UNC Basketball: 5 New Year's Resolutions for the Tar Heels

As we approach 2016, people around the country are thinking of ways they can better themselves for the future. North Carolina should be doing the same in hopes of improving on the court.

While the Tar Heels entered the year as the preseason No. 1 team in the nation, they have had a few disappointing performances and currently sit at 10-2 on the year. This group still has enough talent to contend for a national championship, but that will only happen if everything goes according to plan.

For the second half of the season and the start of the new year, North Carolina has to come in with the right attitude and focus on some key areas that will help the team be successful.

Here is a look at some resolutions to work toward to give the squad a boost going forward.

Keep Brice Johnson Active

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Whether Kennedy Meeks is in the lineup or not, North Carolina needs Brice Johnson to perform like he has over the past couple of games.

Johnson had finally found his consistency over the first nine games, scoring between 10 and 16 points in each contest while posting high rebounding numbers and playing strong defense. However, he has found another level since his frontcourt partner went down with a knee injury.

In three games without Meeks in the lineup, Johnson is averaging 24.7 points and 9.3 rebounds while showing his skill as a dominant low-post player. This includes a 27-point, nine-rebound performance against a tough UCLA Bruins frontcourt in what became an easy 89-76 win on December 19.

The Tar Heels obviously have a lot of offensive talent, but they are at their best when Johnson is competing at a high level. He is always an efficient scorer (at least 50 percent shooting in every game), but the senior needs to continue getting looks inside to keep up this level of play.

Use Depth When You Can

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Injuries have been an issue for this team, but at times it seems the coaching staff forgets it has capable players on the bench.

While guard Nate Britt gets regular minutes, forward Isaiah Hicks hasn't seen much of a playing time boost from last season (14.8 minutes per game to 17.5) despite strong play every time he sees the floor. Sophomore Theo Pinson has also been a forgotten man since senior point guard Marcus Paige returned to the rotation. He could be especially useful on the defensive end.

Freshmen Luke Maye and Kenny Williams have also spent most of their time on the bench, even in blowouts. Maye has at least gotten a few more chances with Kennedy Meeks out.

The games are about to get much tougher in the ACC season, but head coach Roy Williams needs to make sure his best players don't get worn out. North Carolina needs to use its depth to its advantage going forward and blow teams out of the water.

Find Consistency from Outside

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North Carolina is shooting an admirable 34.9 percent from three-point range this season, which is right around average for a Division 1 team. The squad has shown it can be better at times, although the bigger problems come when it goes cold from deep.

While every team has bad days from beyond the arc, the Tar Heels seemingly have bigger swings than most. Even in the recent wins against UCLA and the Appalachian State Mountaineers, they made only seven of 30 attempts from deep (23.3 percent), an effort that could really hurt against other opponents.

This team is at its best when it is driving to the basket, but making open shots is still necessary to keep defenders honest. Although Marcus Paige remains reliable, the rest of the roster is still a question mark.

Without more consistency, the Heels can expect more losses on the way.

Defend with More Intensity

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While there have been some improvements, this remains the biggest issue plaguing the Tar Heels this season.

North Carolina has been terrible defending the perimeter this season. The defense currently ranks 322nd in the country with an opponent three-point percentage of 38.6 percent. The Northern Iowa Panthers and Texas Longhorns combined to shoot 23-of-52 (44.2 percent) from beyond the arc in upset losses.

When opposing players aren't making deep shots, they are driving past defenders into the lane for easy baskets.

The players on the perimeter have enough quickness to stay with their man, but the problem is a lack of focus and intensity. Their mentality has to change if North Carolina is truly going to compete for a national championship.

We have seen the Tar Heels play good defense at times. Now they just need to keep it up for 40 minutes at a time in every game.

Keep Focus on the Road

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Winning on the road is never easy in college basketball, and North Carolina has found that out the hard way this season. The Tar Heels had two true road games in the nonconference season and lost both of them at the hands of Northern Iowa and Texas.

While they should be admired for challenging themselves in the early part of the year, something not all teams do, it also exposed a potential weakness for the top squad.

With veteran players throughout the rotation, the road woes hopefully won't be something that lingers throughout the season. Still, it will remain a discussion topic until the squad finds a way to win in another team's gym.

North Carolina has to spend the new year figuring out how to play the same way away from home as it does at the Dean Dome.

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