UNC Basketball vs. Villanova: Game preview, info, prediction and more
The North Carolina Tar Heels will be back in action Thanksgiving day, taking on Villanova with a tip-off time of 2:30 P.M. EST.
This will be the Tar Heel’s second game of the Battle 4 Atlantis tournament, making a statement in game one against UNI. It wasn’t smooth sailing for the Tar Heels against the Panthers, struggling to keep pace in the first half, but once the second period started, it was all UNC.
Some of the struggles that hindered the Tar Heels in the first half were their inability to knock down shots and bad defense. UNC has had the luxury of playing bad teams that could not capitalize off the struggles, so it’s intriguing to see how they fair against a worthy opponent like Villanova, especially with the 2016 memory to play for.
As UNC gets ready for its Thanksgiving Day game, let’s get into our preview for the Tar Heels and Wildcats.
Key to victory
Nov 22, 2023; Paradise Island, BAHAMAS; North Carolina Tar Heels guard Cormac Ryan (3) reacts after scoring during the second half against the Northern Iowa Panthers at Imperial Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
It was a beautiful sight to see Notre Dame transfer Cormac Ryan find his groove in the 91-69 win over UNI. One can argue his second-half spark is what got the Tar Heels pulling their starters to let the bench get some time at the end of the game after a tight first half. That is why Ryan will be the key to unlocking the win in this one.
We know what Armando Bacot, RJ Davis, and even Harrison Ingram can do. However, we’ve been waiting for the offensive side of Ryan to appear, and if he can do what he did in the second half against UNI, not only does UNC’s chance at beating Villanova skyrocket, but so do their hopes of making a splash this season.
Something to watch
Nov 22, 2023; Paradise Island, BAHAMAS; North Carolina Tar Heels guard Cormac Ryan (3) and North Carolina Tar Heels forward Harrison Ingram (55) and North Carolina Tar Heels forward Armando Bacot (5) and North Carolina Tar Heels guard RJ Davis (4) react during the second half against the Northern Iowa Panthers at Imperial Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
Something to watch for in this game is how UNC’s defense comes out. If they repeat the no-communication defense they did in the first half against UNI, it could be a long game. Unlike the Panthers, Villanova will not let the Tar Heels bully their way back into the game. Instead, UNC will need to get out the gate hot and treat it as if this is March Madness.
This might not be the same teams that faced off in 2016, but picking up a win against Villanova will be huge come selection Sunday.
What you need to know
WHAT? North Carolina (4-0, 0-0 ACC) vs. Villanova (4-1)
WHEN? Thursday, Nov. 23. 2:30 p.m. ET
WHERE? Imperial Arena in Bahamas
TV? ESPN (Watch and stream the game live on ESPN)
RADIO? Tar Heels Sports Network
LINE? N/A
LAST MEETING? Villanova won 77-74 on Apr. 4, 2016
ALL-TIME SERIES? UNC leads 11-4
PREDICTION? UNC 71, Villanova 68
