North Carolina Tar Heels: 1957 vs 2016, Bracket Challenge

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Sep 24, 2016; Chapel Hill, NC, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels basketball head coach Roy Williams compares rings with Brice Johnson and Marcus Paige during a timeout in the second quarter against the Pittsburgh Panthers at Kenan Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports /

1957 Rotation

North Carolina Tar Heels Basketball

2016 Rotation

Starters

C Kennedy Meeks

F Brice Johnson

F Justin Jackson

G Marcus Paige

G Joel Berry

Key Reserves

F Isaiah Hicks

G/F Theo Pinson

G Nate Britt

C Joel James

F Luke Maye

G Kenny Williams

Comments

This is perhaps the hardest matchup to compare yet. The 1957 team comes from the relatively early years of basketball. Its roster was pretty good sized at the guard and wing positions. Even the forwards might have been taller than Villanova’s offering last year. Their team was also built on heart, as demonstrated in their triple-overtime successes.

The 2016 is incredibly modern, only lacking a seven footer (a facet of Roy Williams teams when Tyler Zeller is not on the roster). Although it is fair to point out that outside of Paige, this was not a shooting team either. They run a nine man tight rotation compared to 1957’s eight man one, so pacing could be an issue here. It is hard to see Brennan or Quigg bullying their way through Meeks or James and then there is the shot blocking presence of Johnson.

More from Old North Banter

Rosenbluth scored enough for two players. Pinson might have guarded him half the time, but Paige or Jackson would likely have that duty when he was on the bench. Paige could be a good defender, just ask Malcolm Brogdon. Quigg, Kearns, and Brennan also averaged double figures.

On the other side, Berry, Jackson, Johnson, and Paige were all double figures guys. Meeks and Hicks were close to that number as well. So that’s basically even, possibly an edge to the 1957 team if they had any shooters at all that could shoot from twenty feet.

The 1957 team’s record suggest they could have handled Johnson. Johnson is not Wilt Chamberlain and could get drawn into silly fouls. The 2016 team did have better free throw shooters. On the other hand, the 2016 Tar Heels played a number of teams smaller and potentially quicker than them in the tournament and won comfortably until the final game.

Results

I am really going to hate this. It is upsetting a lot of myth and lore. Rosenbluth would no doubt be the star of the game, but the 2016 had depth and quality not yet shared by the 1991 team who played the 1957 team previously. So last year’s warriors march on much as they are still doing in the current tournament.

Next: 1977 vs 1998

They will play the winner of the 2005-1993 match of teams much closer in time to each other. That will also be a simulated game so I do not have to have any bias in that result. Tournaments are supposed to have upsets, right?

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