The North Carolina Tar Heels are headed into enemy territory Wednesday, Jan. 14, to take on the Stanford Cardinal. From the outside looking in, this may seem like just another conference game, but this matchup means more for UNC.
Stanford went into Chapel Hill last season and knocked off the Tar Heels in a tight 72-71 contest. UNC is looking for revenge and will have a little extra motivation this time around. Returning the favor with a win on Stanford’s home court would be especially sweet, but it will not be an easy task. Several players will need to step up if the Tar Heels want to exact that revenge.
Here is who must step up for UNC against Stanford.
Seth Trimble
Seth Trimble has played in only seven games this season after suffering an injury in November. Outside of the Wake Forest game, he has been fairly solid on the offensive end. Scoring has not been a concern for Trimble this season; the bigger question has been his play on the defensive side of the ball.
If Trimble is going to continue logging more than 30 minutes per night, he will need to elevate his defensive performance. To his credit, Trimble took accountability for his poor showing against the Demon Deacons.
“I take accountability for that,” Trimble said. “I played a terrible game. I think if I play what I call a normal game, an average game, for me, we win more comfortably.”
The senior guard will look to bounce back and step up for his team against the Cardinal on Wednesday.
Jaydon Young
Jaydon Young stepped up in a big way, leading UNC to a win and saving the Tar Heels from an embarrassing second-half collapse against Wake Forest. He can serve as a Swiss Army knife off the bench, providing veteran leadership and defensive tenacity. That experience was evident as Young made several clutch plays down the stretch. The question now is whether he can do it consistently. If Young can become a reliable contributor and perform as he did in his last outing, UNC could have something special in him.
The Tar Heels have been searching for a change-of-pace guard who takes pride in defense, and that is exactly what Young brings to the table. The million-dollar question remains: Was it just a special night, or does head coach Hubert Davis truly have a secret weapon waiting on the bench?
