SB Nation NCAA Tournament NCAA Tournament 2011 -- Sweet 16
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North Carolina easily defeated Marquette to advance to the Elite 8.
So far, not so good for Marquette's efforts to upset North Carolina in the Sweet 16. The Golden Eagles went nearly nine minutes without a field goal and trail the Tar Heels by a staggering score of 40-15.
The Golden Eagles scored to take a 10-8 lead with 12:43 remaining, and did not score until the 3:56 mark. The Tar Heels exploded for 19 straight points, then finished the half on a 32-5 run. Marquette shot just 20 percent from the field, hitting only six field goals in all, and threw in 12 turnovers for good measure, all against a team not known for its defense.
North Carolina, meanwhile, got 12 points from Tyler Zeller and John Henson, dominating the interior. It's not even that they have played phenomenal defense either. They have played good defense, but for the most part, Marquette is just missing every shot.
More 2011 March Madness resources: Visit our NCAA Tournament hub for up-to-date news and information ... updated printable NCAA Tournament bracket.
Check the full NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 schedule, and see predictions and previews for each game.
At the bottom of the East Region 2011 NCAA Tournament bracket, North Carolina got a gift: Marquette's upset of Syracuse robbed the Tar Heels of their most imposing possible foe in Newark, and put another team with a much less athletic roster on Carolina's slate. North Carolina vs. Marquette will tip at 7:15 p.m. Friday from Newark on CBS, according to the 2011 NCAA Tournament schedule, and announcers Jim Nantz and Clark Kellogg will have the call.
North Carolina's first two games in this NCAA Tournament haven't been perfect — Long Island poured in points against an indifferent Carolina defense, and Washington went toe-to-toe with the Heels for almost the full 40 minutes — but that might be a good thing for Roy Williams' young team. None of the Tar Heels' talented young guns (Kendall Marshall, Harrison Barnes, and John Henson) have been particularly bad, and Tyler Zeller's been very good, but there are still things Williams can do to get them playing better. Those things certainly include haranguing them about their defensive focus, but they might also involve reminding these Tar Heels that when they plays hard and don't let their guard down, it can be the best-looking squad in America. If Marquette gets a taste of that, look out.
One of just two Big East teams in the Sweet 16 (Connecticut's the other), Marquette has gone from quintessential bubble team to quintessential "bubble team makes good" storyline. The Golden Eagles have certainly been helped by careless play from both Third Round victim Syracuse (18 turnovers) and Second Round loser Xavier (15 turnovers), but they also needed to take advantage of it, and could do the same against a Carolina team that can be streakier than un-Windexed glass. And if the Golden Eagles could get a 10-point game from anyone other than Jimmy Butler, Darius Johnson-Odom, and Jae Crowder, it would help.
Star Watch: If Marshall takes care of the ball, North Carolina should win. That's not that tall a task for the freshman, who has a very healthy 4:1 assist-turnover ratio in this NCAA Tournament so far.
Prediction: Too much talent suits up in Carolina blue for this to be anything but a Tar Heels win without a complete implosion by UNC. That won't happen, and Marquette will struggle to keep up, falling 81-68.
More Reading: SB Nation's North Carolina blog Carolina March has plenty more on the Tar Heels', um, March, while Anonymous Eagle is chock-full of Marquette Golden Eagles news and analysis.
Need help catching up with all the action? Here's a printable NCAA Tournament bracket and an updated Sweet 16 schedule.
NCAA Bracket Update: North Carolina Advances To Elite 8, Routs Marquette
North Carolina has advanced to the Elite 8 of the East Region of the NCAA bracket in dominating fashion. The Tar Heels jumped ahead of Marquette early and often, building a 40-15 halftime lead and eventually winning 81-63 in a game that was probably not that close.
The Tar Heels led by as many as 32 points early in the second half, as Marquette was unable to hit anything early on. After shooting just 20 percent in the first half with 12 turnovers, Marquette made a bit of a rally late, cutting the lead to 14 at one point, but it was too little too late.
Tyler Zeller scored 27 points to lead the way for North Carolina, while Harrison Barnes added 20 and John Henson contributed with 14 points and 12 rebounds. North Carolina next faces the winner of the game between Ohio State and Kentucky in the East Region final on Sunday.
For more on the game, Tar Heel fans should celebrate on Carolina March, while Marquette fans should head to Anonymous Eagle.
EAST REGION
No. 1 Ohio State vs. No. 4 Kentucky, Friday at 9:45 p.m. on CBS
No. 2 UNC def. No. 11 Marquette, 81-63.
WEST REGION
No. 5 Arizona Wildcats def. No. 1 Duke Blue Devils, 99-77
No. 3 Connecticut Huskies def. No. 2 San Diego State, 74-67
SOUTHWEST REGION
No. 1 Kansas vs. No. 12 Richmond Spiders, Friday at 7:27 p.m. on TBS
No. 10 Florida State Seminoles vs. No. 11 VCU Rams, Friday at 9:57 p.m. on TBS
SOUTHEAST REGION
No. 8 Butler def. No. 4 Wisconsin, 61-54
No. 2 Florida def. No. 3 BYU. Thursday, 84-73
More 2011 March Madness resources: Visit our NCAA Tournament hub for up-to-date news and information ... updated printable NCAA Tournament bracket.
Check the full NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 schedule, and see predictions and previews for each game.
Mar 25 9:28p by Mike Prada - 0 comments