UNC To Face Villanova For First Time Since 2016 National Title

UNC has its opponent for the second round!

North Carolina is set to take on Villanova in the second round of the Battle 4 Atlantis tournament. The Tar Heels defeated Northern Iowa, while the Wildcats took down Texas Tech and former UNC wing Kerwin Walton. These two squads haven’t played each other since the 2016 national title. Carolina will be looking for revenge.

Who and What to Watch

‘Nova has an upperclassmen-led team that is very balanced. Justin Moore is a guy UNC wanted if he had hit the portal. TJ Bamba, a transfer from Washington State, is a guy you can’t let get going. Senior forward Eric Dixon seems like he has been there forever, and he is a solid presence for their team. The Wildcats sit at 3-1, with the lone loss being to Penn.

Can UNC Stay Hot?

North Carolina really struggled in the first half against Northern Iowa. Coming out of halftime, The Heels were much more engaged. UNC scored 56 points in the second half while shooting 9/13 from three. Northern Iowa focused on not letting Armando Bacot be comfortable in the post. When he kicked it out and the Tar Heels couldn’t hit a three, it resulted in the Panthers pushing the lead. In the second half, Carolina was hitting, forcing Northern Iowa to guard the perimeter tightly, leaving Bacot and the paint open for one-on-ones. If the Tar Heels are shooting well, watch out.

Tomorrow, UNC should have a major advantage down low.

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