UNC 101, Tennessee 87
If the game with Gonzaga showed our weaknesses, today's game against #21 Tennessee showed our potential. We started off the game strong again, but had 4 turnovers in the first 5 minutes. Hansbrough showed up in force for this game scoring a game high 27 points. I don't know if he wasn't feeling well or what against Gonzaga, but it was the same ol Hansbrough against Tenn. To go along with his 27 points, he had 9 rebounds and 6 assists.
Brandan Wright continued his consistently high level of play with 19 points. He may be more advanced at this time than Hansbrough was this time last year. Even with the extremely good recruiting class of 06, Wright has to be in the top two or three freshmen in the country.
Tywon Lawson had a good game scoring 14 points and dishing 6 assists. Bobby Frasor is still starting at the point, but Lawson logged 25 minutes of play vs Bobby's 19. Tywon was driving at will and often would speed up the court passing 2 or 3 Tenn. players at a time. He's just as fast as Ray Felton and Tywon's shot mechanics are more sound. The only question mark for me is if he'll be as good of a leader as Felton and show the same will to win.
This game wasn't very close. We took a 21 point lead into the half. We had a few let downs in the second half and Tenn. threatened to get back into the game, but we always held them off. Coach Williams got visibly upset at several points during the second half (including throwing his jacket which he's known for).
Tenn. got physical in the second half. That had a whopping 17 team fouls in the second half alone capped by a intentional foul against Hansbrough which resulted in Tenn's J. Smith being ejected.
Tenn likes to run the ball and we've shown a propensity to do well against those kind of teams. I'm not sure if there are many (any) teams that can run with Carolina. On the other hand, we've shown a lack of discipline and intensity when playing a pack it in kind of team that uses a zone and double/triple teams Hansbrough. It won't take teams long to realize what works against UNC and what doesn't.
You'll know UNC is ready for elite status when we can score under 80 and beat a top 25 team that plays a slow half court style game.
