North Carolina Takes On Texas A&M In The Second Round Of The NCAA Tournament

North Carolina who is a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference and the second seed  in the west region in the NCAA Tournament  will take on seventh seeded Texas A&M in Sunday. 

North Carolina comes into the second round of the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament with a record of 26-10. "according to http://goheels.com/schedule.aspx?path=mbball after their opening round  win  in the NCAA Tournament over  Lipscomb. 

Kenny Williams  was a bit player in North Carolina's run to the national title game in 2016, then watched last season from the sideline due to a knee injury as the Tar Heels won a sixth NCAA championship without him. "according to http://goheels.com/news/2018/3/16/mens-basketball-tar-heels-down-lipscomb-84-66.aspx

They need him to be every bit as good as he was Friday to reach a third straight Final Four. "according to http://goheels.com/news/2018/3/16/mens-basketball-tar-heels-down-lipscomb-84-66.aspx

Williams scored 18 points to help UNC beat Lipscomb 84-66 in the first round of the NCAA tourney, a strong start for a guy carrying a heavier load this time in a small-ball lineup. "according to http://goheels.com/news/2018/3/16/mens-basketball-tar-heels-down-lipscomb-84-66.aspx

"I was excited all week about coming to play my first game with heavy minutes in the NCAA Tournament," Williams said. "This is what you look forward to growing up, so I was a little bit more excited about that." "according to http://goheels.com/news/2018/3/16/mens-basketball-tar-heels-down-lipscomb-84-66.aspx

UNC (26-10), the No. 2 seed in the West Region, won its 12th NCAA game in 13 tries going back to the 2016 tournament that ended with a title-game loss to Villanova. Williams was a freshman that year, buried on the bench behind veteran talent and playing just 8 minutes with four appearances in those six games. "according to http://goheels.com/news/2018/3/16/mens-basketball-tar-heels-down-lipscomb-84-66.aspx

He was set for a bigger role last year before suffering a torn meniscus in his right knee in February 2017. Williams needed surgery and didn't play again, though the Tar Heels went on to beat Gonzaga in Glendale, Arizona, for the title. "according to http://goheels.com/news/2018/3/16/mens-basketball-tar-heels-down-lipscomb-84-66.aspx

On Friday, in his first major NCAA Tournament minutes, he looked right at home. He made 6 of 8 shots and 4 of 5 3-pointers in 28 minutes, helping the Tar Heels gradually take control on the way to shooting 52 percent with nine made 3s. "according to http://goheels.com/news/2018/3/16/mens-basketball-tar-heels-down-lipscomb-84-66.aspx

"When we execute our offense, we're getting guys open and we're setting solid screens, and guys are able to come off in a rhythm and knock it down," senior point guard Joel Berry said. "Today Kenny didn't force any shots. Any time somebody drove he was ready to shoot." "according to http://goheels.com/news/2018/3/16/mens-basketball-tar-heels-down-lipscomb-84-66.aspx

The Tar Heels next play seventh-seeded Texas A&M. "according to http://goheels.com/news/2018/3/16/mens-basketball-tar-heels-down-lipscomb-84-66.aspx

Playing in their first NCAA tourney, the 15th-seeded Bisons (23-10) shot well at the start and held an early six-point edge. They led 33-31 with fewer than 4 minutes left in the first half before North Carolina went on a 12-1 run to lead 43-34 by the break. "according to http://goheels.com/news/2018/3/16/mens-basketball-tar-heels-down-lipscomb-84-66.aspx

UNC increased that margin to 18 by midway through the second half. "according to http://goheels.com/news/2018/3/16/mens-basketball-tar-heels-down-lipscomb-84-66.aspx

"It was going to take a magical performance from someone like us to beat someone like them," Lipscomb coach Casey Alexander said. "We didn't get that, so we were fighting uphill all afternoon, it felt like. I thought our guys really competed." "according to http://goheels.com/news/2018/3/16/mens-basketball-tar-heels-down-lipscomb-84-66.aspx


BIG PICTURE
Lipscomb: The Bisons beat Florida Gulf Coast in the Atlantic Sun Conference Tournament. Coach Casey Alexander — roaming the sideline as a head coach in the tournament for the first time — said he wanted his players to savor the experience even as they faced a daunting challenge. Lipscomb missed its last nine 3s of the first half as UNC surged ahead. "according to http://goheels.com/news/2018/3/16/mens-basketball-tar-heels-down-lipscomb-84-66.aspx

