UNC Basketball: 5 Keys to an ACC Championship in 2016

North Carolina is no longer the No. 1 team in the nation, but it is still a top contender for the ACC college basketball title if it plays to its ability.

This season features more of the same for the ACC, which means a top-heavy conference loaded with squads capable of making a run to the Final Four. Aside from the Tar Heels, teams like Virginia, Duke, Louisville and Miami all have aspirations of winning a conference title, while even Notre Dame and Pittsburgh can't be counted out as potential contenders.

As a result, preseason favorite North Carolina will have its hands full trying to survive the 18-game schedule and come out on top.

Despite the challenge, the Tar Heels have a good chance of taking home their first regular-season title since 2012 if they follow these keys to success.

Stay Healthy

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This season hasn't exactly gone according to plan for the Tar Heels not only because of the two losses, but also the injuries that have held the squad back so far.

With Marcus Paige missing the beginning of the season with a broken wrist and Kennedy Meeks missing time with a bruised knee, North Carolina has played exactly three games at full strength this year. This obviously isn't ideal for a team hoping to contend for a championship.

It isn't yet known how much longer Meeks will remain out, although the latest news has him missing at least the first two ACC games, per C.L. Brown of ESPN.com. On the plus side, it doesn't appear to be serious enough to miss too much longer. 

When the center does return, the Tar Heels have to hope they don't suffer any more serious injuries to starters or other key members of the rotation. As difficult as the ACC is to navigate, it will be much tougher without everyone on the roster competing at a high level.

Play Aggressive Defense

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It's starting to sound like a broken record with the constant discussion of the poor perimeter defense UNC has shown so far. Teams are hitting 38.2 percent of three-point shots against this team with a total of 38.5 percent of opposing points coming from beyond the arc, fourth most in college basketball, according to KenPom.com.

This will especially hurt during the ACC season in a conference that features KenPom.com's top five offenses in the sport, including North Carolina. When these teams are able to get open looks, they will hit them with regularity.

Of course, it isn't just the threes that will kill the Tar Heels. When they are playing aggressive defensively, they are also forcing turnovers, like they did against Maryland (22 turnovers) and UCLA (17 turnovers). Those were two of the team's best wins of the entire season.

It was a much different scenario in the two losses, where Northern Iowa (six turnovers) and Texas (eight turnovers) had plenty of space to do what they wanted offensively.

As good as this offense can be, defense is what will win championships, and the Tar Heels obviously have a long way to go.

Control the Defensive Glass

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While defensive rebounding hasn't been a season-long issue, especially with Brice Johnson turning into a force down low, it has certainly come up against some of the bigger opponents on the schedule.

Texas brought in 16 offensive rebounds in an upset win, including each of the last two possessions to go ahead in the final minute. Cameron Ridley was a force in the post, and no one could handle his strength. There was a similar situation with Tony Parker of UCLA, who had five of his team's 16 offensive boards.

The frontcourt talent is enough for this to not be an issue against weaker opponents, but the ACC season will prove to be a bigger challenge.

When North Carolina faces a team like Louisville, Duke (if Amile Jefferson is healthy) or even Georgia Tech, the Tar Heels could be in serious trouble. Each of those squads can really attack the offensive glass and turn missed shots into easy putbacks. Johnson, Meeks, Isaiah Hicks and whoever else is in the post will have to make sure they don't let this happen.

Keep Attacking the Basket

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North Carolina has had some good games shooting the ball, but this offense is at its best when it is driving into the lane and attacking the basket. Not only are Johnson and Hicks quality inside scorers, but guards like Justin Jackson and Joel Berry are also at their best when they are using their quickness or athleticism to get to the rim.

Paige is the only one who should have a true green light to shoot from deep whenever he wants.

Not only will these types of plays create easier shots for the offense, but if the players don't shy away from contact, it can lead to more easy points from the free-throw line. Considering the squad went 18-of-22 from the charity stripe in the recent blowout win over UNC Greensboro, it's clear how effective this type of attack can be.

Against some of the tougher defenses to crack like Virginia and Florida State, the Tar Heels have to make sure not to settle for threes and instead work to get the best looks possible.

Let Marcus Paige Take Over

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Paige has been incredibly efficient since returning from his wrist injury, but he has taken a bit of a back seat to his teammates in recent weeks. This has allowed Johnson to put up huge numbers and Jackson to remain a top performer, but eventually, the squad will need its best player to take over.

In seven games this season, Paige is averaging just 9.7 field-goal attempts, fewer than he averaged in either of the last two years. This is fine against Appalachian State and UNC Greensboro, but this might not be enough against Miami, Duke and Virginia.

UNC hasn't fared well in close games this year, losing two out of three games decided by single digits. While this shows how dominant the team can be against quality opponents like UCLA and Northwestern, it still remains to be seen if the Tar Heels can pull out close wins.

As good as Johnson and others have been, the best person for these types of scenarios is Paige, who can create a shot almost whenever he wants and get a good look at the basket. The balance throughout the roster will win a lot of games, but Paige needs to take over against top teams in the ACC this year.

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