The Ohio State basketball team has its last big non-conference test before Big Ten play on Saturday taking on North Carolina in the CBS Sports Classic in Atlanta. The Buckeyes have a tall task in front of them in this game, preparing for the size UNC presents in the frontcourt.
The 12th-ranked Tar Heels are one of the biggest teams in all of College Basketball; in fact, according to KenPom, their average height of 79.5 inches is the tallest in the country. They start a 6-10 small forward, a 6-10 five-star freshman power forward, and a 7-foot center who make up three of the top four average minutes played so far this season for North Carolina, each either seeing close to, or playing more than, 30 minutes a game.
The majority of North Carolina's offense comes from the inside. They score their points in the paint 43.2% of the time with an average of 34.9 paint points per game. They're led by the duo of Caleb Wilson and Henri Veesaar, and they've been sensational to start the season. Wilson is averaging a double-double as a freshman and working on three-straight 20-point games, while Veesaar is dominant around the rim on both ends of the floor.
What makes them even more of a handful is their ability to operate on the perimeter. Wilson will oftentimes get the defensive rebound and start the fast-break for North Carolina, while Veesaar is capable of spacing the floor and knocking down the three. This duo will be a step-up in talent for the Ohio State frontcourt to defend.
This game is a great opportunity for A'mare Bynum to add his name to the mix of talented freshmen in College Basketball on a national stage against this massive frontcourt for North Carolina. He's fresh off a career-high 17 points in Ohio State's win over West Virginia, missing just four shots in 38 minutes played, while adding 9 rebounds and 3 blocks.
For the Ohio State basketball team to have a legit shot in this game, Bynum needs to see a similar workload as he did against West Virginia. He's played up to the better competition so far this season, and his energy and physicality match what North Carolina gets from their bigs. If the Buckeyes can get that from their freshman, this game could be interesting.
This will be the 4th meeting featuring the Buckeyes and Tar Heels in the CBS Sports Classic. North Carolina has won the previous three meetings. This edition of the annual series will be held in Atlanta, and tip-off between the Ohio State basketball team and #12 North Carolina will come around 3:00 pm ET.