UNC Basketball: Battle 4 Atlantis opener vs. Northern Iowa preview
Hubert Davis and the UNC basketball program will begin the Battle 4 Atlantis tournament with a first-round matchup with Northern Iowa.
It’s a busy week ahead for Hubert Davis and the UNC basketball program as the Battle 4 Atlantis tournament is set to get underway on Wednesday afternoon in the Bahamas.
Over the three-day event, the Tar Heels will play three consecutive games, as the only guarantee is their opening opponent: Northern Iowa.
This will be the fourth-ever matchup between the two programs, as North Carolina has won each of the last two meetings. After playing the first matchup in Iowa and the last two in Chapel Hill, the two programs will square off on a neutral site in paradise.
The Tar Heels took care of business in their first three contests, all of which came on their home floor, and will play on the road for the first time this season. Northern Iowa has lost two of its first three contests, with both losses coming on the road.
Game Information
UNC Basketball (3-0) vs. Northern Iowa (1-2)
Wednesday, November 22, 2023
Imperial Arena, Nassau, Bahamas
Tip-off: 12:00 PM EST
TV: ESPN
Key to Victory for North Carolina
The Tar Heels have a size advantage in the front court, which should bode well for what Hubert Davis’ team wants to do.
Feed the big man.
Not only will the UNC basketball program look to get Armando Bacot going, but will also see what Jalen Washington can do following a very strong performance against UC Riverside. If the Tar Heels can assert dominance in the paint early, it will open up plenty of offensive opportunities on the perimeter.
Something to Watch For
Nate Heise is literally the “do everything guy” for Northern Iowa.
Coming into Wednesday’s contest, Heise leads the team in scoring, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks.
Needless to say, he does it all.
It will be interesting to see how Hubert Davis and staff look to slow Heise down. Expect the Tar Heels to have Cormac Ryan or Paxson Wojcik guard him at least to start the game, as the likes of Seth Trimble and Elliot Cadeau may also have their chance to guard him as the game progresses.
Last Meeting
The last time these two programs squared off was November 10, 2017, in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
North Carolina shot 50.0% from the floor en route to an 86-69 victory in the season opener for both programs. Playing without senior guard Joel Berry, the Tar Heels were led by Luke Maye, who scored 26 points on 11-16 shooting to go along with ten rebounds. Garrison Brooks contributed 14 points over 18 minutes of action, while Kenny Williams also scored in double-figures.
Projected Starters
No. 3 Cormac Ryan (Gr. 6-5, 195) 7.0 ppg, 2.7 rpg, 3.0 apg
No. 4 RJ Davis (Sr. 6-0, 180) 14.3 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 2.3 apg
No. 5 Armando Bacot (Gr., 6-11, 240) 22.7 ppg, 13.3 rpg, 1.0 apg
No. 8 Paxson Wojcik (Gr. 6-5, 195) 3.0 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 1.7 apg
No. 55 Harrison Ingram (Jr. 6-7, 235) 12.0 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 1.7 apg
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