Hoping this trip to Atlanta is better than the last four.
8:48 PM: Is it me or does Duke have the same problem as last year where they run out to a big lead and then in the second half the offense complete falls apart.
8:49 PM: Impact Week on ESPN!
8:53 PM: Ah this is the sweet and crumbly Duke we came to know and love last season. FSU pulls within one.
8:57 PM: Jason Rich got from the three point line to the basket without dribbling and traveling. Pretty amazing stuff. Singler with the annoying go ahead three pointer to answer however.
8:58 PM: I guess this means UNC-GT will be later tip-off.
9:01 PM: Meanwhile over on ESPNU UVa is in OT with VT. The Cavs really are not very good are they?
9:02 PM: Hey Grant Wahl, still think Xavier can win the national title after they lost to Temple by 20?
9:03 PM: Okay, starting the UNC game on ESPN360 does me zero good since I cannot access it.
9:05 PM: I just think it is funny dropping Paulus is as easy as Reid made it look there.
9:07 PM: Wow, Mike Patrick throws the FSU players under the bus without even mentioning the fact that Paulus was kicking at a Seminole player while down on the floor.
9:10 PM: UNC-GT is tipping off and I would appreciate it if ESPN would go ahead and switch over since Duke is going to win this one.
9:11 PM: Radio blogging for now. FSU has no clue they need to let this one go. GT scores first to go up 2-0.
9:12 PM: Duke wins by 13. Switch please!
9:13 PM: Nice look for Deon Thompson, he needs to knock that one down. Hansbrough comes in and cleans up and now has UNC's first five points.
9:14 PM: First of all, Lawson is playing some nice D. Second, you have to get a stop if you get the shot clock down under five.
9:16 PM: Nice start for Stepheson! UNC 9 GT 7
9:17 PM: Wow. Lawson like a scapel slices the GT defense for the bucket then Hansbrough grabs the steal for the hoop and some harm. Nice makeup play for him since he Jeremis Smith back him down and score on the previous play.
9:18 PM: 1st TV Timeout. UNC 13 GT 9
9:19 PM: Holy crap. VT beats UVa at the buzzer.
9:20 PM: Green is in which means some good things are about to happen. Not a great start defensively for the Heels, though the last GT basket was simply a mistimed jump by Hansbrough for the rebound who has 10 in the first five minutes.
9:22 PM: Remember Hansbrough once dropped 40 on GT as a freshman.
9:23 PM: Deon is really soft on defense.
9:24 PM: Way too many baskets near the rim. At least make them shoot outside.
9:25 PM: Yeah, this is some piss poor defense so far by UNC. Not really what I wanted to see, especially considering this has been the focus in practice.
9:26 PM: Wow. Roy actually called a timeout. I just assumed he was going to let them play through it. Then again he might be trying to avoid using too much QT. GT takes the lead and UNC is really allowing too many good looks. Granted I think they will cool off but that cannot be what Roy was hoping for.
9:28 PM: Nice drive and shot by QT. Where the heck is the defense at?
9:29 PM: 2nd TV Timeout. UNC's defense sucks and the game is tied at 27.
9:31 PM: I like Jimmy Dykes but this chemistry bit is idiotic.
9:33 PM: Hansbrough with 14 so far but still no defense and rebounding.
9:34 PM: Lawson's shooting is way off.
9:35 PM: Finally a stop and I thought Ginyard was gong to lay that up not dunk it.
9:36 PM: Stepheson is coming around on the offensive end and if they can get the stops on defense they can extend this four point lead.
9:37 PM: Either GT is cooling off or the defense is getting better, can't really tell. I do think the defensive rebounding is getting better.
9:38 PM: 3rd TV timeout. UNC 37 GT 33
9:40 PM: QT playing some good minutes right now and makes a great pass to Hansbrough for the bucket.
9:41 PM: Stepheson picks up his 2nd foul which is ashame because he is the only playing defense down low.
9:42 PM: How do you let the freaking guard follow his own miss with a putback!?!?
