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North Carolina-Indiana NCAA preview

North Carolina keys The No. 1 priority is stopping Indiana point guard Yogi Ferrell, the second-team all-America and unanimous All-Big Ten selection. He is averaging 17.1 points and 5.6 assists and hits 41.9 percent from beyond the arc. What North Carolin

North Carolina keys

The No. 1 priority is stopping Indiana point guard Yogi Ferrell, the second-team all-America and unanimous All-Big Ten selection. He is averaging 17.1 points and 5.6 assists and hits 41.9 percent from beyond the arc. What North Carolina must do is stop his dribble penetration because, when Ferrell gets in the lane, he is an adept finisher. If he is double-teamed, he's skilled enough to hit the open man. Nobody will have a greater responsibility in this game then covering Ferrell. North Carolina has one of the best inside games in college basketball, but it is important for the Tar Heels to show they can hit from the outside. They shoot just 31.4 percent from beyond the arc, and a few made threes will open the inside up. Joel Berry II, a 6-foot sophomore who shoots .374 from three-point range, is just 2 for 12 in the two NCAA games. Senior Marcus Paige, who is a streak shooter, has hit 5 of 12 threes (.417) in the two tournament wins over Florida Gulf Coast and Providence. Paige is good at creating his shot, and he will have the opportunities beyond the arc.

Indiana keys

Keeping the Tar Heels off the boards is priority No. 1. North Carolina outrebounds its opponents by more than eight per game. Brice Johnson, the 6-10 senior, is especially dangerous. He averages 10.5 rebounds, including 2.9 on the offensive glass. Thomas Bryant, Indiana's 6-10 freshman, has averaged 16 points but just 3.5 rebounds in the NCAA wins over Chattanooga and Kentucky. He will have to rebound effectively. With the Tar Heels having such an advantage inside, it will be imperative for Indiana to be proficient from beyond the arc. In the two NCAA tournament wins, the Hoosiers are shooting 43.2 percent from three-point range and limiting teams to a 21.2 percent mark. Of teams playing at least two NCAA tournament games this year, that 21.2 percent mark is the best three-point defense.

On guard

As if he doesn't do enough on offense, Ferrell was a first-team all-Big Ten defensive choice. Ferrell and 6-7 junior Tory Williams are tied for the team lead with 38 steals. Both players can put a lot of heat on ball handlers. For North Carolina, Johnson earned a spot on the first-team all-Atlantic Coast Conference defensive team. Johnson, who was also a first-team All-ACC selection, averages 1.4 blocks per game and has averaged five blocked shots in the two tournament wins.

Swish

North Carolina's Johnson, dominant on the boards and defense, is also shooting 61.9 percent from the field. Part of the reason is that he scores mainly near the basket, but Johnson also doesn't force many shots. He has not attempted a three-pointer all season while averaging a team-high 16.8 points. Berry, Paige and 6-8 sophomore Justin Jackson are all averaging between 12 and 12.8 points, giving the Tar Heels plenty of balance. Indiana doesn't have as much balance, but Williams helps Farrell by averaging 13 points.

Intangibles

Indiana has been receiving inspired play recently from OG Anunoby, a 6-8 freshman. He's averaging only 4.9 points on the season and hasn't made a single start. But in the two tournament wins, he has averaged 10.5 points and has hit 3 of 4 from beyond the arc. Anunoby could be one of the x-factors off the bench. For North Carolina, depth is important. Kennedy Meeks, a 6-10 forward could be a force inside, especially defensively. He has averaged just 10.5 minutes in the two tournament games. Meeks, however, must stay out of foul trouble. North Carolina is the more experienced team, and that could be a factor in the Tar Heels favor.