. They have tons of experience in big games and have the ability to dominate the Tar Heels offensively with pick-and-rolls all game long.

However, the biggest challenge might come in the frontcourt with the presence of Tonye Jekiri, who is one of the top defensive big men in the country. After averaging 9.9 rebounds last season, he is up to 10.3 per game this year to go with 1.6 blocks per game. He uses his 7'0" frame to make things tough on opposing forwards when it comes to both scoring and rebounding.

Johnson and Meeks have been impressive this year, but both could struggle against a bigger opponent like this. While there are more complete teams in the ACC, Miami could be one of the toughest home wins of the year for the Tar Heels.

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