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In the first game of the nightcap at the Greensboro Coliseum the North Carolina Tar Heels will be taking on the Boston College Eagles.
In a similar situation to the afternoon tilt, UNC has a lot to lose but not much to gain and Boston College looks to play spoiler and extend their season for at least one more day.
A key factor in this game will be whether or not 7'0 Center Quinten Post is able to play for Boston College and if he is available how effective can he be? Post, who averages over 15 points per game, has been dealing with a sprained ankle that kept him out of the first-round game against Louisville yesterday. B.C. was able to overcome his absence yesterday but against a much more talented North Carolina squad the Eagles will need Post if they are going to have enough firepower to hang in this game. Because of his size and outside shooting ability (44% from three), Post is a walking mismatch. Armando Bacot won't be able to guard him on the perimeter and Nance can't handle him in the paint so it will be interesting to see how Carolina chooses to play him from a defensive standpoint if he is healthy. Even if Post is out there, if he is hobbled at all, look out for Bacot to have a dominant performance both on the boards and scoring in the paint.
The Tarheels meanwhile are one of a few ACC teams in action today (Pitt, NC State) that find themselves on the bubble and in the case of North Carolina, probably on the wrong side of it. Can Caleb Love and RJ Davis recreate their magical postseason play from a year ago to lead the Heels to the NCAA Tournament? It will probably take a trip to at least the semi-finals for Carolina to be in the conversation.
Players to Watch:
Makai Ashton-Langford | Guard | Boston College
I already talked about Post and I don't think Boston College can be competitive in this one without him but Makai Ashton-Langford will have to be on his game as well. Ashton-Langford led the team in scoring this season (Post didn't qualify due to injuries) and can get after it defensively (1.5 steals per game). We've already seen how turnover prone this Carolina team can be at times this season, watch out for Ashton-Langford to create some havoc tonight.
Pete Nance | Forward | North Carolina
Nance has been the source of a lot of frustration for Carolina fans this season due to his lack of consistency. He was one of the most highly sought-after transfers coming out of Northwestern and was expected to give this team the spark that Brady Manek provided last season. That hasn't quite been the case this season but Nance has shown flashes of the offensive versatility that had fan bases drooling over him in the off-season. If he can step up and consistently knock down his open threes and not be a complete revolving door defensively, this Carolina team is absolutely capable of another run this year.
Best Bet(s): Over 10.5 Rebounds, Armando Bacot
As I mentioned above even if Quinten Post is out there he may not be 100% and there is a decent chance we don't see him at all. Either way, Bacot goes for 14+ boards tonight so the over of 10.5 is easy money here.
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