It’s not exactly the most assumed game it would be before the season.
| WHO | WHERE | WHEN | TV |
|---|---|---|---|
|
North Carolina (7-4) |
Madison Square Garden |
3 p.m. |
SCS |
Fresh off a run to the NCAA Tournament National Championship Game last spring, North Carolina started the year as the preseason No. 1 national team. Ohio State, on the other hand, started 2022-23 unranked with relatively undefined expectations for its performance.
Six weeks later, the Buckeyes are the team with a number next to his name As the Tar Heels enter Saturday’s CBS Sports Classic contest after four losses in their last six games, plummeting out of the PA Top 25 In the process.
The results from each side suggest that the 3 p.m. whistleblowing in New York’s Madison Square Garden may be a closer affair than most might have anticipated a month ago. But while the Tar Heels are off to a slower start than a year ago, let’s not forget they suffered double-digit losses in 2021-22 and still only finished at four. points from a national championship last season.
Chris Holtmann thinks the current team might be able to replicate such a run if they get everything in place at the right time.
“They have another team that can make it to a Final Four,” Holtmann said Monday. “There is no question.”
KenPom ranks North Carolina 22nd overall with the No. 9 offense in the nation in adjusted efficiency margin. Two of the Tar Heels’ losses have come to the top 20 teams in the nation (Alabama and Indiana) and the other two have been single-digit losses to Iowa State and Virginia Tech. This latest contest saw North Carolina enter the field without one of their best players, senior forward Armando Bacot, who was out with a shoulder injury. Since then, however, Hubert Davis and company have bounced back to beat Georgia Tech and The Citadel in sweeping fashion.
After a blowout win over Rutgers in their Big Ten opener on Dec. 21. 8, Ohio State is seeking a second straight victory over North Carolina after blasting the Tar Heels, 74-49, at Chapel Hill three seasons ago.
To monitor
Publicity
Tar Heel Talent Return
If you needed justification for preseason No. 1 status, look no further: The Tar Heels returned 73.3% of their minutes played and 71.2% of their goal production compared to last year’s lineup. Compare that with percentages of just 16.2 and 14.1 for Ohio State in the same categories.
North Carolina has recovered four of its five starters from last year’s run to the national championship game, and four of its top five scorers. Three of the Tar Heels’ top five players are seniors this season, and the other two are juniors. North Carolina has experience to spare and 11 players on the roster are among the top 100 rookies.
Best backcourt in the country
North Carolina’s guard game has been a particular point of attention for Holtmann, who says the Tar Heel’s backcourt is “perhaps the best in the country.” Starting guards Caleb Love and RJ Davis, who each had 30-point performances in last season’s NCAA Tournament, are averaging 33.2 points per game for North Carolina this season. This figure represents 41% of North Carolina’s total score average of 80.9.
Familiar Enemy of the Big Ten
A new face for North Carolina this season is a player from Ohio State who already has plenty of experience over the past four seasons. Northwestern transfer forward Pete Nance is scoring 13 ppg and 6.4 rebounds and started all 11 games for the Tar Heels. A stretch power forward at 6-foot-11, Nance is North Carolina’s best 3-point shooter, knocking down 40 percent of his attempts so far.
In his last outing against the Buckeyes a season ago, Nance gave Ohio State adjustments with a 20-point performance on 7-for-12 shooting.
“He’s just a really good player. It’s a 6-10 gap,” Holtmann said. “Can shoot three, can drive it. Really skilled, can score in the long post, great length. It’s a great recovery for them, because he’s a very good player.
Three Important Buckeyes
Zed Key
Returning to his home state this weekend, the Bay Shore, New York native can continue the recent run that made him both Ohio State’s leading scorer (14.3 points per game) and the rebounder (8.7 rebounds). Key’s has scored 20 or more points in two of the last three games, and he set a new career high with 22 last time out against Rutgers. Key is averaging 18 points per game with 80.8 percent shooting over that streak and has missed just three of his 23 2-point shot attempts.
