Behind Tyler Zeller’s game-best 12 points the No. 2-seeded North Carolina Tar Heels have earned a comfortable 40-15 halftime advantage over the No. 4 Marquette Golden Eagles in a fourth-round NCAA Tournament contest in Newark, NJ. The winner will advance to play either No. 1 Ohio St. Buckeyes or No. 4 Kentucky Wildcats in the East Regional final on Saturday.
The Golden Eagles (22-14) have made just 6-of-3 (20.0 percent) from the field, missed all eight 3-point attempts and committed 12 turnovers (UNC has just three TO). Darius Johnson-Odom is Marquette’s leading scorer with just five points. Jimmy Bulter and Davante Gardner each have tallied four points.
Meanwhile, the Tar Heels (28-7) are rolling. UNC has made 18-of-40 (45.o) shots from the floor. John Henson also has 12 points for the Tar Heels, while freshman Harrison Barnes has chipped in with eight points.
Currently, Marquette and UConn are the only remaining Big East Conference teams playing in the NCAA Tournament. The Huskies advanced to the Elite 8 on Thursday night by beating San Diego St.