UNC Basketball vs Iowa: Game preview, info, prediction and more

16th-ranked UNC basketball prepares for top-20 matchup with Luka Garza and No. 3 Iowa Hawkeyes

The North Carolina Tar Heels are coming off of a tough loss to the Texas Longhorns for what seems to be the about the hundredth time over the past decade. For whatever reason, the Longhorns — whether it be Rick Barnes at the helm or Shaka Smart — just have Roy Williams’ number.

The Tar Heels’ had nearly a week turnaround from their loss to the Longhorns in Asheville to prepare for the No. 3 Iowa Hawkeyes, and they’re hoping for better results when they travel to Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City on Tuesday. While their defense has been one of the best in the nation to begin the season (14th nationally), their offense has left a lot to be desired. They’re scoring just over 73 points a game, a decidedly low mark for a Roy Williams-coached team over a season’s first four games. They’re shooting less than 42 percent from the floor as a team, and 27.1 percent from three-point range. And their free throw shooting to this point has been shameful.

Perhaps Iowa isn’t the offensive juggernaut that they’ve appeared to be the past couple of weeks, though, given that they’ve only played the likes of North Carolina Central, Southern and Western Illinois, three small schools that have a combined record of just 1-5. Could it be that the combination of their early strength of schedule, and consensus 2019-20 first team All-American big man have over-inflated their 99.7 point-per-game average?

We’ll find out on Tuesday night, though it may not be under ideal circumstances for the Tar Heels as they could be without their leader and top front court player, Garrison Brooks. Roy Williams confirmed on Monday that Brooks hadn’t participated in full-court activity since his return from the Maui Invitational last week. If Brooks doesn’t play, or isn’t at full strength, the Tar heels are at a decided disadvantage, both in the paint and overall.

Key to victory for UNC

The Tar Heels have to win the battle in the low post on both ends of the floor — or at least keep it competitive. They can’t let this game get away from them early, and be forced to rely on outside shooting and play-making from an extremely young and inexperienced back court to get them back into it. Garrison Brooks, Armando Bacot, Day’Ron Sharpe and Walker Kessler need to get looks inside early and often.

On the defensive end of the court, North Carolina has to try to keep National Player of the Year favorite Luka Garza from destroying them. Although the Hawkeyes haven’t played any stiff competition over their first three games of the season, the 6-foot-11, 265-pound big man out of Washington D.C. is putting up eye-popping video game-like numbers. In just 26 minutes per game, Garza is averaging 34 points on 76 percent shooting, 9.7 rebounds and 2.7 blocks per game. Oh, and he’s shooting better than 62 percent from three-point range. A shoe-in for first team All-American, and the likely recipient of the Wooden and Naismith awards, Garza could make it a long game for the Tar Heels on Tuesday, particularly if Garrison Brooks is hobbled, playing limited minutes, or doesn’t suit up at all.

Don’t be surprised if…

Don’t be surprised if the Tar Heels lose this one going away. They’ve struggled against ranked competition since winning the national championship in 2017. They went just 14-17 against top 25 teams over that three-year span, including a 1-7 mark during their abysmal 2019-20 campaign. Of those seven losses to ranked opponents last season, four were of the double-digit variety, indicating a complete lack of competitive basketball against quality opponents during that stretch. And while injuries were a big part of the Tar Heels’ struggles last season, so were youth and inexperience, two things that they have plenty of this season.

Tar Heels’ starting lineup

G – Caleb Love – 11.0 ppg, 2.0 rpg, 2.5 apg
G – R.J. Davis – 12.3 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 1.5 apg
G/F – Leaky Black – 6.8 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 1.5 apg
F – Garrison Brooks- 12.3 ppg, 8.5 rpg, 0.8 apg
F/C – Armando Bacot – 10.8 ppg, 7.8 rpg, 0.3 apg

What you need to know

WHAT? No. 16 North Carolina Tar Heels (3-1) vs. No. 3 Iowa Hawkeyes (3-0) – ACC/Big 10 Challenge
WHEN? Tuesday, December 8 @ 7:30 p.m. EST
WHERE? Carver-Hawkeye Arena – Iowa City, Iowa
TV? ESPN
RADIO? Tar Heels Sports Network
LINE? Iowa -4.5
LAST MEETING? Iowa won 60-55 on December 3, 2014 in Chapel Hill.
ALL-TIME SERIES? Iowa leads 3-1
PREDICTION? Iowa 87, UNC 75