NCAA Tournament: North Carolina patient, efficient in victory over Syracuse
By Matt Johnson
North Carolina wasn’t flashy in their NCAA Tournament national semifinal win over Syracuse, but they were patient and efficient in advancing to Monday night’s title game.
With collective jaws still agape following Villanova’s record-breaking blitzing of Oklahoma in the NCAA Tournament’s first national semifinal, assembled masses within Houston’s NRG Stadium were likely wondering what the evening’s second contest between North Carolina and Syracuse could offer as an encore.
While it may not have produced the same type of eye-popping final score as the Wildcats and Sooners’ encounter, don’t blame North Carolina if they’re feeling pretty darn good heading into Monday night’s national title tilt.
The Tar Heels broke open a close game late in the first half and systematically held off the Orange at every turn the rest of way to post an impressive 83-66 victory of their own.
Known for their up-tempo offensive attack, North Carolina displayed the type of patience and balance that could net Roy Williams another National Championship in Chapel Hill.
Facing Syracuse’s vaunted zone defense, the Tar Heels finished with 18 assists as a team, committed just 12 turnovers and shot 53.8 percent from the field. In other words, North Carolina was outstanding against the Orange.
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The Tar Heels executed their game-plan beautifully against Jim Boeheim’s squad, taking advantage of precise player movement and excellent decision making to frustrate the Orange at nearly every turn. And as a result, Williams and company have a chance to claim their sixth NCAA title in program history.
North Carolina’s biggest challenge was always going to be attacking Syracuse’s suffocating defense. And in the first half, the Tar Heels were able to break down the Orange consistently, getting the ball below the free throw line on multiple occasions, resulting in short jump shots or strong finishes at the rim.
On the other end, North Carolina’s aggressive man-to-man defense resulted in seven turnovers and several run-outs for transition baskets, leading to a 39-28 halftime cushion.
Syracuse also missed seven of 10 first half free throws, numbers that didn’t help the Orange’s cause throughout the opening 20 minutes.
In previous rounds, Syracuse had been able to make-up second half deficits behind solid in-game adjustments.
Doing so against the athletic Tar Heels proved to be too daunting of a task however.
Even when the Orange attempted to change strategies with a full-court press in the final 10 minutes, North Carolina shrugged off the pressure behind the ball-handling skills of Marcus Paige and Joel Berry II.
Berry, in particular, was outstanding against the Orange. He finished with just eight points, but handed out 10 assists and added seven rebounds to his final tally.
With a day off to prepare, the Tar Heels will now face a Villanova team in a tremendous groove. After all, the Wildcats connected on an incredible 71.4 percent of their shots against Oklahoma.
Nevertheless, North Carolina appears ready for the challenge.
Their front-court overwhelmed the Orange, grabbing 16 offensive rebounds while holding a 43-31 edge on the boards for the game. The Tar Heels also had four players score in double-figures and held Syracuse to 40.9 percent shooting.
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Which team ultimately wins the National Title will be settled Monday evening. Regardless of the outcome, if Saturday night’s semifinals are any indication, the National Championship game will be a treat to watch.