Quick scout: No. 6 OSU vs. No. 7 UNC. Everything you need to know about the Buckeyes
It was inevitable that at some point this season North Carolina was going to lose after it struggled to score in its first few games.
However, few predicted the loss would come to unranked Michigan.
Michigan, for its wins over then-No. 6 UNC and then-No. 8 Gonzaga, vaulted all the way to No. 4 of the AP Top 25 Poll. The Tar Heels, meanwhile, dropped one spot to No. 7. And for the first time this season, the Tar Heels will face a team ranked higher.
The seventh-ranked Tar Heels take on No. 6 Ohio State Wednesday night in the ACC-Big Ten Challenge. It will be another test for a team that still has not quite put it all together.
The Tar Heels have not scored 80 points this season. They also haven’t shot 50 percent or better in a game this year, which UNC coach Roy Williams said is becoming a serious concern.
Freshman forward Armando Bacot had his best game of the season last Friday in the Tar Heels 78-74 win over Oregon. He scored a team-high 23 points, grabbed 12 rebounds and had 6 blocks. It was a positive sign for the Tar Heels, who are looking for a second player to take on a bigger scoring role outside of Cole Anthony.
“I feel like I was locked all the way in, and I knew I didn’t like the feeling of losing,” Bacot said Tuesday. “That was probably my first time losing in a year. Maybe longer than a year.
“So it kind of felt terrible and I was really down, and I felt like the game before, I kind of got my butt whooped and I didn’t like that feeling either. So I knew I had to come out and play hard.”
The Tar Heels will need his production if they want to beat the Buckeyes.
Here is a quick scout of Ohio State:
Ohio State’s KenPom rankings: 4
UNC head-to-head with Ohio State: 11-1
Ohio State’s record: 7-0
Last game: W 90-57 vs. Morgan St. on Nov. 29
Head coach: Chris Holtmann
Weaknesses
▪ Through the first seven games, there are few. But Ohio State has allowed its opponents to crash the offensive glass. Opponents have rebounded 27.9 percent of their misses. That bodes well for UNC, which has been dominant on the offensive glass.
▪ No real go-to scorer. Kaleb Wesson leads Buckeyes in scoring with 12.7 points per game.
Strengths
▪ Balance. While the Buckeyes don’t have a real go-to scorer, they do have a lot of guys who can score. Six players average at least 8 points per game this season.
▪ Defense. Ohio State does not allow any easy shots. Opponents are shooting 35.9 percent against them from 2-point range and 28.1 percent from 3. The Buckeyes have the second most efficient defense in the country. They allow 84.8 points per 100 possessions. The national average is 99.4.
Player to watch
Kaleb Wesson. The 6-9, 270-pound forward is a load down low. He averages 12.7 points per game and 9.3 rebounds per game, which ranks 53rd in the country. He’s a big body and he’s strong.
Wesson will be another test for Bacot, who struggled against Michigan 7-footer Jon Teske.
Prediction
As much as logic tells me to pick Ohio State, I’m picking UNC.
Let me explain.
Ohio State is a really good team with one of the best defenses in the country. Its offense, which is the 24th most efficient in the country, isn’t half bad either. I would not be surprised if you see the Buckeyes in the Final Four next spring. The Buckeyes destroyed Villanova, which was ranked entering the season, and beat Cincinnati.
However, all of the Buckeyes’ games have been at home so far.
The Tar Heels are at home in this game, and under Roy Williams, have played well in the Dean Smith Center. The Tar Heels’ last home loss against a non-conference opponent was during the 2017-18 season against Wofford. Before that, UNC had won 22 straight against non-conference opponents at home.
I think Bacot’s performance on Friday will give him much needed confidence heading into this game. He and Garrison Brooks should be able to slow Wesson.
This kind of reminds me of last season’s game against Gonzaga, where UNC used a home-court advantage to beat the Zags 103-90.
This game won’t be nearly as high scoring. The Tar Heels don’t have those same weapons. But I think UNC will pull this one out.
UNC 62, Ohio State 60
Injury news
UNC coach Roy Williams told reporters on Tuesday that Anthony and sophomore Leaky Black would practice some Tuesday on a limited basis. Black is dealing with a toe injury. Anthony appeared to favor his ankle during the Battle 4 Atlantis tournament last week.
It does not appear either will miss Wednesday’s game.
Anthony is the Tar Heels’ leading scorer. He is averaging 20.7 points per game, 7.3 rebounds and 4 assists. Black, who plays both wing and point guard, is averaging 4.7 points, 4.7 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game.
UNC vs. Ohio State
When: Dec. 4, 9:30 p.m.
Where: Chapel Hill, Dean E. Smith Center
TV: ESPN
Listen: WTKK-106.1 Raleigh; WCHL-97.9, WCHL-1360 Chapel Hill; WBT-99.3, WBT-1110 Charlotte
This story was originally published December 3, 2019 at 5:10 PM.
