Where: Carmichael Auditorium, Chapel Hill, NC
When: Tuesday, March 16th, 9:30 PM
TV: ESPN
Live Stats: SCACC Hoops
Records: UNC 16-16, W&M 22-10
This following quote from Roy Williams should be enough to scare you senseless about this game(emphasis mine):
“… I’m halfway through their Maryland tape and when you look at their stats, they beat Maryland at Maryland – which we haven’t done very often with some really good teams – and they beat Wake Forest at Wake Forest, so they have the ability to go on the road in some tough environments and beat some good basketball teams. They’re unusual in the number of three point shots that they make. It’s mindboggling … I think 48 percent of their shots are threes … Their top three scorers, it’s an even higher percentage than that. One thing they do is play to their strengths – with smaller guys that maybe didn’t fit the look test for some other schools. Defensively they play zone, a matchup not point. It’s unusual, so trying to get ready for something like that in one practice is hard to do. Tony [Shaver] does a good job. They play nine guys double-figure minutes.”
Just to sum up. UNC is playing a team which beat both Maryland and Wake Forest. A team that goes nine deep, plays a zone and shoots threes like they are going out of style. Given UNC’s rather porous perimeter defense I imagine the over/under on made threes by the Tribe in this one opens at about 12. Would it do any good for me to openly beg for Roy to have the Heels switch on all screens and play straight-up man-to-man with minimal helping? And I don’t have a good feeling about UNC playing against a zone, if past games are any indication.
Is there any hope? Sure, if John Henson can be a factor and Tyler Zeller plays like he did versus Georgia Tech. UNC will also need quite a bit in the way of perimeter scoring so it would be nice if Will Graves finds his jumpshot. Since the team has never played in Carmichael I am not sure what impact that will have on their ability to hit shots. All that being said, someone just needs to step up and take this team on their shoulders. Is there anyone who can do that? I am not sure but wining at least one game ensures finishing at .500 regardless of what happens going forward.
As for playing in Carmichael, the reaction has been very positive. It should be fun to see the Heels play where so many great games happened. Of course it will not be the same unless they bring out that small white, hand turned scoreboard that used to sit in the corner at the end of the bench.
UNC 65 W&M 60
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Anyone going to the game? I’m debating on it. I’d like to see a game in Carmichael.
“Since the team has never played in Carmichael I am not sure what impact that will have on their ability to hit shots.”
Since this team would struggle making shots in an empty gym with a metal coated ball and rims made of magnets, I think a change of scenery should be of little impact.
I’m interested in everyone’s take on these comments from Roy:
“I’m playing for this year,” Williams said. “I can’t cheat Deon and Marcus. That’s not fair…I’m coaching for this year and this team, and trying to get this team to win one more game. If we do that, we’ll try to win one more game.”
Where can the general public buy tickets??????????
I think it will be helpful if Drew doesn’t make very many stupid passes. I have come to the realization that Drew will almost intentionally throw the ball to the other team. I just hope it isn’t very often.
Tickets:
http://ev10.evenue.net/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/SEGetEventInfo?ticketCode=GS%3AUNC%3AMB10%3APNIT1%3A&linkID=unc&shopperContext=&caller=&appCode=
Hurry up…upper level seats are all that are coming up.
To me, the most interesting thing about William and Mary’s wins over Wake and Maryland is they were both basically won at the free throw line. (+21 FT’s made against Wake in a 10 pt. win, and +12 FT’s made against Md. in a 6 pt. win.)
-3 pt. shooting, for both games (7/17 for Wake, and 8/23 for Md.), was within their normal pattern of 8+ made 3′s per game, on 25 attempts, though they were much more efficient against Wake. As a team they shoot right at the same percentage that we do from beyond the arc, but they do it with volume.
-Example : W&M put up 36 three-pointers, hitting 14, against Towson (#264 RPI). Not bad, huh? Guess what. They lost.
-They like to play slow (#337 in tempo), they take care of the ball, but they don’t RB or play D that well. (#173 defensively)
So it’s the same old story for UNC: Guard the 3, hit the boards, and push it. Oh, and from looking at the Wake and Md. games, we also shouldn’t roll out the red carpet to the free throw line.
