With special attention paid to defensive intensity and general effort. I would love to see UNC put on a clinic tonight on both ends. Yes that is going to be very tough playing a decent Miami team on the road but let's find out how these Heels respond to a loss.
8:39 PM: Two things that really bug me watching NC State-GT. (1) Who among the ESPN producers think we really care about the actual characteristics of Wolves and Yellow Jackets and (2) It bugs me to no end to see GT hit all the shots they did last week and yet trail NCSU by three in the latter part of the second half.
8:44 PM: And just as I say that NCSU starts falling apart. GT now up five with 5 mins to go.
8:58 PM: Wolfpack in deep trouble with a minute left. I think it is interesting that so many people say the Pack are playing better but that tends to happen at home. It will be interesting to see what happens when they have to go back on the road.
9:01 PM: Dan Bonner! Finally might hear some decent analysis during a UNC game tonight.
9:05 PM: No change to the starting lineup. I really thought he might give Stepheson a start.
9:06 PM: Roy Williams is a great coach but I swear he picks some ugly ties out.
9:07 PM: Nice start there, miss the layup then give one up on the other end. But Ellington fills it up to tie the game.
9:08 PM: Well the transition defense is not any better so far. Miami 4 UNC 2.
9:09 PM: Nice alley-oop to Hansbrough. You would think that would be available more often.
9:10 PM: Nice screen to free up Lawson for the three but again Miami is able to come down get into the lane and hit a jumper.
9:12 PM: Nice cut by Lawson but also nice look to see him and make a good pass. UNC 11 Miami 8.
9:13 PM: Hansbrough with a face up move and hits the 15 foot jumper. Credit to Ellington for locking down on the defender on the sideline and forcing he bad pass.
9:14 PM: 1st TV timeout. UNC 13 Miami 10
9:15 PM: I think the defense has been good in the half court save for some of the defensive rebounding. The transition defense has been weak and I am not sure you can defend pull up jumpers on the break.
9:16 PM: Mistake by Tim Brando mentioning the 2003 game Miami won against UNC calling it an ACC game. I think that was the last year before Miami joined the conference.
9:17 PM: Danny Green gets the bounced. He has been off a few games, be nice to see him get back on track.
9:18 PM The photographers trip the referee. Good to see everyone paid the ACC memo concerning photographer positioning a lot of attention /sarcasm.
9:19 PM: I understand Tyler's mentality but when he backs guys down and is covered well or does not have position he should look for someone else and one of the guards need to recognize and swing around for the pass.
9:20 PM: I think Hansbrough worked in practice on some baseline post moves. He has shown that spin move a few times already.
9:21 PM: Danny Green for three! UNC by eight. This is the point in the past few games that UNC has had a chance to bury a team but let up on defense.
9:22 PM: What!?!? Green gets the board, has the ball, King takes it from him and Green gets the foul? I agree with Roy's look of disbelief on that one.
9:23 PM: 2nd TV timeout. UNC 18 Miami 13. As I said, the defense needs to turn it up now, keep Miami off balanced and score some points to open things up.
9:25 PM: Great defensive series. Miami has to back out, restart the offense and take a wild shot but they don't grab the defensive rebound. Fortunately Miami misses the three and UNC gets the ball back.
9:26 PM: Once again, UNC pisses a lead way giving up two threes and then falling apart on offense.
9:28 PM: Nice matador defense by Thompson allows Miami to tie the game at 18.
9:29 PM: Five minute scoring drought and Miami on a 10-0 run. I want someone to tell me why UNC cannot get out on a team in the first half and stay there?
9:30 PM: Great. Asbury has hit nothing coming and in this game has hit two threes, that figures.
9:31 PM: And of course they hit shots that are pretty well defended. Great offensive game so far for Lawson. UNC 27 Miami 25.
9:32 PM: 3rd TV timeout. UNC 29 Miami 27. Well at least Miami is starting to get some foul trouble.
9:34 PM: Stat check: FG%: UNC-37%, Miami-50%. I don't think UNC's defense is horrible. Miami has hit some contested shots but there also have been some lapses.
9:35 PM: Beautiful cut to the baskey by Ellington who hung long enough to get the foul and then the three point play.
9:36 PM: Ellington looking like he did in the 2nd half at Clemson.
9:37 PM: For the love of Dean Smith, someone hit a shot. I don't think I have ever seen that many consecutive offensive rebounds. Lawson hits two FTs and UNC up 36-30.
9:39 PM: It seems like anytime and I mean anytime someone screen around the free throw area the Heels players have zero idea what to do after the assigned defender gets picked off the ball handler.
9:40 PM: Final TV timeout. UNC 36 Miami 32. UNC is flat out cold except for Ellington and Lawson who have been most of the offense so far scoring 19 of the 36.
9:43 PM: Another alley-oop, this one to Green. UNC up four.
