The Indiana Hoosiers advanced to the Sweet 16 with a clutch win over Kentucky, and now face another college basketball blueblood in the No. 1 seed North Carolina Tar Heels. Indiana is the underdog (again), but they have an excellent chance to pull off the upset. Here are three reasons why the Hoosiers will beat UNC to advance to the Elite 8:
3) UNC's inability to shoot from the outside
For as good as Carolina is inside, they are equally bad on the perimeter. Berry and backup guard Nate Britt are the only players that shoot over 35 percent from three-point range, and only seven players have made a three all season. UNC has struggled against good teams who can pack the paint and force them to shoot jumpers from the outside, which has been the reason they’ve been sent home early in each of the last three years. Expect Indiana to pack the paint defensively to force Carolina to shoot as many perimeter shots as possible.
2) Better offense
Much is made about North Carolina's offensive ability, but they pale in comparison to Indiana. The Hoosiers have always been an offensive team under head coach Tom Crean, but they’ve become somewhat of a juggernaut this year. On top of ranking 11th in the country in scoring (82.7 points per game), the Hoosiers do it efficiently, shooting 50.2 percent from the field and 41.9 percent from three-point range. They will barrage you with shots from the perimeter, but Thomas Bryant gives them an inside presence that makes them a truly well-rounded offense.
1) Yogi Ferrell is the best player on the court
No player in the country means more to their team than Yogi Ferrell does to Indiana. He has been the heart and soul of the Hoosiers for the past three years, and he has been able to elevate the play of everyone around him this season through his leadership. Indiana is far from the most talented team in the Big Ten, but Ferrell essentially willed them to a conference title.
Aside from the intangibles, Ferrell is also one of the best point guards in the country. Indiana’s offense relies on him to create his own show and create opportunities for his teammates, both of which he does thanks to an uncanny ability to get into the lane and a deadly step back jumper. UNC had major problems trying to contain Providence's Kris Dunn in their second round matchup, providing reason to think that Ferrell will have a lot of success against them as well.
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