Tar Heel Team on Same Paige

   Carolina squeaked out a narrow victory over a scrappy, determined NC State Wolfpack on Wednesday night on a shot in the last second of overtime, 85-84.

   UNC’s game with NC State reminded me of two different fictional scenarios.

• The game’s start brought “The Tortoise and The Hare” to mind.  This has been a reoccurring theme in UNC’s season: starting out sluggish, only to finish in a frenzy.  

• The game’s heated ending reminded me of “The Shootout at the OK Corral,” as Carolina’s Marcus Paige (35 points) and State’s T.J. Warren (36 points) gunned it out in the final minutes.

      
   The Tar Heels got out of the gate slow, scoring only 15 points in the first 15 minutes, as they fell behind by eleven, 26-15.  Carolina, however, battled back to make the game closer throughout the second half.

   UNC went ahead for only the second time in the game at the 7:00 mark of the second half, 53-52, on a J.P. Tokoto layup. The game would go down to the wire, as Warren, the ACC’s leading scorer, and Paige, Carolina’s go-to guy, would trade baskets right down to the last seconds of the game. 

   It was ironic that foul shooting, which has been UNC’s thorn in most games, eventually won them the game.  Warren hit two foul shots with 1.5 seconds in regulation to tie the game and send it into overtime. But then, with seven seconds left in OT, his miss at the foul line opened the door for the incredible ending.

   Marcus Paige, who scored an amazing 31 of his 35 points in the second half, looked more like a hare than a tortoise, as he took the inbounds pass, and being double- and triple-teamed, nevertheless streaked down the lane for a scoop layup with less than a second left on the clock to seal the Tar Heels victory and tenth win in a row.

   This game will probably go down as one of the most exciting games in Carolina history.  I know I'm going to keep it on the DVR at least for awhile.

Next Up :  Saturday at Virginia Tech,  &  Monday vs. Notre Dame

Lucky Numbers : UNC Rallies to Beat Duke

      If you bet against the Tar Heels on Thursday night, you were unlucky.
 

Lucky 13 was the Tar Heels Number

     Thirteen was a lucky number for the Tar Heels on Thursday night.  Point guard Marcus Paige, shut down by Duke double teams in the first half, broke out to score all of his 13 points in the second half and lead the Tar Heels to a great win over the Blue Devils.  Duke helped in the cause by missing 13 shots in a row during the second stanza.

     If the Tar Heels win out in their remaining games, they will enter the ACC Tournament with a 13-game winning streak and a 24-7 record.

   Eight was also a lucky number for UNC (19-7, 9-4), as they beat Duke by an eight-point margin, 74-66, to win their eighth straight game.  The win brought them a half-game within third-place Duke in the ACC standings.  Virginia (13-1) took over first place as previously unbeaten Syracuse (12-1) lost to Boston College this past week.

UNC-Duke Game Summary

   Carolina shot out to an early 6-0 lead, but Duke fought back and led for most of the game, though it was only a single-digit lead most of the way.  The Blue Devils managed to stretch their lead  to eleven early in the second half at 51-40, and hold on until the four-minute shooting drought allowed the Heels to make their rally and take control of the game.  UNC, who has had free throw shooting woes the entire season, only shot 66% (20-31) during the game, but was able to make their last ten shots from the line to secure the victory.

   The leading scorer for Carolina was Leslie McDonald, with a season-high 21 points.

UNC-Wake Forest Game Summary

   On Saturday, UNC faced Wake Forest, who they had lost to in their first ACC game back in early January.  It may have looked like a trap game for the Heels.  But this time was a totally different story, as the Tar Heels shot ahead early, led by 19 at halftime, and completely dominated the Deacons for their ninth straight win, breaking the century mark, 105-72. 

   This win also gave the Tar Heels (20-7) their 55^th 20-win season over the last 105 years.

   The Tar Heels built their big lead in the first half at the free throw line, hitting on 16-17 shots, while Wake Forest only shot 1-4 at the stripe.  The second half saw Carolina hold and extend their lead with tight, aggressive defense, and an array of layups, dunks and three-pointers on offense. 

