March Madness: Manek & Tar Heels march past Marquette
UNC basketball’s Brady Manek put up a career performance as the Tar Heels defeated No. 9 seed Marquette in their March Madness opening matchup.
What a start to the NCAA Tournament for the UNC basketball program!
March Madness is now well underway, and the Tar Heels will be advancing to the second round after their convincing victory over No. 9 seed Marquette.
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Caleb Love was the star of the first half for the Tar Heels, as he knocked down six three-pointers over the first 20 minutes of play. However, as good as Love was, Brady Manek was even better in this one.
Manek recorded his fourth double-double of the year, as he scored a season-high 28 points while hauling in 11 rebounds, tied for the most he’s recorded in a single game. The Harrah, Oklahoma native was once again lethal from beyond the arc, as he knocked down five of his 10 attempts, which is one short of the most he’s knocked down in a single contest as a Tar Heel.
Brady Manek's 28 points are currently the most by a @UNC_Basketball player in an NCAA Tournament game since Tyler Zeller and John Henson scored 32 and 28, respectively, against Long Island University on March 18, 2011.
— Pat James (@patjames24) March 17, 2022
When Manek is scoring at the level that he is capable of, North Carolina is simply a better basketball team. It’s very rare to see the Tar Heels lose when Manek goes on a scoring spree, as the team’s first-round contest was a prime example of how good this team can be when their shooters are hitting on all cylinders.
You could tell the extra days’ rest since the end of the ACC Tournament helped, as the Tar Heels had fresh legs for this one. Manek was one of the beneficiaries of a lopsided score, as he was only called upon to play 29 minutes (opposed to the 32+ minutes per game we saw him play during most contests near the end of the regular season). It will be vital that Hubert Davis and his staff keep their players fresh if they hope to make a deep run in this year’s tournament.
Brady Manek is your first ‘Tar Heel of the Game’ award winner for the UNC basketball program’s March Madness run. Which North Carolina player will rise to the occasion on Saturday when the Tar Heels try to knock off No. 1 seed Baylor?
You’ll have to check back with the Keeping It Heel team after the game to find out!
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