Carolina is the best team in the country when playing at their best ...
But Berry is CLEARLY not healthy ... and really not even close to it with his ankle ... there's no explosion in his dribble and particularly not with his floaters, etc.
This idea that Gonzaga will whip up on North Carolina's interior is laughable ... COULD it happen ... perhaps. But honestly, it's not realistic. Carolina has a great mix of length, quickness, and depth. So does Gonzaga but I'd take Carolina's bigs ... significantly more athletic on the whole.
With Berry's injury though, Carolina can't quite push the ball as well as they normally do and they rely more on Pinson to get them into their offense. It just isn't the same. Carolina got some good minutes off the bench tonight from their backup guards and they're going to need that again on Monday. Meeks probably doesn't have the same caliber of game on Monday ... but I seriously doubt that Hicks plays as bad as he did tonight.
It wouldn't shock me if Gonzaga won ... all the cards have fallen their way this entire tournament. But I'd still favor Carolina.
Carolina is the best team in the country when playing at their best ...
But Berry is CLEARLY not healthy ... and really not even close to it with his ankle ... there's no explosion in his dribble and particularly not with his floaters, etc.
This idea that Gonzaga will whip up on North Carolina's interior is laughable ... COULD it happen ... perhaps. But honestly, it's not realistic. Carolina has a great mix of length, quickness, and depth. So does Gonzaga but I'd take Carolina's bigs ... significantly more athletic on the whole.
With Berry's injury though, Carolina can't quite push the ball as well as they normally do and they rely more on Pinson to get them into their offense. It just isn't the same. Carolina got some good minutes off the bench tonight from their backup guards and they're going to need that again on Monday. Meeks probably doesn't have the same caliber of game on Monday ... but I seriously doubt that Hicks plays as bad as he did tonight.
It wouldn't shock me if Gonzaga won ... all the cards have fallen their way this entire tournament. But I'd still favor Carolina.
NWG is going to chew up Berry. He's not a freshman point guard like Pritchard. And, yes, that's because Berry is hurt. But UNC doesn't have adequate guard play which is Gonzaga's strength.
UNC's length is going to alter Gonzaga's perimeter game - those open looks are going to be altered ever so slightly. Few will counter by going big with Collins who can step out and shoot the three, then play high low with Karnowski.
The question is whether they can keep Karnowski under control. If UNC thinks they can play Karnowski straight up without some help, he'll get Meeks in foul trouble and then UNC is toast. Karnowski isn't going to score 30 but Gonzaga plays inside out and teams like South Carolina and Xavier were really effective in doubling down and then recovering to the shooters. UNC's length is ideal for that strategy - but if they let Karnowski and Williams go to work on the block one on one, they are in for a long night. A lot of this game depends on what kind of game the officials are calling.
Aside from Kansas, maybe UCLA or Kentucky, Gonzaga is the only team capable of keeping pace with UNC's tempo. NWG in the open court is pretty much a bucket - he has that funky spin-move/floater thing down to a science.
Likely - but Berry will then have to chase Mathews around. Or try to keep up with Perkins/Melson. Most likely Jackson will guard Mathews to alter his shot. An less than healthy Berry is going to have his hands full regardless - again, it's not a couple white boys he has to stay in front of like Pritchard or Benson.
The biggest thing, I think, is whether Meeks gets into foul trouble. But based on the officiating thusfar in the tournament, that's anybody's guess. He'll either get 3 fouls in the first 7 minutes or 1 for the entire game. Same the other way with Karnowski.
Likely - but Berry will then have to chase Mathews around. Or try to keep up with Perkins/Melson. Most likely Jackson will guard Mathews to alter his shot. An less than healthy Berry is going to have his hands full regardless - again, it's not a couple white boys he has to stay in front of like Pritchard or Benson.
The biggest thing, I think, is whether Meeks gets into foul trouble. But based on the officiating thusfar in the tournament, that's anybody's guess. He'll either get 3 fouls in the first 7 minutes or 1 for the entire game. Same the other way with Karnowski.
