Tar Heels Basketball: Game Preview UNC vs. UCLA
On December 19, 2015, the No. 11-ranked North Carolina Tar Heels march into the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York to face the No. 22-ranked UCLA Bruins. This will be an interesting matchup when considering the coaches and the players. Steve Alford, former point guard who led the Indiana Hoosiers to a 1987 national championship, coaches UCLA. His team mirrors North Carolina’s squad almost identically. For example, UCLA has five players who average double figures in points (Bryce Alford, Tony Parker, Isaac Hamilton, Thomas Welsh, Aaron Holiday). Alford utilizes an eight-man rotation. Roy Williams’s uses a nine-man rotation on a regular basis; slightly different.
Like Alford, Williams has a championship, in fact, two. However, he won his titles as a coach, not as a player.
Both teams have star guards who average 17 points and five assists. UCLA’s Alford averages 16.9 points and 5.4 assists while UNC’s Marcus Paige averages 17.3 points and 4.8 assists. Both teams have high-scoring offenses. UCLA averages 80 points per game, while UNC averages 85 points per game. In addition, both teams rebound very well. UCLA and UNC maintain identical averages of 41 rebounds per game.
Both teams have relatively large front courts. UCLA’s Welsh and Parker are 6’9″ 260 lbs. and 7’0″ 245 lbs. respectively. UNC’s Brice Johnson is 6’9″ 228 lbs. and Joel James is 6’10” 280 lbs.
Major differences between both teams are that UCLA has played better teams. Early in the current season, UCLA has beaten No. 1 Kentucky (87-77) and No. 20 Gonzaga (71-66). However, UCLA has losses against Monmouth (84-81), No. 5 Kansas (92-73) and Wake Forest (80-77). Although UNC beat No. 2-ranked Maryland (89-81), they lost to unranked Northern Iowa (71-67) and Texas (84-82). UCLA reminds me of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. You never know which team will show up. When they were victorious against Kentucky, they looked like one of the top teams in the nation. The loss to Monmouth may come across as shocking initially. Keep in mind that Monmouth is coached by former Tar Heel basketball player, King Rice. Moreover, Monmouth upset Georgetown recently, which validates UCLA’s loss to them.
Ironically, UNC has a Jekyll and Hyde two-faced identity as well. Similar to other seasons, the Tar Heels play down to their competition. They fail at closing out games that should be obvious wins. Another difference between both teams is that North Carolina will be short-handed. Kennedy Meeks will miss his second game on Saturday due to an injured knee. Last game, center Joel James started in place of Meeks against Tulane on Wednesday night. Williams may opt to stay with James as a starter or he could go smaller with Hicks. James’s defense is underrated. He may be UNC’s best low post defender. However, Hicks’s play is underrated. Hicks could possibly be the best all-around low post player for Carolina. He is the only one who plays with a chip on his shoulder and he is aggressive around the rim, unlike many of his teammates. UCLA has the advantage in the low post with the absence of Meeks. James must come up big for Carolina to win this game. He will have his hands full defending UCLA’s big men.
The perimeter players for both teams cancel each other out. UCLA has guards that can match UNC’s pound for pound. Alford versus Paige will be the best matchup of the game. This game will not be a walk in the park for either team. Expect a hard-fought game that is close. Alford and Paige will put on a scoring clinic that will surely amaze everyone in attendance (and in TV land). However, the absence of Meeks will be significant. More players will have to step up and compensate for Meeks’s 12 points and seven rebounds. UCLA’s home court advantage will be important as well. UNC needs to lean on Paige, Berry, Jackson, Johnson and Hicks to secure a win. UCLA will be ready to play Carolina. They have been tested with several good teams. This game will have the atmosphere of a matchup during March Madness. Advantage: UCLA
Score: 89-86
Channel: CBS
Time: 1:00 pm