That was a great college basketball game.
I am not going to play the moral victory card. I wanted that win. I was excited they got the final possession with a chance to win. Of course the only player in college basketball who can block John Henson is probably Anthony Davis which is what happened. Yes, Tyler Zeller needs to hold onto the ball and execute. Yes, UNC had a major brain freeze by not fouling there. However what UNC takes away from this game is they went into the one of the most hostile environments in college basketball against a team they could very well see at the end of March or early April and they were in position to win the game. If you cannot get the win, you take that and focus on getting better to, if UNC faces this team again they can do to them what the 1993 team did to Michigan after losing to them in December, 1992.
If you want to point to a stretch of the game where UNC lost control it was when they were ahead 56-52 and went scoreless for five minutes. That is the kind of drought you simply cannot have and had Kentucky been more efficient on offense, it could have really gone bad for the Heels. The problem in that stretch was there were good shots that simply didn’t fall. Another concern is the turnovers. UNC had 13 which isn’t a lot but they did not force many and did not force Kentucky to commit fouls which also hurt. The latter may have had something to do with UNC taking more perimeter shots which they hit. UNC simply had trouble scoring on the interior and some of that had to do with Zeller having trouble holding onto the basketball. In a bit of a reverse UNC was more of a perimeter oriented team. That is not the formula UNC necessarily wants to employ on a regular basis but it worked here.
Speaking of the three point shooting, I think we can officially rest easy about the three point shooting. UNC went 11-18 from three. Harrison Barnes was 4-5, P.J. Hairston was 3-4, Kendall Marshall was 2-4 and Reggie Bullock was 2-5. Bullock and Marshall hitting threes are probably the most encouraging, especially Marshall. The knock on Marshall is his lack of a shot makes him easier to guard. He hit two today along with a jumper in the lane to go along with eight assists. If Marshall can do that consistently it will help tremendously.
In short, it is okay to be pissed. UNC could have won the game. Heck, UNC probably should have won the game. However national titles are not won in December and at the very least we know after a tough win against Wisconsin and a hard fought loss on the road versus Kentucky, the loss to UNLV was a bump in the road. This loss should fire the team up and the things they did well should give them confidence. At any rate, UNC looked like a title contender today and that is the most important takeaway from this game.
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C.Michael, it would have been nice if Roy had a chance to remind players what to do if the play breaks down. Regardless of the play that would ultimately be called in the timeout, you call a timeout to settle your players down, to make sure they know what to do in the called play, and to know what to do after the play. Obviously, the team was not prepared to handle the final 15 seconds. Although we can say that with the benefit of hindsight, that doesn’t change the fact that calling timeout is the standard/safe decision. Why? Because what actually transpired is a probable outcome, and Roy should have known better than to take the unnecessary risk.
Even if he calls the same play, and even if it goes to Zeller instead of Barnes, and even if it ends up in Henson’s hand and blocked anyway, then at least the players don’t stand around looking shell-shocked for five seconds. We foul right away, force Kentucky to make both free throws of a 1-and-1, and still have a timeout leftover to set up another play for the final shot.
That’s why you call a timeout.
I think everyone needs to take a deep breath. I sat 7 rows behind our bench yesterday and I will tell you I have never heard a crowd so loud before. That place was tough to play at and we responded well. It was a tough loss but look how good we are already compared to last year. Honestly I don’t see us losing another game this season and possibly winning it all. We are a damn good team. Oh and what do you all think we’ll drop to in the rankings? 6?
thanks harrison for input.. Honestly I cannot even imagine. All is good for me because we were in it right till the end.JMO but I think we played much better this time against UK than we did in elite eight last year, If Z or John makes that shot whole different spin..
Sure you had a blast even with the outcome.
GO HEELS
I wouldn’t say that Gilchrist owned Barnes. Barnes had 14 points in 24 minutes. Gilchrist had 17 points in 33 minutes. I would hardly call that being owned. Barnes could have been better, going 1 for 7 from “2″ isn’t acceptable, but at the same time how often can we accept him going 4 for 5 from downtown.
I just finised Coach’s book “Hard Work “. Great read
Curious?? Today day off or practice.
^Practice I’d guess. Getting ready for Evansville.
I would say PJ owned Dex thou!
Nice little comment before the ACC championship game from Dabo Swinney.
“He is exactly right – they ain’t Alabama, they ain’t LSU and they certainly are not Clemson. That is why Carolina is in Chapel Hill, USC is in California and the university in this state always has been and always will be Clemson. It’s right here in Clemson, SC. You can print that. Tweet that.” – Dabo
http://www.tigernet.com/view/story.do?id=10193
We finish out the season 22-0. anyone else agree?
^ nope that with these team
I think they are off today. Reggie Bullock just tweeted the boys were heading to Southpoint. Then again they may have practiced this morning. Would surprise me if they had it off, Roy usually does gives them a day off after a game.
As for the timeout issue, there is no correct answer. It is a calculated risk. It is also a product of coaching style, intuition, little devils and angels on the coaches soldiers and confidence in the team on the floor.
If Roy takes the timeout if also gives Calipari a chance to talk to his team, remind them of what they need to do, maybe even draw up a defense to be more effective. Yes, Roy could have reminded them to foul if the shot is missed but even if UNC fouls what kind of win probability are you talking about at that point. Heck, what kind of shift in UNC’s chances of winning are we talking about if he takes the timeout and sends them out with the same play they ran?
The point is we are quibbling over something that is a gamble on the part of the head coach and no one here can prove to me taking the timeout necessarily changes the outcome of this game. UNC had options on the final play, got the ball to Zeller in great position and he simply did not execute. Just like Raymond Felton didn’t execute versus Duke in Cameron in 2005. Guess what, that did follow a timeout. It comes down to players making plays. UNC players didn’t, Kentucky players did so everyone should quit being so worked up over Roy’s timeout decision.
On Dex vs Hairston because some of you are hellbent on equine abuse. Right now, IMO, Hairston is a three point shooter and that’s it. I don’t think his game is rounded out enough to get minutes over Strickland who really compliments Marshall more as a defender and giving the Heels some speed in the backcourt. There are always trade offs in this so I don’t think we can simply say “Play Hairston more!” and not think there won’t be other areas impacted.
I think Hairston is going to be really good but he is also a freshman who really needs to acclimate to college basketball from a conditioning standpoint. Last thing you want is Hariston with dead legs in March so for right now his minutes will be limited.
Not finishing out 22-0 has nothing to do with “this team” but the nature of college basketball. Besides, as long as they finish the season 6-0 I am not worried about.
Great posts Tar Heel Fan well said..
Not being dumb, buT from Boston area,lol Southpoint ??
Sorry…Southpoint Mall which is in Durham. Very nice mall, based on tweets UNC players go there quite a bit in their spare time.
Thanks THF gotcha..lol
Enjoy rest of weekend..
Onto Evansville game.
“Hairston played more minutes in the first half because Barnes was in foul trouble. It is as simple as that.”
scary
^It is a nice reminder of how truly deep UNC is. Not even the might KY jelly can say that. I still think Hairston needs to play more minutes, I guess we will need to have a wait and see attitude when it comes to him earning more minutes.
He is already getting more minutes than most promising freshmen who are not named Barnes.
I agree with THF’s assessment of “where” PJ is at this point in his career—but I think much of the desire to see him play more minutes is an observation of “what” he is. When his “where” and “what” are aligned, he will be scary.
Just curious what others think: who do others think PJ compares well to in terms of Tar Heels from seasons past?