   UNC’s shooting was torrid in this game, with over 60% FG’s, and over 70% of both Free Throws and 3-Point shots.

   Carolina is still missing from the Top 25 AP & ESPN basketball polls.  What’s up with that ?   I’m sure they will probably break back into the pack this week.   If not, then I think the sportscasters and sportswriters should go see their eye doctor.

Next Up : Wed Feb 26 : The Tar Heels go for Ten Straight against NC State.  

SHOWDOWN ON TOBACCO ROAD

UNC TAR HEELS UPDATE
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   A perennially historic ACC rivalry has taken on new meaning as Duke and Carolina meet on Thursday night in a snow makeup game in Chapel Hill.  Both teams struggled at times in the beginning of the season.  But these powerhouses come into this big game as two of the hottest teams in the country, Carolina having won seven games in a row, and Duke winning 9 of their last 10.

   After an up and down start, UNC has come on of late, showing signs of greatness during their recent winning streak.  At one time tied for last place in the ACC, the Tar Heels are now fourth (8-4, 18-7), inching ahead of Pittsburgh after beating them on Saturday, and can pull into a practical tie with Duke for third place by winning on Thursday night.  Undefeated Syracuse (25-0) and Virginia (12-1 ACC) remain in first and second place in the league standings.

TAR HEELS GAME SUMMARIES
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   On Saturday, Feb. 8, the Tar Heels traveled to play Notre Dame.  Carolina stayed in their normal mode of starting slow and finishing fast.  The only lead the Tar Heels had in the first half was 2-0 until the last two minutes, when Marcus Paige sparked an 11-2 run to go ahead at intermission, 27-23.  The Heels pulled away in the 2nd half, winning by double digits, 73-62, led by McAdoo with 18 points and Paige with 16.   

    A week later, on Saturday, Feb. 15, the Tar Heels were at home against Pittsburgh.  

Pitt led early, but steals and breakaway dunks by James Michael McAdoo and Isaiah Hicks in the last five minutes of the first half, and by J.P. Tokoto in the first two minutes of the second half, put UNC ahead for good, and set the tone for the rest of the game.  The Tar Heels led by as many as 12 in the second half, but Pitt closed to within two before the Heels pulled out their sixth straight win, 75-71.  McAdoo led the way with 24 points and 12 rebounds.

   On Monday night, the Tar Heels eeked out a victory over less talented, but scrappy Florida State, 81-75, winning their seventh game in a row, and giving Coach Roy Williams his 300th win at North Carolina.    A cold and sloppy start for UNC allowed the Seminoles to get out to an early 15-point lead, 21-6.  Neither team looked exceptional, but the inside play of Kennedy Meeks, who scored 21 of his 23 points in the first half, kept the Heels in the game, and brought them within three at 36-33.  Meeks, who recently became a freshman starter, made up for a poor performance by McAdoo, who was held scoreless, breaking his 16-game streak of scoring in double figures. McAdoo spent much of the game on the bench in foul trouble, and eventually fouled out with four minutes to go in the game.  Marcus Paige added 20 points, hitting several key shots to put Carolina in the lead for the first time at the mid-point of the second half.

CAROLINA vs DUKE : THE SHOWDOWN 
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DUKE-UNC SHOWDOWN

    After struggling but winning over several average opponents, UNC now faces #5 Duke at home.  If Carolina doesn't play to their capabilities, Duke will win.  As previously noted, BOTH teams are playing well and on winning streaks.  UNC must shoot and rebound well, and also protect the basketball.  Turnovers and poor free throw shooting could spell doom for the Heels.  However, we have played excellent basketball in spurts, and if we can put together a complete game, we have a great chance of beating Duke.   A win over the Blue Devils would not only give us our eighth win in a row, but also motivate the Heels and go a long way toward paving the way to a good seed in the NCAA Tournament.

  
 What do you think?   Heels or Devils?   Who will win tonight?   We'll find out soon enough.. and bring you a report.   


  

Thanks for being a fan of UNC Basketball and of this Tar Heels blog!

Out of a Slump & Over the Hump ?

