Alabama’s defense faces the challenge of limiting RJ Davis and the University of North Carolina’s offense.
Hubert Davis’ tenure as head coach at North Carolina has been filled with ups and downs. In his first season following the legendary Roy Williams, the Tar Heels made it to the national championship game, but they missed the tourn Players like RJ Davis have praised Coach Davis for his ability to bring out their passion and competitive spiritament entirely the following year. Now, as the No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament’s West Region, they are just two wins away from the Final Four as they prepare to take on No. 4 seed Alabama in the Sweet 16.
North Carolina, with a record of 29-7, has been on a hot streak, winning 10 of their last 11 games, including a convincing 85-69 victory over Michigan State in the second round., which has been instrumental in the team’s success.
This year’s Tar Heels squad heavily relies on experienced players, many of whom were part of the national runner-up team two seasons ago. RJ Davis and Armando Bacot lead the charge, with Davis averaging 21.3 points per game and Bacot boasting a double-double average of 14.4 points and 10.2 rebounds per game.
North Carolina’s journey hasn’t been without its challenges, as they’ve had to battle back from deficits like the 12-point one they faced against Michigan State. However, they remain determined to make their second Final Four under Hubert Davis and fourth since 2016.
On the other side, Alabama, with a record of 23-11, has had its own share of struggles but managed to find momentum in the NCAA Tournament. After a rough stretch leading up to the tournament, they’ve put together wins over Charleston and Grand Canyon, showing signs of defensive improvement in particular.
While Alabama’s offense is potent, led by Mark Sears averaging 21.5 points per game, their defense has been a concern, allowing an average of 80.9 points per game. Coach Nate Oats is hoping to see the defensive effort from their recent games carry over into their matchup against North Carolina, where they’ll need to counter the Tar Heels’ strong offensive prowess.