^Yup, same keys since day one:
-Limit W&M to one CONTESTED shot
-Push the pace in a CONTROLLED fashion
-If easy opportunities are not available in transition or in the secondary break, SET SOLID SCREENS and use GOOD SPACING and GOOD BALL MOVEMENT to execute the offense efficiently, this should result in multiple touches for Zeller and Henson in the post and the occasional open jump shot for Graves and DrewII, while limiting the number of fade away jump shots for Thompson and shots period by Ginyard.
Sounds so simple except for the fact this team has done zero of the above for stretches longer than 5-10min during a game this entire season, especially post Christmas.
^ Play Carolina Basketball, something this team has not figured out how to do. Please dont lose to W&M, the ABCers will have a field day, but I expect a lack luster performance, followed by a excuss filled presser from Mr. Drew.
^^scl11 re: Roy’s comments
I take it as meaning that he still believes in the team and his competitive spirit wants to win again. He’s hoping that his seniors can end their careers on a positive note.
The jaded part of us might interpret the statement as putting too much stock in the seniors and this team in general, but imagine what the opposite of this statement would have sounded like had UNC declined the NIT bid.
9:30 pm? Sorry, Larry Drew II, but while you’re getting a free ride in college, I have a job and can’t stay up until after midnight to watch your “spoiled” team. Maybe this one will put the Heels out of their misery.
BTW, isn’t frickin’ NORTH CAROLINA a team on the EAST COAST? What’s up with a 9:30pm game time? All the kids asleep in their beds who have to go to school tomorrow will be the kids who aren’t UNC fans in the future. (The kids who aren’t asleep after midnight have their own problems.) Never mind people like me who have to support ourselves by working. Maybe the game times are for all the California recruits or something. Eventually, all these late games destroy your fan base. MLB used to be America’s past time until the playoffs got so late into the night it was past everyone’s time and people quit watching.
Shout out to Big Game,Larry S, & Rathskellar. Glad you liked the post on John Kratzer. While I was at Carolina I attended a FCA (Fellowship of Christian Athletes) meeting. Jimmy Black was in attendance. The subject of inspirational stories came up and I told the group about the night of 12/7/77. They were touched. I probably haven’t thought about that night since then. I’m glad I had an opportunity to share it with the Tarheel Nation.
Rathskellar, I’m glad to hear you’re doing well. I wish you continued great health. My prayers are with you. Your quote that “you lose your fear of any merely human force” is profound and instructive. Why should any man ever fear a human force, but it takes an experience like yours to really put it into practice.
Two points that were made in the article http://cli.gs/EVamsL will always be a part of my consciousness. Kratzer planning his own funeral and selecting this St. Ignatius’ prayer on his prayer card:
“Take, Lord, receive all I have and possess.
You have given it all to me;
Now I return it to You.”
Secondly, W&M gives out an annual “Kraze Award” to honor John Kratzer’s life. The player who earns the Kraze Award is selected because he best represents COURAGE and PERSPECTIVE, the two defining qualities of John Kratzer.
Hoping that both teams play to the best of their abilities tonight. Hope that all Carolina fans keep this season in PERSPECTIVE. Cheer each and every Heel who steps on that floor. Lift them up instead of tearing them down. You’ll be surprised how well they play if you give them your unconditional support.
Go Heels and Go Tribe!!!! May the best team win.
^
“Hoping that both teams play to the best of their abilities tonight. Hope that all Carolina fans keep this season in PERSPECTIVE. Cheer each and every Heel who steps on that floor. Lift them up instead of tearing them down.”
Amen to that, cgbasket24
2 keys to tonights game and neither has anything to do with the Tribe’s ability to hit 3s because we havent stopped people on the perimeter and thats not going to change tonight.
1. REBOUND – be Carolina and DOMINATE the defensive and offensive glass
2. MAKE more FT than they attempt – pound the ball inside. IF this team cares at all about this game or this tournament we should see a relentless effort of getting the ball inside, going up strong, and getting to the line.
You can argue that we havent guarded the perimeter all year and we havent gone strong inside all year so why can one change and not the other – we don’t have the basketball IQ as a team to effectively guard the perimeter but going strong is making a firm decision that you are going to hole and either dunking on someone or getting hacked.
