No. 16 North Carolina will take on No. 21 Louisville on Monday at 7 p.m. at the Dean Smith in Chapel Hill.
The Tar Heels are coming off of a 77-64 win over Syracuse in a bounce-back game after its loss to NC State earlier in the week. It also marked the return of star big man Henri Veesaar who scored 19 points and had three blocks in his first game since Feb. 10. Seth Trimble ad Luka Bogavac both scored 13 points. Zayden High had nine points and a career-high 11 rebounds in 19 minutes off the bench.
Louisville enters on a tear, having won six of its last seven, a stretch highlighted by a 14-point rout of SMU, a 41-point demolition of NC State and an 11-point road win over Baylor in Fort Worth. The lone blemish was a 10-point loss at SMU last week in the teams’ second meeting. The Cardinals are 20-7 overall and 9-5 in the ACC; North Carolina is 21-6, also 9-5 in league play. Louisville sits No. 13 in the NET as of Sunday, making this a Quad 1 opportunity for the Tar Heels.
Here are the keys to victory for UNC against Louisville.
Secure the Perimeter
Louisville’s offense revolves around the 3-point line, averaging 32.6 attempts per game — third most in the nation — with 53% of its shots coming from behind the arc.
North Carolina has struggled to defend the perimeter in ACC play, allowing opponents to shoot 39.1% from 3, worst in the league. The Tar Heels’ priority will be running the Cardinals off the line and forcing them to attack inside.
Win the War in the Paint
After a series of rough outings inside, North Carolina reasserted itself against Syracuse, winning 42-32 in paint points and 38-34 on the glass to finally shift its frontcourt narrative.
Louisville presents a far tougher test. The Cardinals lead the ACC in defensive rebounds at 27.8 per game, ranking 17th nationally, and sit second in the league in total rebounds at 39.4, 33rd nationally.
Against one of the nation’s most physical interior teams, the Tar Heels must control the boards, generate paint touches and limit Louisville’s second-chance opportunities.
UNC’s Backcourt Must Rise to the Occasion
North Carolina’s backcourt drew heavy criticism for its poor play against NC State, but the group bounced back in the win over Pitt.
Seth Trimble sparked the Tar Heels after the break, scoring all 13 of his points in the second half. Luka Bogavac, better known for his perimeter shooting, repeatedly attacked the lane, and Jonathan Powell buried a pair of transition 3-pointers before halftime. Derek Dixon’s shooting slump continued, but he steadied the offense with four assists and defended well, slowing Syracuse’s transition game.
North Carolina’s backcourt faces a major test against one of the ACC’s best. Given UNC’s struggles against top league guards, most recently NC State, it’s a key matchup.
Louisville freshman point guard Mikel Brown leads the Cardinals at 18.6 points and nearly five assists, approaching 20 points in ACC play while shooting 45.3% from the field and 40.6% from 3. Wings Ryan Conwell and Isaac McKneely add scoring punch, while 6-foot-6 guard/forward J’Vonne Headley stretches the floor. Sixth man Adrian Wooley adds 8.1 points and 3.7 rebounds off the bench and was the Conference USA Freshman of the Year last season.
Louisville’s backcourt is deep, and this game will show what North Carolina’s guards are made of.
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This article originally appeared on Tar Heels Wire: UNC Basketball: Keys to victory for the Tar Heels vs. Louisville