ACC Tournament pick: North Carolina to make Capital cash

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When my now 17 year-old son was a wee little lad, we dealt with the trials and tribulations of potty training just like every other exasperated parent. For weeks nothing worked, until one day a stroke of genius fired in the cranium — the pooping shark.

Knowing our son was obsessed with a book about the meat-eating sea killers, we purchased a soft rubber-coated Great White at the local toy store. When introduced to it, he naturally went nuts. But there was a catch. He had to do his business properly. It took two weeks. Achievement unlocked. And a little boy, in the greatest way possible, lost his damn mind. 

With conference tournaments among high-major teams about to get underway, a number of notable schools are vying for not No. 2 — but No. 1.

ACC Tournament pick: North Carolina (+150, DraftKings)

Just call me “chalky white.” Hey, living in the cloud-blanketed midwest and with meteorological winter still holding on, natural Vitamin D sessions are rare. The current complexion is quite ghostlike. The proposed nickname most definitely applies.

My bleached skin tone aside, Carolina is the unquestioned class of a largely lackluster ACC. Witnessed in Saturday’s buzzer-to-buzzer smacking of Duke in Durham, where the visitors vocalized their jubilation afterward, the Tar Heels have unquestionable deep-run potential when the main March show begins. What occurs in D.C. could be a tasty appetizer.

[ Bracket Big Board: Brad Evans’ NCAA Tournament projections ]

Hubert Davis’ regular-season champs trail, coincidentally enough, Duke in BartTorvik’s metrics since Feb. 1. Over that 11-game stretch, UNC is top-25 nationally in offensive and defensive efficiency, surrendering a stifling 0.954 points per possession. That’s stellar balance.

On the offensive end, Carolina makes crisp passes, rarely turns over the rock and consistently converts shots from various spots. In their last six games, the Heels are netting 50.4% from two and 36.4% from three. Armando Bacot’s brutality inside and RJ Davis’ categorical splashes, especially from distance (41.6 3PT%) present quite the strategic pickle for opposing coaches. Harrison Ingram’s versatility and Cormac Ryan’s marksmanship only increase the challenge.

On the defensive end, UNC uncharacteristically has guarded soundly and consistently throughout the season. Since Feb. 10, the Heels are No. 14 nationally in effective field-goal percentage defense, yielding 38.9% (!!!) from two. Also elite defending the glass, Bacot is the definition of “disruptive” inside. Scoring on him and his teammates is no simple task.

Remarkably, North Carolina has won the ACC Tournament only once since 2009 (in 2016). However, still in contention for a No. 1 NCAA Tournament seed, the Tar Heels should rain down sunshine on those willing to back, including this block of mozzarella.