Brice Sensabaugh
Assuming Isaac Likekele came out again for Ohio State as he takes care of family business in Texas, the freshman wing is expected to make his second straight start for the Buckeyes. In 31 minutes against Rutgers, his heaviest workload of the season, Sensabaugh scored 13 points on 5-for-11 shooting, including 3 for 4 from 3-pointers. But the last time Ohio State played a top-notch program, Sensabaugh had his worst game of the season against Duke, finishing with more fouls (five) than points (four) in just 14 minutes of action. .
Tanner Holden
The hero of Ohio State’s one-point victory over Rutgers, a game-winning buzzer-beater, was perhaps just what Holden needed to really kick off his freshman year at Columbus. After racking up 12 points in the season opener, the transfer from Wright State is averaging just 3.9 points over the next eight games. Even after his last-second uprising against the Scarlet Knights, Holden only finished with three points on December 21. 8. But this shot could be a jumpstart for Holden’s confidence on offense, and the Buckeyes could definitely use it against last year’s National finalist.
A WALK-OFF 3 FOR @OhioStateHoops pic.twitter.com/fprzioLyeD
– Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) December 9, 2022
Three important tar heels
Caleb Love
|
Player |
Position |
Height |
Weight |
Season statistics |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
CALEB’S LOVE |
g |
6-4 |
200 |
18.0 PPG, 3.4 APG |
|
RJ DAVIS |
g |
6-0 |
175 |
15.2 PPG, 5.2 RPG |
|
LEAK BLACK |
F |
6-9 |
205 |
6.3PPG, 5.6RPG |
|
PETE NANCE |
F |
6-11 |
230 |
13.0PPG, 6.4RPG |
|
ARMANDO BACOT |
F |
6-11 |
235 |
16.4 PPG, 11.3 RPG |
North Carolina’s leading scorer is averaging a career-high 18 points per game as Love is having his most efficient season yet for the Tar Heels. The five-star 2020 rookie is shooting a career-best 41.8% from the field, and his clip of 51.5% from 2-point range is nearly 14% better than what he averaged there one year old. The 6-foot-4 guard is shooting just 28.8 percent from range, but that hasn’t stopped him from scoring 20 points four times this season, including a 34-point outburst against Alabama. Love also leads the Tar Heels with an average of 3.4 assists per game.
RD Davis
Another top-50 guard in the 2020 class, Davis is contributing 15.2 points per game as North Carolina’s third-leading scorer so far this season. The only Tar Heel to average more shot attempts per game than Love, Davis knocked down 42% of his field goals and 29.2% of his 3-point attempts. Despite being at 6 feet to par, Davis is also one of the most productive rebounders on the roster averaging 5.2 per game — fourth among the Tar Heels this season.
Armand Bacot
One of two Tar Heels (along with Love) to make the Final Four All-Tournament team last spring, Bacot has been just as productive as a senior as he was in 2021-22. The 6-foot-11 forward is averaging 16.4 points (No. 2 for UNC) and a team-leading 11.3 rebounds per game. In fact, Bacot is shooting nearly five more rebounds per night than any of his teammates. Although he missed the Virginia Tech game after injuring his shoulder against Indiana on Nov. 2. 30, Bacot has bounced back to play in the Tar Heels’ last two wins over Georgia Tech and The Citadel.
“Size and physique, I think that’s the most important thing,” Holtmann said. “Can score in the low post. He’s just an extremely talented player.
How’s it going
Line: North Carolina -1, O/U: 151.5
At best, North Carolina should be able to edge out Ohio State, given their talent and experience. But in light of their recent results, it looks like the Tar Heels need more time to regain their form after last year’s impressive run in the NCAA Tournament. The Buckeyes have held on to every opponent they’ve faced so far, and I wouldn’t be surprised if they make a few more late plays to earn a win in the MSG spotlight.
Prediction: Ohio State 73, North Carolina 72
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