As the lowest-seeded team remaining in the NCAA Tournament, Ohio has been tabbed by many as this year’s potential Cinderella, but the Bobcats aren’t afraid of the clock striking midnight.
With wins against Michigan and South Florida, Ohio won two games in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1964. The Bobcats have never won three games in a single NCAA Tournament, something they have the chance to do Friday against top-seeded North Carolina in St. Louis.
The Tar Heels entered the season ranked No. 1 in the polls, and never fell far from that spot. They boast a roster that includes five former McDonald’s High School All-Americans, and were the regular-season champions of the Atlantic Coast Conference.
Despite playing in unfamiliar territory against an unfamiliar foe, Ohio coach John Groce said his team will not be shy in the spotlight.
“This team has won 29 games,” Groce said. “We played a lot of games on national and regional television throughout the year. Our guys don't, as I said yesterday, see themselves necessarily as a 13-seed or a Cinderella story.”
Five days after defeating South Florida, one of the country’s lowest-scoring teams, the Bobcats will be faced with the challenge of slowing down one of the nation’s highest-scoring teams.
North Carolina averages 82 points per game, to go along with more than 45 rebounds per game, which ranks tops in the country.
Slowing down the Tar Heels’ attack will be tough even for Ohio, which holds opponents to 62 points per game.
Leading the way offensively for North Carolina is forward Harrison Barnes, who averages more than 17 points per game.
As Ohio’s best defender, Walter Offutt will likely be given the task of guarding Barnes.
“I'm not really scared of anybody,” Offutt said. “But he's obviously a good player. He has great size obviously, so I have to do a good job of keep being him out of the paint area. Using my size to my advantage, get up in him a little bit, pressure him a little bit more, and keep him off the boards.”
The Tar Heels will likely be without star point guard Kendall Marshall, who injured his wrist during North Carolina’s third-round win against Creighton on Sunday.
“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,” Groce said. “We have done our due diligence there, and done that as well.”
If Marshall does not play, North Carolina will likely turn to freshman Stilman White, who averages only four minutes on the floor per game.
It would also mark the third consecutive game Ohio point guard D.J. Cooper would be matched up against a freshman point guard.
“They were real good guards,” Cooper said after facing freshman in Ohio’s first two tournament games. “I’m just trying to compete with whoever it is. It did give me a little edge because I have a little experience.”
The only common opponent between the two teams this season is UNC-Asheville. The Bobcats disposed of the Bulldogs 81-62 while North Carolina won 91-75.
The last time Ohio and North Carolina met, the Bobcats defeated the Tar Heels 86-78 at Chapel Hill. The Bobcats believe they can pull off a similar result Friday night.
“Nobody in our locker room feels like we're a Cinderella team,” Cooper said. “We feel like we can compete with anybody on the national stage.”
ro137807@ohiou.edu
