UNC Basketball vs Gonzaga: Tar Heels face Bulldogs at home
621 days after the UNC Basketball program beat Gonzaga in the 2017 National Championship, the two teams will meet in the Dean Dome
The Gonzaga Bulldogs take their 9-1 record to Chapel Hill on Saturday night against the 7-2 North Carolina Tar Heels, as the Bulldogs try to avenge their 2017 National Championship loss.
Now, it won’t be the same as their National Championship showdown in Phoenix since this is a non-conference game before conference play begins next month. Four players remain on that Bulldogs roster that reached the Final Four two seasons ago; Rui Hachimura, Killian Tillie; Josh Perkins and Jeremy Jones.
Perkins and Tillie the only two to see the floor that night in April.
Hachimura leads the team in scoring with 22.3 points per game. Tillie is a still a couple of weeks away from playing as he recovers from a stress fracture injury. Perkins and Jones have increased their scoring over the past couple of seasons as well.
UNC returns Luke Maye, Kenny Williams, Brandon Robinson, Seventh Woods, and Shea Rush with Maye, and Woods as the only two to see the floor.
It’s a matchup that rarely occurs as this will be just the fourth all-time meeting. The Tar Heels last lost to the Bulldogs on November 22, 2006, by the score of 82-74.
The Tar Heels’ game against Gonzaga will be in the midst of their tough stretch. UNC lost at Michigan last month during their ACC/B1G Challenge game, and face Kentucky in Chicago next Saturday.
The Bulldogs are coming off a surprising 76-73 loss at the hands of the Tennessee Volunteers during the Jerry Colangelo Classic on Sunday. The Bulldogs were down early, fought back and let a nine-point lead in the second half disappear.
North Carolina expects freshman point guard, Coby White to return to the starting lineup after missing the UNC Wilmington game.
Keys to the game for North Carolina
The Tar Heels need to come out firing and take control of the tempo. The Vols created the recipe on how to beat the Bulldogs and it’s up to the Tar Heels to follow the instructions properly.
The game goes a lot better when the ball goes in the basket. UNC still needs to continue to shoot the ball well from three-point range. The Tar Heels average eight made three-pointers in their wins this season. They would need to make at least 10 to win this game. This will be the best way to keep the Bulldogs defense honest.
UNC also needs to win the turnover battle, and make more free throws than Gonzaga attempts.
Finally, UNC needs to stay aggressive the entire game. When Texas went on a run, UNC got timid. When Michigan went on a run, UNC got timid again.
That can’t happen on Saturday.
Keys to the game for Gonzaga
The thing about this Gonzaga team is that they play similar to UNC; just better.
Controlling the tempo is their bread and butter as they are second in the nation in scoring. Get Hachimura going early and often from the midrange.
Just like the Tar Heels, the Bulldogs don’t like physical play. If they are able to generate their offense from three-pointers instead of in the paint they will be in good shape.
Perkins is the heart and soul of this Gonzaga team. He generates the offense, everyone matches his level of intensity on defense, and he has a high basketball IQ.
What you need to know
What? Gonzaga (9-1) at UNC (7-2)
When? Saturday, December 15 – 7 pm EST
Where? Dean E. Smith Center – Chapel Hill, NC
TV? ESPN2
Radio? Tar Heels Sports Network
All-Time series? North Carolina leads 2-1
Prediction? UNC 94-90