North Carolina Basketball: 3 keys for the Tar Heels against Gonzaga

CHAPEL HILL, NORTH CAROLINA - DECEMBER 05: Kai Toews #10 of the North Carolina-Wilmington Seahawks drives against Sterling Manley #21 of the North Carolina Tar Heels during the second half of their game at the Dean Smith Center on December 05, 2018 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. North Carolina won 97-69. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images) /

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Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images /

1. Control the tempo

The North Carolina Tar Heels like to play a fast-paced game, which was the Bulldogs kryptonite in their last loss to the Tennessee Volunteers. In that one, forward Admiral Schofield went off for 30 points on 6-of-10 3-point shooting as the Volunteers pushed the pace in transition a lot more in the second half and it made a difference as it got them open 3-pointers.

North Carolina has an eerily similar strategy and it’s shown in their production. The Tar Heels are averaging 93.3 points per game this season behind the scoring of senior forward Cameron Johnson (15.7 ppg) and freshman guard Coby White (15.3 ppg).

Johnson is 44.1 percent from 3-point range this season and averaging 2.2 3-pointers per game. White is shooting 41.9 percent from 3-point land and making 2.3 shots from behind the arc.

They aren’t volume shooters from behind the arc but when a guy like White gets going, look out. He made 7-of-10 3-pointers against the Texas Longhorns back on Nov. 22 in a loss. So, leaving him open could be a bad idea.

Next. Key storylines for UNC vs. Gonzaga. dark

With homecourt advantage on their side, the Tar Heels will need to do their best to control the tempo and keep the crowd involved. If they can manage that, a victory could be there to grasp.

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