UNC Basketball: 2019 NCAA Tournament Midwest Regional Preview
By Trevor Marks
Elite Eight, Part One
(1) UNC vs.
- (6) Iowa State / (11) Ohio State
- (3) Houston / (14) Georgia State
- (7) Wofford / (10) Seton Hall
- (2) Kentucky / (15) Abilene Christian
Iowa State
After losing six of their last eight games to end an underwhelming regular season slate, the Iowa State Cyclones plowed through Baylor, Kansas State and Kansas en route to their fourth Big 12 Tournament Title in the past six years. Streaking at the right time, the Cyclone offense features an offensive core with four players posting double-digit scoring averages, with the hot shooting of Marial Shayok (18.6 points, 38.9 3P%) and Lindell Wigginton (13.4 points, 38.1 3P%) leading the way.
Tenth in offense, there are no concerns on that side of the ball, with shooters and on-ball creators capable of leading the Cyclones against anyone. Their Kryptonite is their porous defense (59th nationally) and weak rebounding numbers (171st offensively, 258th defensively). If a team can pound the glass and make things tight, the Cyclones could see themselves leaving early.
With that said, a No. 6 Cyclone team advancing past the likes of Houston, Wofford and Kentucky isn’t impossible (hell, it’s a pretty decent upset bid if you’re feeling risky with your bracket picks), and would present an intriguing potential Elite Eight matchup with the Heels. Their shooting is scary, but considering their defensive concerns and major ineptitude on the glass, the Tar Heels would likely have their way with them.
Ohio State
The Buckeyes are dealing with quite the down year after posting 25 wins and a top-25 offense and defense only a season ago. A 12-1 start hinted that this season may be better than expected, but five consecutive losses to begin the new year and a dismal 4-7 record over the last month-plus doesn’t make for a team capable of making a serious run in March. Although the Buckeye defense is solid (27th nationally), points and rebounds are hard to come by, which would make them an unlikely Elite Eight team, let alone a team that makes it past the first round.
If they were to somehow outlast the teams ahead of them en route to a surprising Elite Eight berth and the Tar Heels were there to meet them, then UNC would be ecstatic. An improved UNC defense and the Heels’ regular rebounding dominance would make this a Tournament game that Buckeye fans would want to forget.