Thomas Sidelined 3-4 Weeks
More news on Quentin's foot injury. It looks like he'll be out 3-4 weeks.
UNC 98, Ohio State 89
What a fun game! Despite being behind by as much as 10 points in the first half on some extremely hot shooting by #1 Ohio State, UNC was able to run away with the victory in the second half. First and foremost, we came out playing much better defense in the second half. That coupled with OSU finally missing a couple of three pointers really helped. Our intensity was also much higher coming out of the half. Hansbrough was a monster. Brandan Wright was limited to 6 minutes in the first half due to foul trouble, but came out scoring in the second. UNC started the second half on a 9-0 run and went on a 13-4 run with 6:27 in the game to go up 80-70. We played some of our best ball of the season and held off some attacks from OSU to close out the game with a 9 point victory. There are several interesting story lines from the game: - Hansbrough set a personal high in rebounds with 14 - This was the 6th time UNC has beaten a #1 team in the ESPN poll (more than any other team) - Wayne Ellington's birthday is today, he turned 19. Reportedly he told the coaches before the game that he was going to score 19. He had 2 points at halftime, but came out shooting and ended the game with...you guess it...19 points. - This was Tywon Lawson's coming out party. Despite a very solid performance from a (reportedly ailing) Bobby Frasor, Tywon was on full display tonight. He was driving in the lane, pushing the ball extremely well, and knocking down threes. Oh, did I mention he had 5 assists and 0 turnovers! - The seniors continue to play an increasingly smaller role. Reyshawn Terry had another average performance (scoring 6). Wes Miller was 1-3 from three point line, although he did play some good defense. In the final analysis, I believe my previous assessment of UNC still stands. If you try to run with them, you better bring 10 or 11 guys and have some shooters and a good down low presence. It will be tough to beat UNC in a up tempo game. Teams are better off trying to pack it in down low and slow the game down. Let's hope most of Carolina's opponents want to try and run with them ;-)
UNC 44, Ohio State 48 (HALFTIME)
What a first half! Ohio State is playing UNC's kind of game. Very fast, up and down. The only problem is OSU has been on FIRE. 8-12 (62%) from the 3 point line!! Hard to beat a team shooting that well. Frankly, our defense hasn't been that good. Every time we started to go on a little run, OSU would nail a three. OSU led the whole first half, leading by as much as 10 with 8 minutes to go. Tywon Lawson started the game in place of Bobby Frasor, but it was Frasor that sparked the Heels around the 6 minute mark by scoring 2 straight three pointers followed by a steal and a dunk by Hansbrough. I was literally jumping out of my seat at the 4 minute mark. OSU was already in foul trouble and it seemed like the refs didn't want to call anything else on them. Hansbrough got mugged at least 3 times in a row. They replayed the sequence a couple times on ESPN and it was clear Hansbrough was getting killed down low but no call. Anyway, we had it down to a 1 point lead with 2:10 to go, but OSU made a couple more baskets to secure a 4 point lead going into the half. This has been an exciting game so far. I hope we wore OSU down in the first half. They aren't nearly as deep as Carolina and they have 4 players with 2 fouls. Let's go Tar Heels!!
Quentin Thomas sits with foot pain
"North Carolina junior point guard Quentin Thomas, who missed three games last season because of a stress fracture in his left foot, sat out Friday's game against Tennessee because of soreness in the same foot." Continue at heraldsun.com
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.