No Clue about the Blue
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   If I were a psychic or detective, I would tell you how UNC’s Tar Heels have come out of hiding lately and seem to have regained their elite form.  Earlier in the season, “Roy’s Boys” were beating up on Top Five competition like Michigan State, Louisville, and Kentucky.  They were also entertaining two upperclassmen stars on their bench in street clothes, anticipating their return to the court.  As only one of them actually returned, their highly touted shooting guard P.J. Hairston, on suspension for possible NCAA violations, was also permanently suspended by UNC. 

   It was at this point that perennial powerhouse North Carolina seemed to go into shock, going just 4-5 over the next nine games, dropping out of the Top 25, losing their first three ACC games in a row, and at one time, being tied for LAST place in the conference.  As I’ve said earlier, this is just not the tradition of Carolina basketball.

Tar Heels on a Mission
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   Over the last ten days or so, the Tar Heels seem to be revitalized and on a mission, winning four games in a row.  Now at 15-7, they remain in the middle of the pack with a 5-4 league record, but are only three games out of second place, with critical games next week against Duke and Pittsburgh, games that could potentially turn their season in a positive direction.

    After the Virginia loss (on Jan. 20), the Tar Heels met together as a team and began to hold each other accountable for their recent miserable performance. Each player took responsibility and determined to play up to his own individual potential.  It apparently lit a fire which caused a noticeable pickup in the intensity of their play.  The Tar Heels won against Clemson, Georgia Tech and NC State by double figures.  While still lapsing into sloppy or lackluster play at times, they have managed to maintain composure and pull out games.

  

    Last night, they played a decent Maryland team (13-9) who, coming into this game, was actually a half game ahead of the Tar Heels in the ACC standings.  After building huge early leads of 12-0 and 19-3, UNC allowed the Terrapins to come back and make a game of it.  UNC started the second half in a lull, only scoring 12 points in the first ten minutes and allowing Maryland to cut their lead to six points before pulling away to win, 75-63.  The Tar Heels relied heavily on guard Marcus Paige’s 25 points, and Brice Johnson, who added 19 points.  The Tar Heels shot 49% from the floor (25-51), but only 51% (19-37) at the foul line.  They also shot 40% from beyond the 3-point arc (6-15).

   Carolina has shown signs of brilliance lately, but the key to a late-season resurgence is consistency.  They must limit their turnovers and make their free throws.  If the Tar Heels can build some momentum by stringing excellent plays and runs into complete games, they have a decent chance of making a run into the NCAA Tournament.  But first, they must make a good showing against talented ACC teams like Duke, Pittsburgh and Syracuse.  They failed their first test with Syracuse;  they have two chances this coming week against Duke and Pitt.  

   NEXT UP:  Saturday at Notre Dame.

Top of the Hill -or- Run of the Mill

  

An Apology to Tar Heel Fans
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    I'd like to make a quick apology to all UNC fans, and especially to any of you that are following this blog.   I don't think that it's caught on quite yet, but I plan to continue this as long as the Carolina Tar Heels continue to have a basketball team.   However, the last couple of months, I've been preoccupied by the Carolina Panthers and their phenomenal NFL season... winning 11 of their last 12 regular season games, the NFC South division title, and going to the playoffs for the first time in five years.  Unfortunately, that's as far as it goes, as the Panthers lost in their divisional playoff game at home to the San Francisco 49ers, 27-10.  

   But now that the Panthers season is out of the way, now I can devote myself more to covering the Tar Heels basketball season.  I also want to say that admittedly, my sports coverage is limited in covering the Panthers (NFL) and the Tar Heels (college basketball), but these are my favorite teams, and as of now, I'm not getting paid to do this, so maybe someday I will expand to cover more sports teams and events.  For now, you get these two.  Hopefully I will learn to cover these teams well.   I know that I enjoy doing it.

The Mystery of the Tar Heels
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   NOW.. about those Tar Heels.. this season is a real conundrum.. I remain a bit confused as to who the Tar Heels actually are..  are they a good team, or a great team.. or just a mediocre team that had a couple of good nights along the way?   I've yet to really come to a hard and fast conclusion yet.   I saw a couple of their good games, against Michigan State and Kentucky;  they also beat Louisville.   Any team doing this has got to be great, right?  These were three teams in the Preseason Top Five.   Michigan State has still only lost one game, and that game was with the Tar Heels.

