Could this be the end of The Lost Season? Maybe. Mississippi St. certainly has the pieces to give UNC fits. However, Deon Thompson and Marcus Ginyard might decide they are still not done yet. At the same time the penchant for this team to show up(or not show up) and lay an egg is inescapable. In other words they might be due one in which case this is not going to end well.
And yes, I am playing the reverse mojo deck here.
Comments if you have ‘em.
![[Bloglines]](http://www.tarheelblog.com/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/bloglines.png)
![[del.icio.us]](http://www.tarheelblog.com/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/delicious.png)
![[Digg]](http://www.tarheelblog.com/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/digg.png)
![[Facebook]](http://www.tarheelblog.com/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/facebook.png)
![[MySpace]](http://www.tarheelblog.com/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/myspace.png)
![[Technorati]](http://www.tarheelblog.com/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/technorati.png)
![[Windows Live]](http://www.tarheelblog.com/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/windowslive.png)
![[Yahoo!]](http://www.tarheelblog.com/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/yahoo.png)
![[Email]](http://www.tarheelblog.com/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/email.png)
baby steps william, baby steps, they got punched twice and fought back each time to win, for this team I’ll take it
Good night fellow Heels. I’ll be back for the next game.
TGH–God speed!
Hoffman was the most non-basketball looking guy at the alumni game, and could still rip the twine.
next game is Tuesday night, time to be determined.
Before we get too excited, I can’t even find the box score on ESPN, and they televised the game. I guess the NIT is good enough to televise but not good enough to post on their site.
you have to click the NIT dropdown menu, William. on the scores page.
It was buried”
http://espn.go.com/ncb/boxscore?gameId=300790344
^^ welcome to the internet william…..
For all those that downplayed the value, or wanted to avoid the embarrassment, of continuing with our season, I believe this is a great example of its benefits. These are valuable learning experiences, not to mention very positive reinforcements, for all the guys coming back.
And it ain’t over yet!
I have been hard on the kids for not playing with pride and toughness, and today they showed both. Great ROAD win for the young Heels, and another home game in Carmichael… It should be rockin
On to the next win…….
One more similarity between this season and 2003: 2 wins in the NIT. Hopefully the similarities end there, though if it all resulted in a title in 2 years, I guess that would be worth it…
^^^some of this crew ought to pay a surcharge just to watch the next game.
^^You betcha.
Maybe Drew can use that key three pointer and the great winning shot as something to bolster his confidence.
Aside from that, however, his line was not particularly good, 1-3 from the floor, 0-1 from the line, 6 assists, but 4 turnovers, with 1 steal.
Great shot and while I am not a “hater”, people who think there was a huge response from Larry to the “haters”, may be overestimating the efficiency of his performance.
A good win on the road is a good win on the road, however, so why not just focus on that and not on answering the so-called “haters.”
well, ALMOST all the kids played with pride and toughness. for some of the game.
alleged 2-seed Villanova trailing St Mary’s.
^^^Drew’s defense for the most part was the most glaring deficiency imo.
^^Yeah, I’m not thrilled about my decision to ride that horse…
Interesting how Thompson and Ginyard put up huge numbers against CAA talent, but then when they play major conference level talent:
Thompson 28min, 8pts (8shots), 5rbs, 2 assists, 2 blcks, 3 TO
Ginyard 34min, 6pts (7shots), 6rbs, 3 assists, 1 steal, 1 TO
kind of sums up their careers
This is why this team NEEDED the NIT and more games, ending at the indoor stadium would have been the worst thing, no matter what happens in the next game we have so many more positives to focus on and I don’t want to completely forget Marcus and Deon. My, what winning can do.
^^Yeah, but being on the court for a UNC win kind of sums up their careers, too. Deon’s now been a part of 119 wins in his career, second all-time at UNC.
“Great shot and while I am not a “hater”, people who think there was a huge response from Larry to the “haters”, may be overestimating the efficiency of his performance.”
good point
“^^Yeah, but being on the court for a UNC win kind of sums up their careers, too…”
yes, doing nothing while others carry the team to the victory against someone with major conference talent is what they are used to……
“may be overestimating the efficiency of his performance”
To make up for the haters overestimating his defficiency this year.
Deon’s scored over 1000 points in his career. Say what you want, but that’s not, “doing nothing.” Is he a star? Of course not, but to say that he did not play a part in the success of the previous two years is way short-sighted…
“To make up for the haters overestimating his deficiency this year.”
good point
and we continue to limit the wins lead that Kansas can get over us.
^Depending on which WFU shows, UNC might actually be able to cut into UK’s lead…
^definitely not counting on the other local team with psychological issues.
UNC giving up 72 3-point attempts the last 2 games. good gravy, Roy.
A shout out to Dexter Strickland. (And the bench, in general, who outscored MSU’s bench by 17 pts.)
-8 Pt.’s
-3 RB’s
-1 Steal
-2 Assists
-Zero TO’s
-16 Minutes
^I don’t get your point, HTTE, unless it was in jest. Anyone can put up a 3 pointer, from any distance. That doesn’t mean it was a good shot.
Some of MSU’s shots today were 3 or 4 feet behind the line.
I hope Zeller recovers quickly. I’m sorry he couldn’t be a part of the last few minutes’ action.
Is Villanova in Duke’s bracket?
St. Mary’s with the Will Graves special….
Larry is so glass half full. we like that about him.
its why i didnt bring up the 27 made 3s. because anyone can jack em up.
^^
william. if theres a seed that doesnt deserve their seeding, theyre in dook’s bracket.
including dook.
^Now MADE 3′s against us is a stat, or deficiency, I cannot defend or take issue with.
It’s also a microcosm of our entire season. Thing about it is we won both games, and W&M and MSU have both been noted for losing games while making a lot of 3′s.