9:43 PM: Holy crap, QT hit a three? Way to step up Q! UNC up four.
9:45 PM: Final TV timeout of the half. UNC 42 GT 38.
9:48 PM: Danny Green is the Something Happens Guy.
9:49 PM: Given that is second time the ball has been pinned on the rim I would think maybe it needs more air.
9:50 PM: Stepheson's biggest flaw: Foul trouble.
9:51 PM: This defensive effort and rebounding work on that end sucks, sucks, sucks and they have now blown an eight point lead.
9:55 PM: Halftime: UNC 48 GT 46
The defense is HORRIBLE. There is nothing redeeming about the way UNC handled the defensive end of the floor. Maybe it is more of that bad Atlanta mojo but UNC was totally back on their heels on the defensive end. They have given up all sorts of open looks, allowed drives right to the basket, flat out not rebounded and generally stunk up the court when it came to trying to do ANYTHING to stop GT. As bad as GT has been and given the teams they have lost to UNC should crush them like a bug. At any rate I am pissed at the defensive handiwork and unless they change something everything people say about them will be proven true.
10:12 PM: If I were Roy I would have said nothing at halftime. If they don't know by now then I am not sure they will ever get it.
10:14 PM: Well crap, even when the shots are contested they hit them.
10:16 PM: Hansbrough could go off? He is already going off. UNC up three.
10:17 PM: Ellington has been way too quiet.
10:18 PM: Just when you think the defense is getting better they lose a GT player on the wing and he hits a three.
10:19 PM: What the heck are we doing here!?!?
10:22 PM: 1st TV timeout. Game tied at 56.
10:25 PM: Should I take consolation in the fact Indiana and Kansas had trouble with them? Perhaps but that does not change the fact UNC is playing a horrid game that is starting to affect the offensive end.
10:27 PM: How was that not a foul! Now nothing is going right. GT now up seven and I am beginning to think UNC will drop this one. And you know what, maybe they need a loss to get their heads on straight.
10:30 PM: I just don't know. It is freaking weird that UNC struggles every time they play at Georgia Tech but down three at this point, unless GT goes cold(and they have to go cold, because UNC sure as heck ain't going to stop them) then UNC is in a bit of trouble here.
10:33 PM: Brad Nessler is planning on celebrating the life AND death of MLK. Not so sure about that last part Brad.
10:34 PM: 2nd TV timeout. UNC is all out of sorts and now I have to watch a Coach K commercial.
10:43 PM: Technical difficulties with Wordpress. Looks like it is fixed now. Ginyard with his second steal for a dunk and Lawson with a huge three point play to tie the game. A series of defensive stops would be great about now.
10:44 PM: UNC needs to get back on defense. Seriously they need to make some stops, this waiting around for GT to wilt or start missing is not going to get it done.
10:45 PM: 3rd TV timeout. GT 74 UNC 72
10:48 PM: Two things wrong there. One giving up a wide open three but you would think if you leave the guy open then you will have guys at the hoop for the rebound.
10:51 PM: Ellington finally showing up. UNC by two and GT showing signs of wearing down.
10:53 PM: Lawal fouls out for GT which is a huge loss for them on both ends. Hansbrough to the line to try and extend the lead to four.
10:54 PM: Makes one, UNC by three.
10:56 PM: I swear, Lawson can D someone up when he wants to.
10:57 PM: Finally a nice defensive stop.
10:58 PM: Hansbrough misses a key FT and then gets abused on the other end as GT closes it to one.
10:59 PM: Final TV timeout. UNC 79 GT 78
11:02 PM: Danny Green. Rebound and putback but then comes down and blows the offensive possession with a bit of an out-of-control moment.
11:03 PM: How many times are they going to get burned by not finishing the defensive stop by grabbing the rebound? UNC 81 GT 80.
11:09 PM: Tied at 82 with 36 seconds left. Wordpress is having issues so I am going silent on the live blog for now.
11:14 PM: FINAL: UNC 83 GT 82.