UCLA Men's Basketball's 3 Keys to Victory in Sweet 16 vs. North Carolina

Breaking down what the Bruins need to do in order to beat the Tar Heels and advance to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA tournament.

With opening tip nearing, the Bruins will need to check off several boxes to defeat the surging Tar Heels in the Sweet 16.

No. 4 seed UCLA men’s basketball (27-7, 15-5 Pac-12) has persevered through early March Madness victories against Akron and Saint Mary’s, but No. 8 seed North Carolina (26-9, 15-5 ACC) presents a new challenge with its athleticism and high-profile players.

Due to guard/forward Jaime Jaquez Jr.’s ankle sprain heading into the Bruins fight with the Tar Heels, the blue and gold will need to find ways to share the ball if their go-to shot maker is unavailable to play his regular role.

Here are UCLA’s three keys to victory for Friday night’s Sweet 16 showdown with North Carolina.

Johnny Juzang needs to start and end strong

Despite being nationally-known for his clutch offense – averaging 22.8 points in 2021’s March Madness – Juzang’s consistency has fallen dramatically this year, only averaging 10.5 points per game through UCLA’s six games played in March so far.

Luckily for the Bruins, Jaquez has carried the scoring load, averaging 19.5 points in the same period of time.

However, with the sprained ankle Jaquez suffered in UCLA’s second round fight with Saint Mary’s, Juzang needs to rediscover his offensive rhythm to make up for scoring dry spells that could be caused by a less than 100% Jaquez.

Juzang showed signs of the March magic he developed last year near the end of the 72-56 victory over Saint Mary’s. The former Kentucky transfer found the basket five times in the second half after only scoring once from the field in the first half, eventually scoring 14 points on the night.

If Juzang can light the Bruins’ fire once again, a battle with the Tar Heels should be less dramatic than it otherwise could be, helping UCLA build its path to the Final Four in back-to-back years.

Don’t let Armando Bacot dominate the paint

Bacot’s 6-foot-10 height doesn’t seem like it gives him a massive advantage over the Bruins’ big, as Cody Riley is only an inch shorter at 6-foot-9 and Myles Johnson and Kenny Nwuba are both 6-foot-10 as well.

Where Bacot can really make UCLA suffer, however, is with his rebounding prowess. The junior averages 12.5 rebounds a game, good enough to rank No. 3 in the nation. In eight of his last 10 games, Bacot has collected more than 10 rebounds, and in six of those matchups, he scored more than 15 points.

Nearly four of the rebounds he earns per game are on the offensive glass, and for the Bruins to limit the second-chance damage, coach Mick Cronin will need to muck up the paint all game long.

Jaylen Clark, Johnson and even Nwuba – who very well could be minuteless – may provide a tough presence in the paint to box out and force Bacot away from the restricted area.

North Carolina is likely the hottest team in college basketball, and to defeat the Tar Heels and advance to the Elite Eight, UCLA will need to stop Bacot from fully asserting himself down low.

Find the correct Cody Riley-Myles Johnson balance

Possibly the largest critique Bruins fans have had for Cronin over the 2021-2022 season has been the minute disparage between Riley and Johnson.

Despite the complaints seen across social media, the veteran forwards play similar amounts of time on the court. Johnson has averaged three fewer minutes per game than Riley’s 21.3, but the former Rutgers transfer has proven more than capable of changing the game by getting second-chance buckets and forcing turnovers.

The stats show the difference too, with Riley only being +13.4 per 100 possessions compared to Johnson’s +25.5, boasting better offensive and defensive ratings. Johnson averages 2.5 offensive rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game, both of which soar over Riley’s averages of 1.1 and 0.4.

Riley will surely find his time on the court against North Carolina and will likely start, but once Johnson hits the floor, the Tar Heels’ offense will have so much more to work through to get the ball in the hoop.

Johnson’s length creates ball movement nightmares, and with fellow defensive players Clark and Peyton Watson on the floor, any team in the NCAA would struggle to get to the basket.

If Riley can be relied on for strong minutes, hitting his 15-foot jumpers and converting on close attempts at the rim, Cronin has every right to keep him on the floor for offensive value. Cronin seems to like Riley’s ability to switch on the perimeter, which could also come in handy against stretch four Brady Manek.

But if the first few minutes indicate the redshirt senior is unable to adapt against North Carolina, Johnson should be on the floor for at least half of regulation. It is do-or-die, and Cronin needs to trust the statistics and have the ability to make the key in-game adjustments.

Follow Royer on Twitter at @thebenroyer
Follow All Bruins on Twitter at @SI_AllBruins
Like All Bruins on Facebook at @SI.AllBruins
Subscribe to All Bruins on YouTube

Read more UCLA stories: UCLA Bruins on Sports Illustrated
Read more UCLA men's basketball stories: UCLA Men's Basketball on Sports Illustrated