Also, let’s hope we can fool WIll Graves into Carmichael being a natural home game.
anyone other than myself wish they’d break out the 1982 unis for their return to Carmichael? http://www.theheismanwinners.com/images/carolina.jordan_1_.jpg
SCL11 – You have to play for the season you’re in today and you have play to win. He seems to be saying, I’m playing in the NIT because we play basketball, it’s what basketball teams do. Why would you walk away from the tournament when you have a chance to get more practice and more playing time for a team that sorely needs more time on the court.
Zeller needs more time on the court, anything is a help given his time out due to injuries. Henson needs more time under the basket and everyone that he passes too needs to get used to what he does in that role. More than that, they need to get some wins and go out with a better sense of confidence than they have today.
UNC33 – I’ll be there in section 102 row L seat 10. Too late to bring my son but I’m looking forward to the game.
Go Heels!
cgbasket24 –
The thanks go to you for such an inspirational story.
I would join you in the sentiment, “May the best team win,” but I have some doubt about who the best team IS, and since unlike you I’m an alumnus only of UNC, I root for Carolina whether or not they’re the best team.
Last year, rooting for the “best team” presented no such conflicts. But that was last year.
If our perimeter defense is as porous as it’s been all year, I have a bad feeling that by midnight, the main thing I’ll be rooting for is a good showing in the Blue-White Game.
I don’t know how many student tickets they’re giving out, but I’m hoping it will at least be louder/more intense than in the dean dome
Section 213 Row UL is the present marker for tickets.
^Not sure how many they are giving away but as a student you can buy a seat for $5.00 – not sure I’d hassle with the school when you can get em for $5.
I would really appreciate someone, somewhere developing a software application that allowed you to choose open seats from what’s available. Letting the machine decide what the best available is garbage.
“the main thing I’ll be rooting for is a good showing in the Blue-White Game.”
Roy doesn’t play Blue-White scrimmages, so maybe a good showing during next years secret scrimmage with Vandy would be more realistic.
“Why would you walk away from the tournament when you have a chance to get more practice and more playing time for a team that sorely needs more time on the court.”
There is a difference between getting guys more PT that will benefit the Carolina program next season vs. getting guys more or similar amounts of PT so that they can make a roster in Turkey next season. Neither of these alternatives are not playing for “today” or “to win”, but can be very different approaches on how the extra practice and PT are used in relationship to next season. I’m not saying Roy should do an about face and put Ginyard and Thompson on the bench, but more minutes for Zeller and Henson together in the post along with more minutes for Strickland at his natural position could be viewed as a benefit from this extra opportunity to continue playing basketball. So Carolina could not only try to “win the game”, but develop next year’s team in the process vs. Senior Night #2 for Thompson and Ginyard.
I debated going or not (9:30 p.m. dicated by ESPN no doubt) but decided to take the plunge. $30 (ticket plus all those, ahem, service charges) is not bad to see the men play in Carmichael. I anticipate a loud and raucus crowd tonight. I still have memories of a wild crowd at an NIT game vs. Wyoming in the early 90s. Go Heels!
I didn’t get a chance to get tickets, I wish I did though. Hopefully we can go out with a bang. A good bang that is.
^PRGuy – that was one of the first UNC games I attended and it was pretty fantastic, really the main reason I wanted to go to this game. I seem to recall the game was back and forth until the last five minutes or so and UNC pulled away. I sat in the very last row with my back against the wall and it was pretty hot that night.
^^well, why didnt ya say somethin, uncgirl?
i am off to see some pre-NIT lacrosse. not happy about it being cold.
@jasondelirious:
I was wondering why UNC didn’t pull out the 1982 uniforms in the season myself, seeing as how they wore the 1957 vintage for the 100 years celebrations. I’m sure Nike could have made up a set yesterday and FedEx’d them down here in plenty of time.
Why didn’t they wear ANY other uniforms? 100 years, for Pete’s sake.
7-4, Heels here at Fetzer.
Good luck Heels, sounds like were going to need it. the nit. wow.
A solid team effort! This has to be a positive experience for the team.