3 keys to a win over No. 10 Alabama

No. 20 North Carolina (4-3) hosts No. 10 Alabama (6-2) on Wednesday night in a heavyweight SEC/ACC Challenge contest.

The Tar Heels are riding off a 94-91 loss to Michigan State in the Maui Invitational, while the Crimson Tide arrive on a mission, trying to avenge an 83-81 loss to Oregon in the first annual Players Era tournament championship.

Let’s look at what UNC needs to do to defeat the Tide, who are 10 spots ahead of them in the AP poll.

UNC has found most of its success through its guard play.

The Tar Heels’ top four scorers happen to be guards, as RJ Davis (18.4), Seth Trimble (16.1), Elliot Cadeau (14.4) and Ian Jackson (9) account for most of the team’s points.

If the Tar Heels want to emerge victorious, they will have to deal with these four key players. The only downside that was unfortunately noticeable against Michigan State is the lack of experience, as Cadeau, a sophomore, botched a few layups and had some costly turnovers against the Spartans. If Cadeau can settle in, which should be easier since the game is in Chapel Hill, UNC should have a golden chance to win.

The Tar Heels (9.6) average fewer turnovers than Alabama (12.8), but against Michigan State it was their kryptonite.

The Heels dropped the ball 11 times against the Spartans and some came at the wrong time. If UNC wants to overcome the Tide, it will have to put up a near-flawless contest, as this fire-fighting Alabama squad will have a field day overcoming them.

Finally, UNC has a solid foundation, and that is the warmth of playing in Chapel Hill.

UNC has played in seven games so far, but only two of them have taken place at the Dean E. Smith Center. The Heels can rock and roll on the juice provided by their fans, which is sure to be replenished thanks to the 10th-ranked team’s arrival in town.

Alabama has played just one road game — at No. 13 Purdue — and lost 87-78. In this game, the Crimson Tide proved to be unsettled, shooting less than 45% from the field and 31% from deep (9-29). This means UNC already has a great springboard.

Tipoff takes place at 7:15 p.m. and can be viewed on ESPN.