UNC basketball will meet the No. 6 ranked Purdue Boilermakers in the Hall of Fame Tip-Off in a neutral site game in Uncasville, Connecticut on Saturday. In their first meeting since 1999, the Tar Heels will look to continue their dominance.
The Tar Heels will face off against the Boilermakers at Mohegan Sun Arena for the 11th time in program history as they sport an 8-2 record going in. UNC basketball has won eight straight meetings in the team’s history, but this Purdue basketball squad is a bit different, as evidenced by their No. 6 ranking.
Through their first three contests, the Boilermakers’ defense has looked stout. They’ve allowed just 62.0 ppg on the year while the Tar Heels have been on the opposite end of things.
Zach Edey is averaging a double-double and has transitioned smoothly into the starting rotation while the Boilermakers are shooting lights out from 3-point range on the season.
In a matchup of unbeaten 3-0 squads, fans are sure to see a high-scoring affair that could come down to the last possession or two. Both teams rank in the Top 30 in NCAA basketball in scoring offense. Purdue basketball has proven to be a high-scoring offense as well, posting a Top 10 scoring offense so far through the first three contests.
UNC basketball will have its hands full on Saturday in Connecticut, but with plenty of talent in the rotation, the potential is there to pull off the early-season upset. Here’s a look at three keys to victory for the Tar Heels in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Tip-Off Classic.