UCLA men’s basketball to confront North Carolina in Sweet 16 skirmish

It will be a battle of blue bloods in the Sweet 16.

No. 4 seed UCLA men’s basketball (27-7, 15-5 Pac-12) is set to square off against No. 8 seed North Carolina (26-9, 15-5 ACC) in the third round of the NCAA Tournament in Philadelphia. Representing two of the three all-time national championship leaders, the Bruins and Tar Heels have not played each other since 2019 but will vie for a spot in the Elite Eight on Friday night.

“We know their history,” said senior guard Jules Bernard. “We know how good they are.”

UCLA and North Carolina were supposed to play each other in the CBS Sports Classic in December, but the Bruins were forced to drop out because of COVID-19 protocols.

At that point, North Carolina was 8-2 and on the verge of another loss – a 29-point defeat to Kentucky. Since then, however, the Tar Heels have risen to second place in the Atlantic Coast Conference and have won eight of their last nine contests.

Bernard – who led the Bruins with 16 points against the Tar Heels as a sophomore in 2019 – said North Carolina’s improved play has come from a stronger sense of identity under first-year coach Hubert Davis.

“You could just tell that there’s more assertiveness on both ends,” Bernard said. “They understand who they are a little more now. That comes with time and experience. … They’re playing really well right now.”

Succeeding hall of famer Roy Williams, Davis has led North Carolina to its best record in three seasons and has the chance to bring the Tar Heels to their first Elite Eight appearance since winning the national championship in 2017.

Under Davis – who was an assistant for nine years under Williams after playing in Chapel Hill – North Carolina has the country’s 19th most efficient offense and 45th most efficient defense, according to KenPom.

“Coach Davis has done a tremendous job,” said coach Mick Cronin. “He made a lot of changes to their offensive style of play. … It probably just took him some time, some adjusting to find their stride.”

North Carolina is coming off a pair of 90-point-plus performances, beating No. 9 seed Marquette in the first round of the NCAA Tournament by 32 points before upsetting defending national champion No. 1 seed Baylor in the ensuing contest.

UCLA, on the other hand, has not allowed 60 points in either of its two NCAA Tournament games.

Redshirt junior guard Tyger Campbell said the Bruins’ defense comes from close team chemistry, adding that he hopes his team can continue the defensive streak against the Tar Heels.

“We all have to come together and play defense and lock in,” Campbell said. “It’s really not just one person that can do that, it’s everybody being on the same page and actually wanting to play defense out there and get stops.”

North Carolina’s offense is led by forward Brady Manek, who has scored 54 points in two NCAA Tournament games. Manek put up 28 points against the Golden Eagles and 26 against the Bears before getting ejected midway through the second half.

Cronin said the forward – who is shooting 50% from deep in the tournament – is the key to North Carolina’s motion offense.

“He (Manek) just kills your defense,” Cronin said. “He just stretches you to death.”

Including Manek, the Tar Heels have four players who average double figures, with guards RJ Davis and Caleb Love and forward/center Armando Bacot all averaging more than 13 points a night.

The ACC Player of the Year runner-up Bacot – and his 12.5 rebounds per game – will pose a challenge to redshirt senior forward Cody Riley and redshirt senior center Myles Johnson, according to Cronin.

“They’ve (Riley and Johnson) got their hands full,” Cronin said. “We’ve been working on it all week. … It’s hard to simulate his presence around the rim on offense, and then he goes after every rebound.”

Cronin may be getting some reinforcements in the post, with UCLA’s leading rebounder, junior guard/forward Jaime Jaquez Jr. nearing a return from a right ankle injury he sustained against No. 5 seed Saint Mary’s last week.

Officially listed as day to day, Jaquez practiced in limited fashion Thursday and will try to play against the Tar Heels, Cronin said.

“I’m just looking at the game, watching the film, going to practice, doing the same old, same old,” Jaquez said. “Nothing really changes for me.”

With a spot in the Elite Eight on the line, Bernard said he’s ready to lock in against one of college basketball’s most historic programs.

“The history is a lot of fun to talk about,” Bernard said. “But in terms of the game, we’re just super excited to play.”

The Sweet 16 clash will tip off at approximately 6:40 p.m. on Friday at the Wells Fargo Center.