UNC Basketball needs frontcourt to excel to win against Wisconsin Badgers

Defend the Perimeter

The Badgers have fared pretty poorly in overall shot conversion this season. Despite having talented frontcourt players Reuvers and Potter, Wisconsin is not an inside-scoring team. They love to score from the perimeter and understandably rely on a stable of guards to put points on the board. Even Reuvers and Potter account for seven perimeter attempts per game and stray away from the basket.

That is not likely to change against North Carolina and in fact, will help to neutralize the Tar Heels’ strong interior defense. However, the 3-point line is Carolina’s weakest area of defense and the team concedes an average of 34.5% from this area on the floor. This stat bodes well for a Badgers team that averages 36.0% from the perimeter, good enough for 74th in the nation.

Coach Williams should feel strongly about his one-on-one matchups inside against Reuvers and Potter and focus more attention on the guard-oriented nature of Wisconsin. While Carolina’s guards do not have to focus more on forcing turnovers in the backcourt against the Badgers, they should spend increased effort on staying disciplined and managing defensive rotations in reaction to ball movement.

If they can disrupt Wisconsin in this area, they should feel strongly about their chances to walk away with a win.