North Carolina vs Iowa: 5 significant storylines in 2020-21 matchup
The ability of UNC’s ‘bigs’ to slow down Garza
The quantifying word is indeed slow down, for it is virtually impossible to stop Luka Garza altogether over a forty-minute game. There is no mistaking the fact that, when Garza goes Iowa Basketball goes, but Garza is incapable of dominating at 34 points per game pace as he currently is if his teammates are not a threat as well.
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Saddled with the responsibility of slowing down Garza will be the center combination of 6’10 sophomore Armando Bacot and 6’11 freshman Day’ron Sharpe. While Bacot has started the Tar Heels’ first four games, he averages 21 minutes, approximately three minutes more than Sharpe per game. While Bacot is the more effective player on offense with Sharpe only attempting four field goals per game, how the fair defensively on Garza will determine their playing time.
The defensive stats lean in Sharpe’s favor, but many of his stats were built up versus inferior opponents in ‘garbage time’. Their ability versus a quality team is illustrated in the Tar Heels match-up with No.17 Texas when Kai Jones at 6’11 and 218 pounds, hit four of five field goals for twelve points and pulled down eight rebounds. At 6’11 / 260, Garza is primed to eclipse those stats substantially.
Now that 6’10 Jack Nunge has rejoined the team and promptly scored 18 points versus Eastern Illinois in his first game this season, Luka Garza becomes a greater threat in two ways. The immediate effect is that when Garza and Nunge play together the high/low post-action Head Coach Fran McCaffery can implement, will punish the Tar Heels if Head Coach Roy Williams has them double-team Garza in the paint.
On the other hand, Nunge can come off the bench to keep Garza around the 30 minutes he averaged last season. Even though Garza’s stamina should not be an issue despite the minutes on the floor versus North Carolina will be harder, Iowa’s pace of play has been at 76 possessions per game, while North Carolina has been playing at a 71 possession pace.