Keeping It Heel
Fansided

UNC Basketball: Fighting Irish vs. Tar Heels game preview

By Brandon Griffin

Jan 31, 2017; Chapel Hill, NC, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels head coach Roy Williams reacts in the first half at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 31, 2017; Chapel Hill, NC, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels head coach Roy Williams reacts in the first half at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
3 of 6
Next

Key Players

NCAA Basketball: Pittsburgh at North Carolina
NCAA Basketball: Pittsburgh at North Carolina /

Notre Dame: F Bonzie Colson

Bonzie Colson is the cog that makes this Notre Dame team work. Colson is only 6-foot-5 but leads the ACC in rebounds per game. That allows the Irish to shoot it a conference-leading 24 times a game from behind the arc.

Though they make it nearly 40 percent of the time, it’s nice knowing Colson is there to help clean up the misses. He also allows them to play four guards who can shoot the three, because they can trust his ability to handle the middle against bigger teams on the defensive end of the floor.

North Carolina: F Justin Jackson

Justin Jackson is on a tear. His 20 points against Pittsburgh marked his fourth straight 20 point game, a first in his career at Carolina. Jackson is also hot from behind the arc. Against the Panthers he only went 3-for-9 from three-point range, but has 15 threes during this four game hot streak.

Jackson is playing more aggressive and it’s working for UNC. If the rest of the Tar Heels can figure things out and Theo Pinson can return to the floor, Jackson’s aggressiveness will make North Carolina tough to beat in March.

Home/UNC Basketball