Quick scout: No. 6 UNC vs. No. 11 Oregon. Everything you need to know about the Ducks
North Carolina suffered its first loss of the season Thursday against Michigan in the Battle 4 Atlantis tournament.
Michigan went on a 19-0 run over a five-minute stretch in the second half to break open the game and win 73-64. The Tar Heels trailed by as many as 24 points in this game.
The loss means UNC (5-1) will play in the third place game of the Battle 4 Atlantis Tournament against No. 11 Oregon.
It will be the first ranked opponent UNC has faced this season.
Freshman guard Cole Anthony led the Tar Heels with 22 points and 7 rebounds against Michigan. Junior Garrison Brooks had 13 points and 8 rebounds. They were the only two players to score in double figures.
Here is a quick scout of Oregon:
Oregon’s KenPom rankings: 15
UNC head-to-head with Oregon: 5-0
Oregon’s record: 6-1
Last game: L 73-72 OT vs. Gonzaga on Nov. 28
Head coach: Dana Altman
Weaknesses
▪ Opponents are rebounding 31.8 percent of their misses against the Ducks, which is ranked 276th in the country, according to kenpom.com.
▪ The Ducks’ 17.2 percent defensive turnover percentage is also ranked 276th in the country.
Strengths
▪ Oregon is a deep team. Nine players play at least 12.7 minutes per game.
▪ The Ducks can score. They shoot 38.8 percent from behind the 3-point line, and average 110.5 points per 100 possessions, which is ranked 13th in the country, according to kenpom.com.
▪ Opponents have struggled shooting against Oregon. Boise State had the best success, shooting 42.9 percent from the floor against the Ducks.
Player to watch
Payton Pritchard.
Pritchard, a 6-2, 190-pound guard, is unquestionably Oregon’s best player. He is averaging 18.6 points per game and 5.4 assists through seven games this season.
Also, watch out for Anthony Mathis. He did not play well against Gonzaga. But he is 20-for-37 from behind the 3-point line this year.
Prediction
The Ducks are a really good team, and are probably better than the Tar Heels. They can score and they don’t turn it over much.
Oregon has definitely looked like the better team in this tournament. They came from behind to beat a talented Seton Hall team, and narrowly lost to No. 8 Gonzaga.
And UNC struggled against Michigan.
But I see Roy Williams making adjustments. The Tar Heels could take advantage on the offensive glass, where Oregon has struggled.
They’ll have to shoot the three a lot better. UNC was 2-for-13 from behind the 3-point line against Michigan.
Also, the last time UNC lost back-to-back non-conference games was nine years ago, during the 2010-11 season. They’ll have to do it on the defensive end, though. That’s how Gonzaga did it.
UNC 71 Oregon 67
No. 6 UNC vs. No. 11 Oregon
Where: Paradise Island, Bahamas
When: Nov. 29, 11:30 a.m.
TV: ESPN
Listen: WTKK-106.1 Raleigh; WCHL-97.9, WCHL-1360 Chapel Hill; WBT-99.3, WBT-1110 Charlotte
