Why Did UNC Do That?

I'll get a full recap of the UNC-Kentucky game out in about an hour, but I'll give a little thought to the end of the game now. Twitter seems to be lighting up with people asking why Roy Williams didn't call a timeout, why the play was to Zeller, and why nobody fouled. In order:

Why Didn't Anybody Call a Timeout? I have no problem with this. UNC had a clean, uncontested rebound off the free throw, 21 seconds and a chance to set up their offense. The defense wasn't anything UNC hadn't seen. You have to trust your team and your point guard, and only cal the timeout if it looks like a disaster is brewing. A TO gives the defense time to set up and requires a sideline inbounds play which UNC hasn't done much of this season.

Why the Pass to Zeller? As much as that irritated me – and whatever is wrong with Zeller's hands is worthy of investigation – you know the pass inside to Zeller is one they run a million times in practice. It's automatic. Had a TO been called, odds are it would have set up a play where "pass inside to Zeller" was option one or two. Yes, it hadn't worked much today, but when Zeller was able to get it off quick it was, and he hadn't been double-teamed in second half as much.

But seriously, Tyler Zeller – what is wrong with your hands?

Why Didn't Anybody Foul? Henson had about six seconds once the ball came down in Kentucky's hands. Everyone else is focused on a rebound – and only Zeller was close enough, anyway – and sometimes when something that unexpected happens, it stuns you for a few seconds. And it turns out a few seconds was all they had.

(Although I think they did get to fouling Teague with about a second remaining. But by that point the Kentucky player was sprinting off carrying the ball, and what are the refs going to do in that situation?)

Full recap coming soon, once I stop thinking about the missed dunks. Oh, the missed dunks.