I'm sure North Carolina is really worried about having to put Berry on Perkins.
Likely - but Berry will then have to chase Mathews around. Or try to keep up with Perkins/Melson. Most likely Jackson will guard Mathews to alter his shot. An less than healthy Berry is going to have his hands full regardless - again, it's not a couple white boys he has to stay in front of like Pritchard or Benson.
The biggest thing, I think, is whether Meeks gets into foul trouble. But based on the officiating thusfar in the tournament, that's anybody's guess. He'll either get 3 fouls in the first 7 minutes or 1 for the entire game. Same the other way with Karnowski.
I'm sure North Carolina is really worried about having to put Berry on Perkins.
Perkins is the best first 7 minutes of the game player in the nation. Then Few should sit his ass down for the rest of the game. He is a walking turnover/CLANK! shooter with any semblance of big-game performance needed.
He single-handedly lost the BYU game for them playing hero ball in the last minute.
Melson/Mathews are better.
Hell, putting Karnowski at the off-guard/pseudo point guard spot is safer.
If Few plays him at all in the last five minutes of a close game, he should be fired at half court.
Mathews doesn't create his own shot ... the danger with him is the catch and shoot ...
Melson and Perkins can do a little bit off the dribble ... but nothing compared to NWG ...
Au contraire..
Perkins can turn it over like no other.
Melson can get to the rim on occasion.
But Perkins is the gift that keeps on giving to the other team. And the more he turns it over, the more he tries to hero-ball it. And turns it over some more.
Carolina is the best team in the country when playing at their best ...
But Berry is CLEARLY not healthy ... and really not even close to it with his ankle ... there's no explosion in his dribble and particularly not with his floaters, etc.
This idea that Gonzaga will whip up on North Carolina's interior is laughable ... COULD it happen ... perhaps. But honestly, it's not realistic. Carolina has a great mix of length, quickness, and depth. So does Gonzaga but I'd take Carolina's bigs ... significantly more athletic on the whole.
With Berry's injury though, Carolina can't quite push the ball as well as they normally do and they rely more on Pinson to get them into their offense. It just isn't the same. Carolina got some good minutes off the bench tonight from their backup guards and they're going to need that again on Monday. Meeks probably doesn't have the same caliber of game on Monday ... but I seriously doubt that Hicks plays as bad as he did tonight.
It wouldn't shock me if Gonzaga won ... all the cards have fallen their way this entire tournament. But I'd still favor Carolina.
With that said... the parade down Riverside on Wed is gonna be special>
Likely - but Berry will then have to chase Mathews around. Or try to keep up with Perkins/Melson. Most likely Jackson will guard Mathews to alter his shot. An less than healthy Berry is going to have his hands full regardless - again, it's not a couple white boys he has to stay in front of like Pritchard or Benson.
The biggest thing, I think, is whether Meeks gets into foul trouble. But based on the officiating thusfar in the tournament, that's anybody's guess. He'll either get 3 fouls in the first 7 minutes or 1 for the entire game. Same the other way with Karnowski.
I'm sure North Carolina is really worried about having to put Berry on Perkins.
Perkins is the best first 7 minutes of the game player in the nation. Then Few should sit his ass down for the rest of the game. He is a walking turnover/CLANK! shooter with any semblance of big-game performance needed.
He single-handedly lost the BYU game for them playing hero ball in the last minute.
Melson/Mathews are better.
Hell, putting Karnowski at the off-guard/pseudo point guard spot is safer.
If Few plays him at all in the last five minutes of a close game, he should be fired at half court.
You're supposed to brag when you're analysis is spot on.
Likely - but Berry will then have to chase Mathews around. Or try to keep up with Perkins/Melson. Most likely Jackson will guard Mathews to alter his shot. An less than healthy Berry is going to have his hands full regardless - again, it's not a couple white boys he has to stay in front of like Pritchard or Benson.
