North Carolina Basketball: 3 keys for Round of 32 matchup against Baylor
By Bryan Mauro
Stars have to Shine
These are all going to be intermingled because if North Carolina plays the way they are capable then this game will be close. North Carolina can play with Baylor and they can play with anyone when they stay consistent and play with a purpose. The stars playing good is almost as important as the Tar Heels playing consistently night in night out. Hubert Davis is going to ride his stars regardless of what happens but if the role players are going to have to step out of their roles it is going to be a long night
Caleb Love has to run the offense, not turn the ball over, stay even keel, and not turn the ball over he is going to have to work the ball inside to one of the best players on the floor in Armando Bacot. Love needs to hit some threes and get some confidence. He is also going to be tasked to cover the point guard for the Bears and try to limit what they can do offensively.
Armando Bacot is the star of the show for North Carolina on both ends and he is going to have his hands full as he is going to be going up against one of the best defensive players in the sport for Baylor in Flo Thamba. Bacot is skilled enough to still get his points and if he does what he does on defense and rebounds and box out and gets North Carolina in transition. Bacot is also going to score 20 points as well. He needs to be the best player on the floor and take over the game underneath.
Leaky Black is a star but for a completely different reason than the other. Black doesn’t score much, he can score but he has not been asked or needed to score much for North Carolina, but what he does do is play lockdown defense and can take a player out of a game when he is locked in. He is going to need to be locked in for this one. Black has to stay out of foul trouble and if he does and can take a Baylor player out of the game.
On the offensive end, the senior guard is a tremendous passer and a great rebounder. Against Marquette, he had eight assists and seven rebounds, and even though he didn’t score he set up a lot of players for open shots. Black is going to be asked to move the ball and set up the offense again. North Carolina has a golden opportunity to win a game we didn’t think was possible a month ago.