The No. 8 seed North Carolina Tar Heels (24-10, 12-6 ACC) will square off against the No. 9 seed Villanova Wildcats (20-13, 10-8 Big East) in both teams' first game of the 2013 NCAA tournament.
While UNC may have the more storied program, a better record and a better seed, we all know that means nothing in March. It means even less to a Villanova team that has offed four of the top-16 teams in the AP Poll during the regular season.
The Tar Heels, on the other hand, doesn't have a single win against the current Top 25. They have beaten who they were supposed to, but they've continually come up short against the big boys.
When comparing the two teams, Carolina should run this team right into the ground. The Tar Heels have been on a defensive tear with their small lineup, snatching 9.2 steals and forcing 16.2 turnovers per game. On the flip side, 'Nova is giving up 15.6 per game.
But the Wildcats have some size down low that could counter the speed and athleticism of the Tar Heels' four-guard lineup. If JayVaughn Pinkston continues to play like he did in the Big East tournament, the 260-pounder could be quite the load for P.J. Hairston.
I think we're in for an exciting game no matter what side you're on. Stay right here for live scores, updates and analysis of this tourney battle.
Hairston ripped the webbing between his ring and middle finger against Florida State. He still scored 41 points over the next two games, including 28 in the title game.
It's pretty much inevitable that the Tar Heels will be jacking up threes like there is no tomorrow—and there will be no tomorrow if they don't fall. Shooters P.J. Hairston and Reggie Bullock will need to be selective with the threes they take.
Which brings me to rebounding, where the Tar Heels have struggled mightily with the new lineup. They're only pulling down 36.3 per game, which is right around Villanova's mark. But that doesn't mean they don't need to get off their feet.
UNC is very streaky, and there will be a time in the game the players can't buy a shot. That's when the rebounders need to step up and take over.
UNC will also have to be careful with its turnovers. It is only giving up 10.4 per game since going small, but 'Nova is also forcing 15 per game.
Paige had an outstanding ACC tourney run, where he only gave up three turnovers. But he also had 13 over the two games prior to the tourney. He needs to be the Paige we saw last week if the Tar Heels want to move on to the next round.
The Wildcats have been prone to turnovers, giving up a whopping 15.6 per game. When matched with the Tar Heels—forcing 16.2 per game—that becomes a recipe for disaster.
Four Wildcats average over two turnovers per game, but none will be more important than floor general Ryan Arcidiacono. He leads the team with 2.8 per game, and will likely be matched up with Marcus Paige and Dexter Strickland, who both average 1.2 picks per game.
The 'Nova players will also have to get their hot streak going from the perimeter. That has been a weakness for this Tar Heel defense, and Ryan Arcidiacono and James Bell are perfectly capable of knocking down the three ball.
Both are streaky, but the good streak will need to last 40 minutes to counter the barrage of threes Carolina likes to jack up.
Finally, the Wildcats have to take advantage of their size. JayVaughn Pinkston has about 40 pounds on P.J. Hairston, and they need to get it to their primetime post man to deliver a heavyweight punch.
Mouphtaou Yarou also has a weight advantage over the slightly smaller and faster James Michael McAdoo. Yarou will be looked to to help 'Nova gain the rebound advantage over a team that is struggling to pull them in with the smaller lineup.
Link: [Soccer Live] Mexico - USA - FIFA World Cup 2014 Qualifying
No comments:
Post a Comment