UNC Basketball: 3 keys to beat Kansas in 2022 National Championship

UNC Basketball: 3 keys to beat Kansas in 2022 National Championship game

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - APRIL 02: R.J. Davis #4 of the North Carolina Tar Heels looks on in the second half of the game against the Duke Blue Devils during the 2022 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament Final Four semifinal at Caesars Superdome on April 02, 2022 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) /

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Armando Bacot UNC Basketball (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images) /

2. Crash the offensive glass

Hubert Davis has made some changes to UNC’s system this season — notably adding Brady Manek in place of a second, more traditional big man to help space the floor. That change has paid off in a more modern game, but the Tar Heels haven’t sacrificed their emphasis on offensive rebounding.

North Carolina is 13-1 when it has an offensive rebounding percentage of at least 35% this season. They’ve hit that mark in four of their five NCAA Tournament games so far, with an average of over 36%. Kansas is 3-5 when its opponent has posted an offensive rebounding percentage of at least 35%.

Bacot has been the key to North Carolina’s rebounding as a team. The First Team All-ACC big man is averaging 15.4 points and 16.8 rebounds in the NCAA Tournament, highlighted by back-to-back 22 and 21 rebound games in the Elite Eight and Final Four.

Bacot currently has 84 rebounds in the NCAA Tournament — the most of any player in a single tournament since 1971. He needs eight boards to pass Elgin Baylor, 12 to pass Bill Russell, 14 to pass Elvin Hayes, and 19 to set the all-time record for rebounds in an NCAA Tournament.

UNC has historically dominated teams on the offensive glass. Monday night will be another prime opportunity.

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