   However, the mystery lies, not in the victories so much as in the losses.  They have lost to Belmont, UAB, and Wake Forest, plus three other teams.   Texas was the only really strong team that beat them.   The others were just average teams, having average seasons, with the possible exception of beating UNC.   Now, the Tar Heels are only 11-6 (maybe 11-7 after tonight).  Compare to the championship teams of the past.   The 1982 team went 32-2.   The 2009 team went 34-4.  That's just six losses in two years.  And now, the 2013-14 Tar Heels have lost six out of their first sixteen games.  I believe there were two other similarly mediocre years, one was when Matt Doherty was coach, and the Heels went 8-20.  But let's face it, Tar Heel coaches, fans, and even the players have not been used to this kind of mediocrity.  Their calling card is excellence.  Their expectation is wins and titles.  But this year, it seems that everything is turned upside down. {see picture}

The Magical Mystery Tour
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   And so, the reality is : that's just not where we're at this season.  We're in the middle of a Magical Mystery Tour.   A psychological and physical exam.   None of this will be readily understandable until we get to tournament time, and we see whether or not the Tar Heels make the cut, and not just that, but whether or not they have what it takes to make any kind of a run toward the Final Four, or any kind of a tournament title.

   Free throw shooting was an issue.   Rebounding has been an issue.   The Tar Heels only have two or three (at most) three-point shooters.   They have lost their best player, P.J. Hairston, now playing in the NBA "D" league.   So it's not just one thing.   Probably the biggest problem is just the players being able to play together, and have any kind of a consistency to their game.  They seem to be "on" one game, and "off" the next.  

  This cannot be any better documented than tonight.  They lost their first three ACC conference games to Wake Forest, Miami, and Syracuse.   The Syracuse loss was probably expected. (They were also underdogs to Louisville, Kentucky & Michigan State)  Then they looked incredibly good against Boston College, winning by double figures.   Now, they are playing Virginia tonight.  Granted, Virginia is a good team.  They have a winning record.  But the Tar Heels should be good enough to beat them.  They are losing, and losing badly.

   Folks-- the Tar Heels are not in the Top 10 national polls.  They are not EVEN in the Top 10 in the ACC.  That's right : presently, UNC is in 11th place in the ACC basketball standings with a 1-4 league record.  Will they rise above this mediocrity and make a late-season run?  Who knows?

Blue about Carolina Blue
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   I have to be honest.  This is the first time in a long time when I really do not look forward to watching a UNC Tar Heels basketball game.  I would not even think of going to a live game.  It's just too much of a downer for me.  I don't know about you, but as a diehard loyal Tar Heels fan, it doesn't give me any satisfaction to go watch another team play and beat our guys in Carolina blue.

   Maybe things will change soon.  I hope so.  We may eventually regret bringing all of these Big East teams to the ACC.   The elite of the ACC used to be UNC and Duke.   Now it's Syracuse and Pitt.  If not them, then Miami.   There seems to be a slow metamorphosis happening.  We need a resurgence.  It may take new players.  But I'm hoping the ones presently on the court will soon "wake up" and play up to their individual and team potentials.  I believe the potential is there- dormant but there.

   Stay with me.  Let's ride out this mystery tour and see if the sleeping giant finally does wake up... before it's too late.

 

Roy Williams on Free Throws

"I'm tired of talking about free throws.  You have to be tough enough to step up and make the daggone thing-- or go play soccer."

--- Coach Roy Williams 

Backward & Forward

MJ in the Clutch / 1982

   This Carolina basketball season is probably one of the more unique and different ones that I have experienced.  I’ve seen frustration before, usually at the end of a season, when a player gets injured or a game ends in a disappointing loss.  I can think of 1977’s injury to Phil Ford, and eventual Four Corners debacle in the Championship game with Marquette.  Or more recently, 2011’s injury to Kendall Marshall, that more than likely cost UNC a Final Four appearance.   We even had more positive turns of fate, like in 1982, when Michael Jordan hit a championship game-winning jump shot, and then Georgetown’s Freddie Brown sealed it by throwing away a pass;  and then in 1993, with the infamous time out call by Michigan’s Chris Webber that secured an NCAA title for Carolina.

