Ohio looks to make history against the Tar Heels Friday

No. 13-seeded Ohio isn’t oblivious to the fact that, on paper, it’s the underdog in tonight’s Sweet 16 matchup with North Carolina.

But the Bobcats (29-7) don’t really consider themselves a Cinderella team, even though they’re the lowest seed still alive in the NCAA tournament.

When Ohio takes the court at the Edward Jones Dome this evening against the Tar Heels (31-5), the Bobcats have the chance to become the first 13-seed to make it to the Elite Eight.

The Bobcats also know they have their work cut out for them.

“We’re going to have to get back in transition because they play so fast,” said Ohio guard D.J. Cooper, who leads the Bobcats in scoring with an average of almost 15 points per game.

“We’re going to play with our hands up. That’s what coach has been talking about all year, just playing with our hands up and keeping it tight, and being able to guard our yard.”

With their hands up and by constantly moving, Ohio has been taking advantage of that strategy all season long.

The Bobcats are fourth in the NCAA in steals — averaging more than nine per contest. The Tar Heels average fewer than seven per game.

UNC point guard Kendall Marshall’s status for Friday’s matchup is still unknown, though North Carolina coach Roy Williams didn’t seem too confident that the injured sophomore would play against the Bobcats.

Ohio has already proven that it can generate a lot of turnovers, and the Bobcats likely will showcase that skill even more against the Tar Heels’ inexperienced back-up point guards.

But Ohio coach John Groce said Marshall’s potential absence hasn’t really made his teams’ preparation any easier.

“I don’t wish that injury upon anybody,” Groce said. “We have planned as if he’s going to play, and then obviously you got to have some type of contingency plans in your mind in terms of adjustment of offensive and defensive strategy… But it does make it difficult because obviously he makes them a different team.”

If Marshall doesn’t end up playing in tonight’s game, life would be a whole lot easier on the Bobcats, as it’s a strong possibility that either Stilman White or Justin Watts — both of whom have very little game experience at the point guard position — will play in his place.

Having beaten No. 4-seeded Michigan and No. 12-seeded South Florida, Ohio has already knocked two higher seeded teams out of the tournament and won more than one NCAA tournament game for the first time since 1964. Williams is confident they have the ability to do it again.

“They guard you, they take the ball away from you, they rebound the basketball,” Williams said. “They played some big time opponents and haven’t been concerned about the name on the front of the jersey.”

The Bobcats may not have shown any signs of being intimidated, but they haven’t yet had to face a top-seeded team. Ohio is well aware of North Carolina’s traditional success and the potential uphill battle they have before them if they want to knock down the perennial power, even if the Tar Heels don’t have their starting point guard on the court.

But at 7:47 p.m., all of that will be forgotten.

“We know that North Carolina obviously has great tradition,” Ohio guard Walter Offutt said. “When the ball’s tipped I think it’s going to be behind us. Then we’re just going to be playing basketball and whoever executes the best on the offensive end and defensive end is going to win the game.”

Contact the Sports Editor at sports@dailytarheel.com.