After two great nail bitting games on Saturday night, the bittersweet ending is finally here. I couldn’t be more excited for tonight because this is the biggest stage for college basketball, and I think we can all agree two of the best teams in the country are playing for the trophy. I’m here to provide some analysis for tonight’s game and a prediction. It’s really hard to think North Carolina will go down in the National Championship two years in a row, but I truly believe that for the first time, the Gonzaga Bulldogs will hoist the trophy, and here’s why:
-They have the best guard on the floor
Nigel Williams-Goss has been amazing all season, but like Markelle Fultz at Washington, he doesn’t get the attention he deserves, since the West Coast can sometimes get overlooked (Outside of Lonzo Ball of course). Goss does it all for the Zags, he is their leading scorer but also creates most of the offense for his teammates, expect him to have a big game tonight. Especially, since Joel Berry isn’t himself.
-The Zags can match UNC’s bigs
I’ve said it all year, if Joel Berry is off, the Tar Heels will have a lot of trouble winning. Berry was more than off on Saturday, probably due to his two bad ankles, yes two bad ankles. But nonetheless, it took a once in a lifetime game from Kennedy Meeks and a very poor shooting night from a team who usually shots the lights out, to advance to the final. Since Gonzaga’s bigs, Karnowski and Collins can more than handle Meeks and Hicks, it leaves it up to the backcourt, which we already discussed that the Heels are overmatched.
-Gonzaga can stretch the floor
The three point shooting of Silas Melson, Jordan Matthews and of course Williams-Goss will be key tonight. They were on fire against South Carolina and can be the deciding factor tonight. Since Gonzaga will most likely be able to keep the Tar Heels off the offensive glass, they are going to force mediocre shooters like Nate Britt and Theo Pinson to make shots, which is not North Carolina’s forte.
The bottom line is, if Gonzaga can keep the Heels off the glass and make their jump shots, it’s going to be a long night for Roy Williams and his team.
Prediction for MOP: Jordan Matthews
What’s the fun in picking the best player in Nigel Williams-Goss, let’s go outside the box with this one. Although Oregon couldn’t hit their shots, they got tons of good looks. And with the confidence Matthews was shooting with on Saturday, he’ll be all over any looks he gets. Expect him to be a big factor on the perimeter tonight.