Old vs. new school final
UNC seeking 6th title while Gonzaga eyeing 1st in 1st appearance
GLENDALE, Ariz. — The NCAA national championship game will be about redemption or recognition.
North Carolina and Gonzaga meet Monday night at University of Phoenix Stadium.
This will be the eighth time that two No. 1 seeds have met for the title. North Carolina is back with 10 players who lost in last season’s title game to Villanova, while Gonzaga is here for the first time in team history.
Here’s how the matchups break down:
Offense
Neither team has faced an opponent like it will see Monday night. Both teams have four-man frontcourts and the game will feature 12 players who are at least 6-foot-8.
The Tar Heels are the nation’s best in offensive rebounding, and 6-10 center Kennedy Meeks (25 points, 14 rebounds) cleaned up in the Final Four against Oregon with eight offensive boards. North Carolina converted 17 missed shots into 19 points.
North Carolina shot 37 percent against Oregon, but Justin Jackson scored 22 points with four 3-pointers. The Tar Heels rank seventh in offensive efficiency.
The status of guard Joel Berry II, who has been hobbled with ankle injuries, could be a determining factor. He shot just 2 of 14 against the Ducks. North Carolina would also benefit from more efficient play by Isaiah Hicks, who hasn’t scored more than nine points in the last four games.
Gonzaga, featuring 7-1 Przemek Karnowski and 7-footer Zach Collins (who had 14 points, 13 rebounds and six blocks against South Carolina), presents a challenge with its size. Guard Nigel Williams-Goss has had an up-anddown tournament but is coming off a 23-point game.
Advantage: North Carolina.
Defense
Gonzaga ranks first in the nation in defensive efficiency.
The Bulldogs have held five tournament opponents to just 34.6 percent shooting, which is the lowest field-goal percentage defense from a team that reached this stage of the tournament since Syracuse in 2013.
They’ve allowed just 61.8 points per game in the tournament, just slightly higher than 2016 champion Villanova (60.6).
North Carolina held a hot-shooting Oregon team to 37.9 percent shooting, including just 26.9 percent on 3-pointers, in Saturday’s Final Four game.
Advantage: Gonzaga.
Coaching
Asked what advantage North Carolina might have on Gonzaga, Bulldogs coach Mark Few simply quipped, “Coaching.”
“Definitely start with that, probably end with that,” Few said.
North Carolina coach Roy Williams is going for his third championship and is competing in his sixth title game. Few is coaching in the first championship game of his career. Advantage: North Carolina.
Intangibles
Some North Carolina players have sounded frustrated answering questions about attempting to avenge last season’s championship loss.
“You’re always going to have that in the back of your mind because it was a heartbreaking experience,” Meeks said. “We came so far last year. But it’s a different team. We have different dynamics.”
Gonzaga could shed that pesky mid-major label once and for all with a championship. But the Bulldogs should already have the nation’s respect for advancing to this title game. There’s definitely more pressure on the Tar Heels. Maybe too much pressure? Advantage: Gonzaga.
Prediction: Gonzaga 76, North Carolina 73