North Carolina vs Villanova: 2023 Battle 4 Atlantis game preview, TV schedule
Two recent national championship programs face off in North Carolina and Villanova. Who will make it to the finals of the Battle 4 Atlantis Tournament?
TV schedule: Thursday, November 23rd, 2:30 pm ET (approx), ESPN
Arena: Imperial Arena in Nassau, Bahamas
North Carolina and Villanova could arguably be considered the biggest disappointments last season. They both were ranked in the preseason, including the Tar Heels being No. 1. Yet both missed out on the postseason, leaving their respective head coaches having some heat entering this year.
So far, both programs look improved, heading into the Battle 4 Atlantis. North Carolina was supposed to have the easiest game on paper, taking on Northern Iowa from the Missouri Valley. But they had a real test, trailing by six points at halftime. A 56-point effort in the final 20 minutes turned things around, allowing the Tar Heels to run away with a 91-69 victory. Harrison Ingram led the team with 16 points.
Villanova (4-1) took on a Texas Tech team that hadn’t lost a game before this tournament. But they couldn’t keep up with the Wildcats, falling 85-69. The two veteran stars led the way for the Big East program, with Eric Dixon scoring 19 points and Justin Moore producing 18 points and five assists.
On paper, this matchup looks fairly even. Both teams have a pair of veteran stars, when you look at Dixon/Moore for Villanova and Armando Bacot and RJ Davis for the Tar Heels. What this game very well could come down to is the respective supporting casts, which have had their ups and downs to this point.
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This matchup could go either way on Thanksgiving day but I like the depth that UNC has just a little more, including freshman star Elliott Cadeau. I predict them to just get by and make the Battle 4 Atlantis Tournament finals.
Prediction: North Carolina 78, Villanova 74