It didn’t matter which team popped up on Roy Williams’ living room television Sunday night.
Williams isn’t focused on North Carolina’s NCAA Tournament opposition. His attention is directed squarely on the backboard.
Rebounding woes have plagued the Tar Heels in their last two games — both losses. At Duke on March 8, they put up just 20 boards — their fewest in a game since that same date in 1987. In an 80-75 loss to Pittsburgh in the ACC tournament, the Tar Heels were outrebounded 43-35 and allowed 21 second-chance points.
They’ll face No. 11-seed Providence, a strong rebounding team in its own right, Friday.
“Without even knowing who we played, after (the Pittsburgh loss) I told our guys that we had not done a very good job of rebounding down the stretch,” Williams said at a Tuesday press conference.
“Forty-one points off of offensive rebounds against us the last two games, you can’t do that and win. Even if we were playing Providence or anybody else.”
The battle of the boards could very well decide Friday’s NCAA Tournament bout with the Friars, who compare favorably to UNC in terms of rebounding.
Providence is 34th in the country in total rebounds; UNC is 24th. The Friars average 36.8 rebounds per game; the Tar Heels average 39.8 rebounds.
But North Carolina hasn’t rebounded at that level in its last few games, which has been a key in its practices this week.