Just another way to git ‘er done. (Like with our fairly modest 11 TO’s, or plus 9 on the boards, or plus 17 bench points, or 5 threes of our own, or large number of points in the paint……..)
Having said all that, we did dodge a big ole bullet, not to mention a bad call.
Today’s game was also sort of MSU’s season in a microcosm. Jumped out to a big lead hitting a bunch of threes, but then cooled off, and instead of pounding the ball into the one guy who will be a 1st round pick (Vanardo), they continued to shoot (at times wildly) three pointers.
The easiest bracket in the NCAA just got easier for the top seed dook, Villanova goes down to St. Marys
it was also our season, except it didnt end in a loss.
an injury.
3-pt D.
missed shots.
young guys getting it done.
Roy taking timeouts to St Peter.
LDII is struggling with the same question we all are. From his Twitter:
“is it ight for me to be a State fan for the next couple hours?”
Damn, Nova’s out. Starting to look like the Big East is the ACC of 2009. There goes my bracket.
You go, Tex. A&M (And ACC, except for……..well, you know.)
Yeah Strickland played his best game in weeks today. Both times Miss St made their runs, it was Strick that sparked us by pushing the ball up the court and making good things happen. He excels in a more up and down game.
There is sweet irony in Coach Roy Williams coaching a team back to the gym in which we learned his craft. Here we are, nearing late March, and one of college basektball’s most successful coaches is out there sweating out NIT wins, while still instructing, still trying to figure this team out…
Did he ask for time away when his arm was in a sling? Will he ask Kirschner to see if the NCAA will strip the losses (I believe three in the cast) from his record?
Hell no! While Dook are being cottled and fondled by the NCAA, in a pathetic attempt to retain decent ratings (because so many people watch to see them lose…and then sheepishly WEEP) for CBS, North Carolina is out there slowly building some momentum for the next season. Yes, winning goes a long way. Fair or not, the win at the end of the game helps to validate what the team is attempting to do in way that “close losses” cannot. Which is to say, we get to witness one more game.
If there is one quality that Roy possesses that I always will love (okay, other than distancing himself from the pack on the recruiting trail), it is that he will not stop fighting until fighting (or playing) is no longer an option.
I have always, and always will, stood by Roy. We are damn lucky to have him. Now go bring some hate.
Great win Heels! wtg. As I stated earlier when we got the bid, may as well win as many as possible. So far so good. Go Heels!!
Is the whole South NCAA regional overrated or what? The not-so Big East has blown my picks all to Hell. They might just as well given Dook a bye into the semis for all the low-seeded turkeys that surround them. Come to think of it, that should make them seem right at home. Somebody, Anybody, Beat Dook!!
There are no great teams this year. UNC beats MSU on the road, something Kentucky could barely do on a neutral court. I wonder what kind of impact two guys like the Wears might have made if they had gone to Cornell?
^william has had a bag packed for the Wears since November.
maybe he was traumatized by twins, as a child.
I don’t have anything against the Wears. I would be proud to be the father of such outstanding young men. I just think they could have been huge factors at a school like Cornell. By the way, there are several sets of twins in my family….
By the way, I notice CBS 60 Minutes is doing a special on mirror image twins tomorrow night….
^unless theyre female cheerleaders, i’ll pass.
Athletes, I think.
Somebody help me with info. I didn’t see any of the game and I havent read any posts….I was told LDII drove the length of the court and made a lay-up to win the game. Is that accurate?
^Spot on.
I’m so excited, but I need a good play=by=plau. Anybody? C. Michael?
When does the pack play? How can we not pull like hell for them to win?
^^ LD received the throw-in from Dexter, after Miss. St. had tied the game 74-74 with two free throws, took it the length of the court with just over eight seconds left, split 2 defenders at the top of the key, cut left and laid it in with his left hand, high off the glass and beyond the reach of Jarvis Vanardo who was zeroing in to block it.
Nothing but net, and as pretty a play as you’d ever hope to see.
Miss. St. then had just over 1 second left, and heaved a shot, from beyond the mid-court line, that sailed over the backboard.
Pack is playing now. Down 37-17 at halftime.
I’m 45 yrs old. We play a pick up game every Weds. nite and I’m pretty sure we could have beaten the pack this afternoon.
Thanks Larrys. That makes me smile. Left hand….awesome.
UAB on Tues. And the beat goes on.
There is some sweet justice in not getting to watch a game but hearing it on the radio, then later coming in to read the game thread comments. There are some here that only post when the Heels are down and they jump on them like dogs, but disappear when the boys figure things out and then take the W. I guess crow isn’t all that tasty. But God love ya, for every doubting Thomas there are three that believe. And that’s why I keep coming back to this site.
And lest I forget, TarheelGary, thank you for your service sir. Be safe.
Go Heels!
And while I’m at it, DeanForever, I’m with you sir. The UNC program could NOT be in better hands.
What about Bill Self?
C. Michael,
You need to average only 7pts a game to score over 1,000 points if you play 149 games in your college career. Nothing wrong with being a bridesmaid, but most Tar Heel players at least become a bride for at least one season during their 4 year career. Especially 3 year starters.
Cool, we are guaranteed to have a winning record this year. We still have a shot at getting to 20 wins. We get to keep watching our basketball play in March. And the team is finally starting to play together and do the things they have to do to come up with wins. I’m so happy they are still playing right now that I don’t have any complaints to make about how they got there.
Late thought: am I correct that MSU didn’t have any timeouts left? Why else would they not call one to set up a play at the end there? Either way, poor late game time management, either by not saving a timeout or by not getting the ball down a bit further for a better shot. Surely, they must have a play drawn for such a situation too.
^Great question.