GLENDALE, ARIZ. — The North Carolina men's basketball team will try for its sixth national title when it takes on Gonzaga at 9:19 p.m. on Monday in Glendale, Ariz.
The Tar Heels and Bulldogs have met just twice before. The last time the two teams played, UNC claimed a 98-77 win in the Sweet 16 of the 2009 NCAA Tournament.
How do they play?
Much like North Carolina, Gonzaga looks to run its offense through the post, which seems like an effective strategy for a Bulldog roster featuring multiple 7-footers.
Gonzaga is an extremely effective team inside the three-point arc, ranking fifth nationally in two-point percentage (57.0 percent). But that doesn't mean the Bulldogs can't convert from outside, as well. They have several athletic guards that can create their own shots, and the team as a whole is shooting 38.1 percent from three.
As formidable as Gonzaga is on the offensive side of the floor, it might be even better on the defensive end. The Bulldogs rank first in the country in defensive efficiency, effective field-goal percentage defense (41.2 percent) and two-point defense (39.8 percent). The Zags also force their opponents to shoot just 29.5 percent from the behind the arc, good for fourth in the country.
Who stands out?
In the backcourt, Gonzaga's Nigel Williams-Goss is a national player of the year candidate that can hurt a team in so many different ways. The Bulldogs' top scorer (16.9 points per game) is also their second-leading rebounder (5.9 per game).
Gonzaga also features a stable of talented big men in the frontcourt, led by Przemek Karnowski and Zach Collins. And both players bring something different to the table.