The biggest thing, I think, is whether Meeks gets into foul trouble. But based on the officiating thusfar in the tournament, that's anybody's guess. He'll either get 3 fouls in the first 7 minutes or 1 for the entire game. Same the other way with Karnowski.
I'm sure North Carolina is really worried about having to put Berry on Perkins.
Perkins is the best first 7 minutes of the game player in the nation. Then Few should sit his ass down for the rest of the game. He is a walking turnover/CLANK! shooter with any semblance of big-game performance needed.
He single-handedly lost the BYU game for them playing hero ball in the last minute.
Melson/Mathews are better.
Hell, putting Karnowski at the off-guard/pseudo point guard spot is safer.
If Few plays him at all in the last five minutes of a close game, he should be fired at half court.
You're supposed to brag when you're analysis is spot on.
I missed on Berry being an invalid. But Perkins is fool's gold. Melson and Mathews should have split all Perkins' minutes in the second half. He fucked GU the first five minutes of the second half.
Few rode him too much in the second half. He also played Tillie too much instead of Williams when he needed another scorer on the floor.
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My Jack Ducks
But Berry is CLEARLY not healthy ... and really not even close to it with his ankle ... there's no explosion in his dribble and particularly not with his floaters, etc.
This idea that Gonzaga will whip up on North Carolina's interior is laughable ... COULD it happen ... perhaps. But honestly, it's not realistic. Carolina has a great mix of length, quickness, and depth. So does Gonzaga but I'd take Carolina's bigs ... significantly more athletic on the whole.
With Berry's injury though, Carolina can't quite push the ball as well as they normally do and they rely more on Pinson to get them into their offense. It just isn't the same. Carolina got some good minutes off the bench tonight from their backup guards and they're going to need that again on Monday. Meeks probably doesn't have the same caliber of game on Monday ... but I seriously doubt that Hicks plays as bad as he did tonight.
It wouldn't shock me if Gonzaga won ... all the cards have fallen their way this entire tournament. But I'd still favor Carolina.
UNC's length is going to alter Gonzaga's perimeter game - those open looks are going to be altered ever so slightly. Few will counter by going big with Collins who can step out and shoot the three, then play high low with Karnowski.
The question is whether they can keep Karnowski under control. If UNC thinks they can play Karnowski straight up without some help, he'll get Meeks in foul trouble and then UNC is toast. Karnowski isn't going to score 30 but Gonzaga plays inside out and teams like South Carolina and Xavier were really effective in doubling down and then recovering to the shooters. UNC's length is ideal for that strategy - but if they let Karnowski and Williams go to work on the block one on one, they are in for a long night. A lot of this game depends on what kind of game the officials are calling.
Aside from Kansas, maybe UCLA or Kentucky, Gonzaga is the only team capable of keeping pace with UNC's tempo. NWG in the open court is pretty much a bucket - he has that funky spin-move/floater thing down to a science.
Either way it will be interesting.
The biggest thing, I think, is whether Meeks gets into foul trouble. But based on the officiating thusfar in the tournament, that's anybody's guess. He'll either get 3 fouls in the first 7 minutes or 1 for the entire game. Same the other way with Karnowski.
He single-handedly lost the BYU game for them playing hero ball in the last minute.
Melson/Mathews are better.
Hell, putting Karnowski at the off-guard/pseudo point guard spot is safer.
If Few plays him at all in the last five minutes of a close game, he should be fired at half court.
Melson and Perkins can do a little bit off the dribble ... but nothing compared to NWG ...
Perkins can turn it over like no other.
Melson can get to the rim on occasion.
But Perkins is the gift that keeps on giving to the other team. And the more he turns it over, the more he tries to hero-ball it. And turns it over some more.
1) Gonzaga was a great team that won a title
2) They had the easiest path of any title team in 60+ yrs
Their path to the national championship game consisted of beating the following seed lines:
16
8
4
11
7
That's about as easy as it gets ... only way it would have been easier would have been if they got a 12 or 13 seed in the Sweet 16
Few rode him too much in the second half. He also played Tillie too much instead of Williams when he needed another scorer on the floor.