9:44 PM: Up six on the nice defense by Green and the pass out to Ellington for the dunk.
9:45 PM: That was Duke-like flop by the Miami player guarding Thompson. UNC up six. Thompson and Stepheson both with two fouls.
9:47 PM: I wonder what Will Graves is not doing in practice that keeps him on the bench during the game?
9:48 PM: Hansbrough need to recognize where the double team is coming from. Once again UNC had chances to extend the lead out. Miami is shooting lights out and UNC's offense is just not there.
9:50 PM: What the....Heck of a shot by Lawson. Finally something falls that probably shouldn't have.
9:51 PM: Halftime: UNC 47 Miami 40.
Statistically speaking the defense has been more of the same. Miami shooting 50% and scoring 40 points is not really what I wanted to see. I do think UNC is doing a better job playing defense, especially on the ball however Miami is still finding ways to get open looks in some cases. There are other cases where Miami is hitting contested shots. The UNC offense is a whole other mess. How scary is it they shot only 41% and still had 47. If they had shot close to their average of around 50%, they would be in the 50s right now. UNC usually plays better in the second half, we will see if that holds true.
10:08 PM: 2nd half
10:09 PM: Deon makes use of the Miami gift. UNC up nine.
10:10 PM: Miami passing into the interior over the top. UNC needs to front that better. Thompson picks up his third foul which could be an issue later.
10:11 PM: Lawson is very fast. Heels back up by nine.
10:12 PM: Teetering on this 7-9 point lead. I would like to see a run off to get this in the 15 point range. Right now this trading baskets is a little unnerving.
10:14 PM: Nice read by Stepheson on the drive to step up and get the clean block. UNC finally breaks into double digits.
10:15 PM: Nice flop by Collins to get the offensive foul on Stepheson. We should all send thank you notes to Duke congratulating them on taking the lead in making college basketball a floppers game on defense.
10:16 PM: 1st TV timeout. UNC 59 Miami 50.
10:18 PM: I swear. Play great defense down to one second and hit a shot with Hansbrough contesting. And yes, according to Bonner, UNC is playing a zone. Someone needs to check the temp in hell.
10:20 PM: Nice take down by the Miami player on that rebound. Good thing UNC came up with it. Classic Hansbrough on the other end, rebound and fights for the basket and the foul. 3 point play fives UNC a 12 point lead.
10:21 PM: I am not sure what Roy's objection is to the zone. UNC looks pretty active in it, almost like a man to man.
10:22 PM: Lawson is being plenty aggressive on both ends. Thus the 19 points and although he gave up an open look going for the steal, you have to like that he is going after it.
10:23 PM: 2nd TV timeout. UNC 66 Miami 54.
10:26 PM: Whoa. Ellington missed a FT.
10:27 PM: The crowd is whining about Hansbrough being fouled. Imagine my surprise. UNC up 10.
10:29 PM: Nice defensive play to stop the transition basket. Stepheson ended up getting the layup but how does a 6-10 kid not get the ball over the rim? UNC up nine.
10:31 PM: How bout we break this thing open guys?
10:32 PM: That is a good start. Hansbrough with the basket and the foul as we go to the timeout. 3rd TV timeout. UNC 73 Miami 62.
10:34 PM: It appears to me that ACC refs refuse to call physical fouls down low but will call the ticky tack ones on the perimeter. Like said it seems that way.
10:35: Wow. Lawson absolutely picked the pocket there. Also, Ellington needs some better court awareness. Twice he has had the ball tapped away from behind. UNC up 13.
10:37 PM: Clutch from Ginyard and UNC now up 16.
10:39 PM: Miami takes a timeout off the made shot. UNC 81 Miami 67.
10:40 PM: How about the defensive job Marcus Ginyard has done on McClinton who game in averaging 16 ppg but only has eight on 3-9 shooting.
10:41 PM: UNC in control now, Hansbrough is getting what he wants.
10:42 PM: I will be interested to see how Roy evaluates the defense. Seems like Miami has hit some well defended shots.
10:43 PM: Like that one by McClinton hitting a three covered.
10:44 PM: Final TV timeout. UNC 86 Miami 73. Pretty hard foul on Hansbrough there.
10:47 PM: Hansbrough with 31 as Bonner sort of implies Miami might could mount a comeback with 3 mins left down 14.
10:48 PM: Well at least Frank Haith got to stay around for the end of this one.
10:50 PM: UNC opts to run a full halfcourt set probaby to burn some clock.
10:51 PM: Roy calls timeout. UNC 92 Miami 79
10:52 PM: I think Roy called a timeout to set a play and see if they can execute it.
10:53 PM: I don't think Green for a long three was supposed to be it.
10:55 PM: Nice game for Lawson tonight, overshadowed by Hansbrough.
10:56 PM: Run the clock out or go for 100?
10:57 PM: They opt to run the clock out. UNC 98 Miami 82.