The stretch from Jan. 28 to Feb. 15 presents UNC with a formidable challenge, starting with a road game at Pittsburgh. The Panthers and Tar Heels are tied with five wins each through their last 10 games, and playing late at night on ESPN heightens the pressure.

White finished second in votes for the NBA Most Improved Player Award. The 24-year-old North Carolina native averaged 19.1 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 5.1 assists while shooting 44.7 percent from the field, 37.6 percent beyond the arc, and 83.8 percent at the charity stripe across his 79 regular season outings.

The North Carolina Tar Heels are just under two months away from the start of basketball season. Some things are going to look different, most notably UNC not having longtime starter Armando Bacot at the five.