   But this season is a little different, in that some of the many circumstances that have impacted this Tar Heels season happened BEFORE the season started.   Of course, I am referring to the incidences with UNC star players P.J. Hairston and Leslie McDonald.   After both players were suspended from being in the starting lineup at the season’s beginning, McDonald has returned, but lost the first nine games of the season, and Hairston will not be reinstated, missing the entire season.  Chances are that P.J. will never again don a Carolina uniform again.  While these are not the only factors in how Carolina’s season has gone, it has had a tremendously negative effect on it. 

   I must say that even though the Tar Heels play has been erratic and unpredictable at times, they have had their highlights, looking like a Final Four team in beating Michigan State, Kentucky, and Louisville in convincing fashion.  But then at other times, they have looked like immature schoolboys, throwing passes where there are no teammates to catch them, and missing free throw after free throw.  If they had made at least 10% more of their free throws, the Tar Heels would be undefeated and probably ranked as the #1 team in the polls.  Instead, they are a modestly respectable 9-3, and ranked 19 th, picked by many to be third in the ACC behind Syracuse and Duke.

  After losing to a good unranked Texas team on Dec. 18, the Tar Heels have reeled off three straight wins.  The first two featured Tar Heels "Version 1"- the erratic, often frustrated group, beating Davidson 97-85 (in OT) and Northern Kentucky, a team they should have beaten by 30 or 40 points, by 75-60.  Then on New Year's Eve, Carolina unveiled their other team, "Version 2"- the sharp, energetic group that earlier knocked off the three Top Ten teams, and they whipped up on UNC-Wilmington, 84-51, with a dominating second half performance, outscoring UNC-W 53-28.  

   Many programs would be bragging on their team if they were 9-3 and boasted such early wins over top teams. But this program is a storied one with great expectations each and every year, and the teams that have not achieved and overachieved can be counted on one hand.  Carolina fans are used to teams, not with just 20 wins and an NCAA tournament berth, but ones with 30+ wins, conference championships, and Final Four berths. Take a quick peek in the rafters of the Dean Dome. This year’s team, while certainly perking our interest at times, has raised more questions than eyebrows.  One wonders if UNC will raise more banter than banners this year.

   UNC Coach Roy Williams was quoted this week as saying, when asked if he was pleased with his team's performance, "No coach is ever going to say that they're satisfied with where they stand unless you're 13-0 and beating everybody by a million."

    Sure, basketball is a sport that is based on a ball that bounces up and down, but teams that bounce that way are not usually the best or most elite.  Three great wins against Top Five opponents.  Three mediocre losses against unranked teams.  It leaves us wondering : just which Tar Heels team will show up next ?

   UNC has now reached their ACC conference schedule, and will play Wake Forest next.  This should be a fairly easy win.  Will it be?   We’ll see.. depends on whether UNC is “on” or “off.”  With #2 ranked Syracuse looming on the horizon, we will soon get a better picture of what kind of Tar Heel team will be showing up on the court come tournament time. Here's a quick look at Carolina's upcoming schedule :

• Sun Jan 5 / UNC @ Wake Forest
• Wed Jan 8 / Miami
• Sat Jan 11 / at Syracuse

   With P.J. gone and Leslie still shaking off the rust, who will pick up the slack?   So far, point guard turned shooting guard Marcus Paige seems to be the only real consistently productive player on the roster. James Michael McAdoo looked like a star during spots the last two years, but hasn’t really stepped up.  J.P. Tokoto, Brice Johnson, Kennedy Meeks & Nate Britt have shone at times, but been lackluster at others.  And of course, as I said before, Leslie McDonald has the shooting touch from the 3-point arc, but hasn’t found his midseason form, and isn’t near the leader we had hoped he would become so far. 

   The Tar Heels need to look deep within and lift themselves up to a higher and more consistent level of play.  If not, then UNC may fall into the middle of the pack and become lost in the shuffle.