UNC Basketball ready to battle Ohio State in CBS Sports Classic
The UNC basketball program hits the road once again, as they’ll take on No. 23 ranked Ohio State in the CBS Sports Classic in New York City.
On Saturday, the UNC basketball program will open up a two-game stretch in which they take on Big Ten opponents before the holiday break.
The first opponent comes in the CBS Sports Classic, as the Tar Heels will battle No. 23 ranked Ohio State at Madison Square Garden.
490. . 7-4. 441. CBS. 7-2. 3 PM EST. Saturday, December 17
After losing four straight road contests, the Tar Heels returned home to win back-to-back contests. The hope is that North Carolina can figure out its road woes before conference play gets fully going.
It won’t be easy, as the Buckeyes are currently ranked as one of the top 25 teams in the country. However, if the Tar Heels can put together a performance as they did against The Citadel, this group could be very tough to beat.
Key to Victory for North Carolina
In the Tar Heels’ four losses, they have shot just 41 percent from the floor, including a rough 23.7 percent from beyond the arc. To add to that, their opponents have made almost twice as many three-pointers, and have out-rebounded and out-assisted the UNC basketball program in those contests.
North Carolina needs to come in and play as they did against The Citadel. Ohio State is a tougher opponent, but the Tar Heels must capitalize in some of the ways they did in their last game.
Feeding the post early and often will be the key once again, as getting Armando Bacot going from the start could lead to open opportunities for others to work with.
The Tar Heels can not force shots. If they want to win this game, the ball movement must be as strong as it was against The Citadel.
Something to Watch For
Was the Tar Heels’ victory over The Citadel the Tyler Nickel coming-out party?
The true freshman was outstanding, as his performance was the best so far of his young Tar Heel career. To add to his outing, Dontrez Styles also put together a strong performance, as both players are working hard towards earning more minutes.
Will Hubert Davis rely on his bench as he did a few days ago, or will he shorten up the rotation for this big game? If the rotation is shortened, expect Nickel, at least, to see some early minutes, as his scoring ability is a true asset for this year’s team.
Last Meeting
The last time these two programs met was one to forget for the UNC basketball program.
In one of the worst losses the Tar Heels have had at the Dean Smith Center, Ohio State routed North Carolina by a score of 74-49. This contest was played as part of the ACC/Big Ten Challenge.
The Tar Heels struggled mightily offensively, shooting just 27.4 percent overall. They had just one player in double-figures, as Cole Anthony recorded 15 points. Armando Bacot was forced to leave the game in the first half of play due to a left ankle injury.
Projected Starters
No. 4 R.J. Davis (Jr., 6-0, 175) – 15.2 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 3.0 apg
No. 2 Caleb Love (Jr., 6-4, 200) – 18.0 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 3.3 apg
No. 1 Leaky Black (Gr., 6-9 205) – 6.3 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 1.2 apg
No. 32 Pete Nance (Gr. 6-11, 230) – 13.0 ppg, 6.4 rpg, 1.7 apg
No. 5 Armando Bacot (Sr., 6-11, 235) – 16.4 ppg, 11.3 rpg, 1.5 bpg
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