Written by Rohit Ghosh
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Louisville at North Carolina: College Hoops
Wednesday features a marquee ACC matchup with No. 8 North Carolina hosting No. 7 Louisville in Chapel Hill. UNC enters the matchup ranked No. 1 in the ACC, but recent struggles in February on the defensive end opens the door for a Louisvile squad riding a three-game winning streak.
UNC opened as a 4.5-point favorite at home.
What to Watch For
Offense vs Defense: This matchup features a Carolina team putting up nearly 87 points per game and a Louisville defense limiting its opponents to just 64 points. One has to give Wednesday night and given the track record the Heels have at home, it's tough to pick the underdog.
This season Louisville is 4-5 against AP Top 25 teams, with wins against Purdue, UK, Indiana, Duke, and losses to Baylor, Virginia twice, Notre Dame and FSU.
Dang, Deng: Louisville's sophomore standout Deng Adel has to be a big night for them to stay competitive on the road at UNC. He's been a bit inconsistent this season, but has found rhythm in 2017, scoring in double-digits in eight of his last 10 games.
He has struggled noticeably this season against ranked opponents and as a result, continues to be the team's x-factor in big matchups like this one. On a good night, he gives Louisville a deep threat they don't otherwise have, shooting close to 35 percent from beyond the arc.
Other than Deng, keep an eye out for Junior guard Quentin Snider to make an immediate impact. He's averaging 12.1 ppg and 4.1 apg, but has been on a tear since returning from his hip injury.
Theo Pinson, Matchup Nightmare: UNC's Theo Pinsen is going to be a tough cover for Louisville -- or any opponent for that matter. He was put in the starting lineup two games ago, averaging 10.5 points, 1.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists in 25.5 minutes per game.
He missed the first 16 games of the season with a broken foot, but that's all old news with his play of late. Able to play the guard and forward spots, Pinson gives UNC a certain level of versatility other schools just don't have. He's too big for a traditional guard to defend him, and he's too quick for a forward to contain him.
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Final Word
UNC has the edge at home, no doubt, but Louisville has plenty of size and athleticism to make this a close one. They'll compete on the boards, a facet of the game UNC usually dominates their opponents in. Louisville is top-5 in the nation in offensive rebounds; UNC is No. 2 in offensive rebounding,
No. 13 in defensive .
Expect a close one -- especially in the first half -- but road games in the ACC are tough, no matter who you are. UNC margin of victory at home in ACC play this season? +25.2 pts/game.
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