UNC Basketball: 2019-20 keys for Tar Heels to beat Ohio State

UNC Basketball: 2019-20 keys to beat Ohio State in ACC/Big Ten Challenge

CHAPEL HILL, NORTH CAROLINA - NOVEMBER 15: Cole Anthony #2 of the North Carolina Tar Heels waits to inbound the ball during the first half of their game against the Gardner-Webb Runnin Bulldogs at the Dean Smith Center on November 15, 2019 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images) /

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CHAPEL HILL, NORTH CAROLINA – NOVEMBER 06: Leaky Black #1 and Armando Bacot #5 of the North Carolina Tar Heels (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images) /

3. Rebounding

One of the things that Roy Williams coached teams does best is hauling in second chance opportunities. They are 14th in the country in grabbing offensive rebounds. We all remember how great Luke Maye was on missed shots while he was in a Tar Heel uniform. Armando Bacot and Justin Pierce are catching on nicely. Bacot is just a rebounding machine, but 24 of his 67 are on missed shots. 21 of Pierce’s 41 are offensive rebounds. You knew Garrison Brooks was going to get his share after two seasons with North Carolina as he has 18 himself.

Only two Ohio State Buckeyes have double-digit offensive rebounds. Kaleb Wesson and Kyle Young are terrific rebounders in general. Young though went nuts against Cincinnati and then kind of leveled out from there. Seven of his offensive rebounds came against the Bearcats where he had 13 total. Wesson though is a force in the paint. There’s no one game that inflates his numbers. He’s one of the best rebounders in country.

Just like how Ohio State is balanced in scoring the basketball, North Carolina is that way with rebounding. Bacot has three more rebounds than Wesson in less minutes. Four Tar Heels out rebound the next guy for Ohio State. Cole Anthony is just a terrific athlete that can do just about anything and he’s third behind the two big men at 51 rebounds. Pierce isn’t doing terrible, but it’s hard to average almost nine when you are no longer one of the tallest guys on the court.

Next. UNC takeaways from Battle 4 Atlantis. dark

North Carolina has 348 total boards while Ohio State has 291. If UNC wants to make sure the ball doesn’t end up in the hands of the great balanced Buckeyes, they can just win the rebounding battle. The Tar Heels can’t give Ohio State any extra possessions or else they will capitalize on it. That’s not cliché when 10 guys are averaging anywhere from four to 12.7 points per game. North Carolina will have to use its size and great rebounding to knock off Ohio State at home in the conclusion of the ACC/Big Ten Challenge.

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