UNC: The Tar Heels were taking their first step toward becoming only the third repeat champion since UCLA's record run of seven straight ended in 1973. It certainly helps that they had again earned themselves a friendly opening site; UNC improved to 34-1 in NCAA games played in its home state with the last loss coming in 1979. "according to http://goheels.com/news/2018/3/16/mens-basketball-tar-heels-down-lipscomb-84-66.aspx

"We have good players who have really played well, the fans do help us," coach Roy Williams said. "And I'm willing to see if we can pass a law that says we play all NCAA games here. I'd be willing to go for that." "according to http://goheels.com/news/2018/3/16/mens-basketball-tar-heels-down-lipscomb-84-66.aspx


MASTERFUL FLOOR GAME
UNC senior Theo Pinson flirted with a triple-double, finishing with 15 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists in 35 minutes. He also had a block and a steal. "according to http://goheels.com/news/2018/3/16/mens-basketball-tar-heels-down-lipscomb-84-66.aspx

Texas A&M  meanwhile comes into their game with North Carolina with a record of 21-12 "according to http://12thman.com/schedule.aspx?path=mbball after defeating Providence in the first round. 

Tyler Davis and Robert Williams spent all Friday snatching rebound after rebound, blocking a few shots and had Williams offer a highlight-reel capper in the final minute. "according to http://12thman.com/news/2018/3/16/mens-basketball-advances-to-ncaa-tournaments-second-round-73-69.aspx

When Texas A&M's bigs are playing like this, it's tough to tussle with these Aggies. And that gives them their best chance to stick around the NCAA Tournament for another weekend. "according to http://12thman.com/news/2018/3/16/mens-basketball-advances-to-ncaa-tournaments-second-round-73-69.aspx

Davis had 14 points and 15 rebounds and Williams added his own double-double to help Texas A&M beat Providence 73-69, sending the Aggies on to the second round of the West Region. "according to http://12thman.com/news/2018/3/16/mens-basketball-advances-to-ncaa-tournaments-second-round-73-69.aspx

Williams finished with 13 points and 14 rebounds for Texas A&M (21-12), the region's No. 7 seed. They also each blocked two shots."according to http://12thman.com/news/2018/3/16/mens-basketball-advances-to-ncaa-tournaments-second-round-73-69.aspx

"We got a lot of help from our guards, too," Davis said. "Our guards put bodies on the outside so we can play 1-on-1 inside. It was really a team effort. We were able to snag a couple of boards." "according to http://12thman.com/news/2018/3/16/mens-basketball-advances-to-ncaa-tournaments-second-round-73-69.aspx

A couple? The 6-foot-10 forwards outrebounded Providence's entire team. "according to http://12thman.com/news/2018/3/16/mens-basketball-advances-to-ncaa-tournaments-second-round-73-69.aspx

"We're just out there doing our job," Davis said. "This is what we do. We know we have the advantage inside most games so this is just another game where we came out and gave 100 percent effort on the glass." "according to http://12thman.com/news/2018/3/16/mens-basketball-advances-to-ncaa-tournaments-second-round-73-69.aspx

Providence's players knew it would be a challenge for their smaller group to battle on the boards. The game plan, guard Kyron Cartwright said Thursday, was simply "box out." And all through the Friars' locker room in Charlotte on Friday were orange signs saying the same thing. "according to http://12thman.com/news/2018/3/16/mens-basketball-advances-to-ncaa-tournaments-second-round-73-69.aspx

Still, knowing what they had to do and executing it were two different things. "according to http://12thman.com/news/2018/3/16/mens-basketball-advances-to-ncaa-tournaments-second-round-73-69.aspx

The Aggies finished with a 44-26 rebounding advantage and had 11 offensive rebounds against the 10th-seeded Friars (21-14). "according to http://12thman.com/news/2018/3/16/mens-basketball-advances-to-ncaa-tournaments-second-round-73-69.aspx

"Even though we were checking out, and I thought we did a decent job, they got length rebounds," Providence coach Ed Cooley said. "There's really nothing you can do. That's God's gift to them. There's really nothing you can do about it. You keep encouraging your kids, but when you've got 7-6 wing length and 7-5 wing length, that's genetics, baby." "according to http://12thman.com/news/2018/3/16/mens-basketball-advances-to-ncaa-tournaments-second-round-73-69.aspx

Tip-off is set for 5:15pm from the Spectrum Center in Charlotte . The game will be televised on CBS. "according to http://12thman.com/schedule.aspx?path=mbball