Carolina Heeds Davis' Mantra, Shuts Down Michigan Inside
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Deal ends Friday!!!
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CHAPEL HILL – Point of emphasis number one for North Carolina entering its battle versus No. 24 Michigan on Wednesday night at the Smith Center was to have success dealing with the Wolverines’ interior game.
In particular, UNC’s focus was on neutralizing 7-foot Michigan center and preseason All-America Hunter Dickinson. Carolina did that, and then some, in its 72-51 thumping of the Wolverines as part of the ACC/Big Ten Challenge.
The win was the program's most significant margin of victory in the ACC-Big Ten Challenge since the Tar Heels beat Michigan State by 35 in 2009.
Entering Wednesday nights' game, Dickinson, who is from Virginia, led Michigan in rebounding (8.2), blocks (1.3), and second in scoring (14.8). Yet, the Tar Heels essentially shut him down, holding the preseason first-team All-Big Ten selection to four points and just five rebounds in 18 minutes of play.
The turning point of the game came early in the second half. Knowing Dickinson was saddled with two first-half fouls, UNC Coach Hubert Davis knew his team needed to attack the gifted sophomore.
"At halftime, we noticed that he had two fouls,” said UNC junior forward Armando Bacot. “He (Davis) said right off the bat we were going to go to me until (Dickinson) got into foul trouble, and that's what we did. We went to me three or four plays in a row, and I just got into my bag and did what I do, and we got him out."
Showing aggressiveness in the paint forced Dickinson to pick up his third foul with 18:39 left in the game. Michigan Coach Juwan Howard opted to leave his best player in the game, who picked up his fourth foul twelve seconds later at the 18:27 mark. Howard took out Dickinson for the next ten minutes and 24 seconds of game action with those four fouls.
During this period, UNC increased its lead from 33-29 to 53-38, and the game was never in doubt from that point forward.
Once a UNC recruit, and AAU teammates with Bacot, the coaching staff knows the impact Dickinson can have on a game. Back in 2018, Dickinson and Bacot led a talent-rich Team Takeover to an undefeated record on the way to winning the competitive Peach Jam.
Once in college, Dickinson didn't skip a beat, earning Big Ten Freshman Of The Year honors and a spot on the first team All-Big Ten team. He also produced in the NCAA tournament averaging 13.2 points per game while shooting 59 percent from the floor as the Wolverines’ run to the Elite Eight.
Although Dickinson is among one of the best centers in the country, Bacot knows his tendencies and not only limited him to 1-for-3 shooting in the first half, but his touches as well.
"I was being physical and being in the right position,” Bacot said. "I've been playing with him since the seventh grade, so I know a lot of the stuff he likes to do. When he catches it on the right block, he's going to try to get to that left-hand jump hook. It's like playing at the park when playing against him because we've been playing against each other for so long."
After allowing 96 combined points in the paint versus Purdue and Tennessee at the Mohegan Sun in Connecticut, and 44 points in the paint to Brown, Carolina applied an adjustment made in practice over the last week.
"Well, from a defensive standpoint, I thought Armando, Dawson (Garcia), and Brady (Manek) did an amazing job working hard in the post,” said Davis. “Not allowing them to get deep low position. One of the changes that we have made and we made tonight is doubling the post.
“We didn't do that in Connecticut, so any time Hunter Dickinson caught the ball in the post, we double-teamed. We wanted to get the ball out of their hands, and our rotations were really good; it was hard for him to get into a rhythm.”
The Tar Heels held the Wolverines to 20 points in the paint while scoring 34. Davis’ message to the team was to play defense with toughness, and Wednesday night, they did just that.