The throwback uniforms and relocation to Carmichael Arena were good for one win, and next up for North Carolina is a stiff road test.
The Tar Heels, a No. 4 seed in the NIT, won their tournament opener by beating No. 5 seed William & Mary in the smaller and decidedly more intense Carmichael. UNC even hit 80 points for the first time in 2010.
But for this success to continue, UNC will have to hit the road for Saturday’s second-round NIT matchup.
Almost 700 miles away from Chapel Hill and the frenzied fans of Carmichael is Starkville, Miss. and the No. 1 seed Mississippi State Bulldogs.
UNC’s forwards are coming off a productive night against an undermanned William & Mary team. John Henson, Deon Thompson and Tyler Zeller combined for 42 of UNC’s 80 points Tuesday night
But Mississippi State is significantly tougher on the interior. The Bulldogs have the NCAA’s career shot block leader in Jarvis Varnado anchoring the frontcourt. Varnado averages 4.8 blocks per game this season to go along 13.8 points and 10.3 rebounds.
The Tar Heels will also have to contend with another hot-shooting team, as in addition to Varnado, the Bulldogs have three guards averaging double figures. As a team, MSU shoots .358 from beyond the arc; William & Mary shot .351.
Mississippi State is coming off a 81-67 win against No. 8 seed Jackson State in the NIT’s first round. Before that, there was a harsh overtime loss to Kentucky in the SEC championship game — where the Bulldogs were just split seconds away from making the NCAA tournament.
So the Tar Heels will have a tough test against the defensive-minded Bulldogs. UNC, for the season, shoots 44.5 percent from the field. Mississippi State has won 24 games when it holds its opponents below 45 percent shooting from the field.
Adding to the mix is the lack of familiarity. UNC owns a 4-0 record all-time against the Bulldogs, but the two teams haven’t met since 1964.
Contact the Sports Editorat sports@unc.edu.
