Quick scout: UNC vs. UCLA. Here’s everything you need to know about the Bruins
North Carolina had somewhat of a breakthrough Wednesday night against Gonzaga.
The Tar Heels finally scored 80 points in a game this season. But it came with another loss, and the Tar Heels are riding a four-game losing streak.
They have a chance to snap that losing streak Saturday, when they face UCLA in the CBS Sports Classic in Las Vegas.
Fortunately for the Tar Heels, the Bruins have struggled this season, too. They are coming off a 14-point loss to Notre Dame last week, a team the Tar Heels beat in their season opener.
Here is everything you need to know about UCLA:
UCLA’s KenPom rankings: 115
UNC head-to-head with UCLA: 9-3
UCLA’s record: 7-4
Last game: L 75-61 vs. Notre Dame Dec. 14
Head coach: Mick Cronin
Weaknesses
▪ 3-point defense: Opponents are shooting 38.6 percent from behind the 3-point line against the Bruins. That ranks 332nd in the country out of 353 Division I teams.
▪ Lack of consistent scorer: UCLA seems to have the same issue UNC does. The Bruins have five players who average between 10.5 and 11.3 points per game.
Strengths
▪ Rebounding: The Bruins rebound 36.7 percent of their misses, which is ranked 13th in the country. They also do a good job of keeping opponents off the offensive glass. Opponents rebound 22.6 percent of their own misses.
Player to watch
Jalen Hill: The 6-10, 245-pound sophomore forward is averaging 10.6 points per game, which is third on the team, and a team-high 7.7 rebounds. He is also averaging 1.3 blocks.
He does, however, have a tendency to get into foul trouble.
Prediction
It has been a rough month for the Tar Heels.
Roy Williams has not lost five consecutive games since becoming the Tar Heels’ head coach. But without leading scorer Cole Anthony, there’s a strong possibility that could happen.
The Bruins, however, are struggling, too. Their schedule has been weak. And their strongest win this season was against Southern Utah or UNLV.
Finally scoring over 80 points should give the Tar Heels some confidence heading into the game. They did some good things early against Gonzaga, like getting out in the fast break and working the ball in the post.
If they can do that against UCLA, maybe the Tar Heels can pick up the win.
I’m picking UNC in this game.
UNC 77 UCLA 71
UNC vs. UCLA
When: Saturday, 3 p.m.
Where: T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas
TV: CBS
This story was originally published December 20, 2019 at 3:22 PM with the headline "Quick scout: UNC vs. UCLA. Here’s everything you need to know about the Bruins ."
