Tar Heels well-stocked for run at national title
Duke. Duke. Duke. All anyone wants to talk about in this NCAA Tournament is Duke, and which team could possibly knock off the Blue Devils.
How about the team that has beaten them twice?
The Tar Heels are as much of a national championship contender as any team this March. They begin their quest for the program’s eighth national title Friday at Nationwide Arena against No. 16 Iona as the No. 1 seed in the Midwest Regional.
Cameron Johnson, Luke Maye and Kenny Williams bring experience. Johnson and Maye are high-level scorers, with Williams being the team’s lockdown defender. Second-year player Garrison Brooks has emerged as a defensive anchor, as well.
Then there’s the freshman duo of Coby White at point guard and Nassir Little at forward. Little is a highly athletic player who has shown glimpses of excellence, and White has great passing ability and can score from anywhere on the floor.
There’s a notion in March that teams with great guards go far. North Carolina believes it has one in White.
“I know March is different, but knowing (White), it's not,” Williams said. “The moment isn't too big. He'll just go out and play his game. And that's what I'll tell him tomorrow: Just go out and be you and play your game and we'll come out fine.”
White’s 16.3 points per game is the most by a North Carolina freshman since Tyler Hansbrough in the 2005-06 season.
The Tar Heels enter the tournament off a one-point loss to Duke in an Atlantic Coast Conference tournament semifinal. The two wins they had against the Blue Devils were without Zion Williamson, but it’s not a disqualifier.
Since a home loss to Louisville on Jan. 12, North Carolina won 11 of 12 to end the season, with its lone loss against fellow No. 1 seed Virginia. Only North Carolina, Duke, Virginia and Michigan State finished the season ranked in the top 10 of both adjusted offensive and adjusted defensive efficiency, according to kenpom.com.
So, even though all anyone wants to talk about is Duke, the Tar Heels finished 16-2 in the ACC, one game ahead of the Blue Devils, with a balanced team that’s great on the glass.
“I tell our guys all the time,” coach Roy Williams said, “if you're looking down the road at what might happen, that's usually where you're going: Down the road back home.
Forget streaks
It started on Feb. 26, the last time Iowa was in Columbus. The Hawkeyes lost 90-70 to Ohio State to start a four-game losing streak.
In the 2014-15 season, Iowa won its last six games of the Big Ten season to get into the NCAA Tournament and lost in the second round to Gonzaga. Coach Fran Mccaffery said he doesn’t believe it matters whether his team is on a winning streak or a losing streak heading in.
“We've kind of done it both ways,” he said. “I think you feel better if you came in riding a winning streak.”
High honors
Though it might not get a ton of attention, a game Friday night between No. 8 Utah State and No. 9 Washington could be the best first-round matchup of the tournament. Each team swept the player of the year, defensive player of the year and coach of the year honors in its respective conference.
The Aggies’ Sam Merrill won Mountain West player of the year, scoring over 21 points per game. Jaylen Nowell averaged more than 16 points and won the same honor for the Pac-12. Washington’s Matisse Thybulle is up for national defensive player of the year and Utah State’s Neemias Queta won freshman of the year in the Mountain West along with defensive player of the year.