Elite Eight, Midwest Region: North Carolina vs. Kansas
By Jason Lisk
Neither team has played their bench big men very much, so foul trouble could impact who gets the advantage inside. Kansas is #1 in 2-point percentage defense thanks to their half court defense plus Jeff Withey erasing and challenging shots on the back end. Carolina is pretty good inside with Tyler Zeller and John Henson. However, without Marshall, they did not show the same organization on offense, and will need good entry passes to score against Kansas.
These teams can neutralize each other on the glass, and neither relies on threes typically. The Tar Heels were really good at turnovers on offense with Marshall; last game they fell apart with turnovers, though it cannot all be attributed to his absence. Tyshawn Taylor is the X-factor here. He has been pretty bad in the tournament, after rolling through the Big XII.
The Line: Kansas by 1. The Pick: With Marshall out, Stilman White and the Carolina guards must play much better than last game. Neither team has impressed in their most recent outing, but Kansas has the slight advantage with Marshall out. Kansas -1.
[US Presswire]