UNC 74, Gonzaga 82
This game showed all of our warts. We started off very strong on a 10-0 run, but after the first substitution it went down hill. Gonzaga got its first lead with 5 minutes left in the first half and they went into the half with a 3 point lead. It is easy to point out our weaknesses after this game. Where do I start: - UNC shot a dismal 36% from the floor, 22% from 3 point, and 60% from the free throw line. The only bright spots were Bobby Frasor going 3-6 from 3 and Tywon Lawson going 4-5 from the floor on some nice drives. By the end of the game I was screaming for Wes Miller to NOT take another shot. He went a whopping 0-6 from behind the 3 point line. - Gonzaga employed a sagging zone and COMPLETELY took Hansbrough out of his game. This was only the second time in his career that Hansbrough didn't score in double-figures. He only took 5 shots from the floor and made 2. Hansbrough also didn't display his normal intensity, almost looking dazed and confused. - Brandan Wright is a shot blocking force and did a great job on offense. He led the team in scoring with 21, but has some major problems from the free throw line. He shot only 7-14. Much like Hansbrough, Wright is going to go to the charity line a LOT and it is critical that he improve his percentage. If not, teams will be happy to foul him when it gets close because instead of a sure fire 2, we'll be lucky to get 1. - I know, I know. Coach Williams said he feels comfortable playing 9, 10, 11, but it is hard to wonder what effect not having a consistent rotation is having on the team. He admitted after the game that it will take a little longer to get more consistent, but until then expect to see us look out of sync for long periods. - Much has been made about UNC potentially breaking the scoring record this year. Don't count on it. This is the second game where we weren't even close to 100 points and all the opposing team had to do was use a sagging zone defense. UNC isn't as fast as everyone might have hoped. That's not to say we won't score a lot of points in short bursts, but don't expect 100 point games consistently. - Reyshawn Terry played only 17 minutes and was ineffective. I'm not seeing much improvement over last year and we really need Reyshawn to be an outside go-to guy if we are going to be a top 5 team. - We are not a top 5 team YET. This game showed it, but also the near loss against Winthrop. That's not to say we won't be a top 5 team by the end of year, but we are more likely a 20-25 team right now. We have a few tough games coming up. We play 3 top 25 teams over the next week: Tennessee, Ohio State, and Kentucky. These will all be good tests and show what kind of hunger this team has. I want to make it clear I'm not counting out this team, not by a long shot. Everyone just needs to recognize where this team is at from a development perspective and start to tone down some of the expectations.
UNC 103, Gardner-Webb 50
UNC was very impressive against GW. The Heels started off on a 11-2 run and they were hitting 3s early. UNC shot 60% in the first 10 minutes of the game and Wayne Ellington led the way with a great performance. Wright finished with 21 points and Ellington wasn't far behind with 19. The score was 57-19 at the half so it was never really that close. It was nice to see us hitting some 3s for a change. Our defense looked much improved and GW was absolutely no match down low. This should have been a good confidence booster going into the game against Gonzaga on Wednesday.
UNC 73, Winthrop 66
Whoa! I knew Winthrop was good (won their conference last year), but they weren't supposed to be leading UNC at the half. Needless to say, this was a nail biter up until the final 5 minutes when UNC secured a 4+ point lead to close out the game. Maybe it was good they gave UNC such a close game. Three things killed us in this game (especially in the first half): lack of intensity, turnovers and Torrell Martin who had 20 points in the first half. We came out in the second half with more intensity and Hansbrough was a monster. He led UNC with 20 points on the game.
UNC 103, Sacred Heart 81
Despite a close first half, Carolina was able to pull away in the second half shooting 59% from the floor for the game. Tyler led the Tar Heels with 29 points with a total of 5 players scoring in double digits. The starters included Terry, Hansbrough, Wright, Ellington, and Frasor. Ellington and Wright make the 25th and 26th freshmen to start the season opener at UNC. A little reminiscent of last year, Reyshawn Terry picked up two fouls after just four minutes. Sacred Heart shot the lights out for the first part of the game and even had an early lead. However, UNC proved to be too much as Hansbrough had free reign since no one could match up. Terry got on track in the second half scoring 18 points. He also had a couple of really nice dunks that I saw on Sportscenter after the game. While we won by more than 20, I'm still a little concerned with our performance on the defensive end. Sacred Heart was still able to shoot and drive freely. It will be interesting when we play a better opponent. Winthrop will be a good test tonight. Here are a few links on the game: Box ScorePost game Press Conference Heels Roll In OpenerUNC proves to be too much for Sacred Heart Lucas: Remember Me?
William Graves To Red-Shirt
There has been talk that one or more Carolina players would red-shirt this year. Today, it was announced that William Graves would red-shirt. That means he'll have four years of eligibility after this year. Roy had this to say about it: "After talking to the young man and his family, we all agreed this was in both William's and the program's best interests," says Coach Williams. "He will continue to practice, but won't play this year. I don't know anyone who won't be better in his fifth year of college than his first. He's a good kid and I know he will continue to work hard to help us get better." This is a good move for Graves. With all the depth on this year's team, he would be relegated to mop up duty at the end of games. There are worst things than spending 5 years at Carolina ;-)
First game of season, but good luck trying to watch it!
What kind of planning is this? Carolina's first game is tonight in Charlotte and is being televised on ESPNU. I called Time Warner today and ESPNU isn't offered in the Triangle area! Carolina All-Access isn't televising it, but you can listen to Woody (not a bad alternative) on the radio (FM 96.5) or Carolina All-Access. At least tomorrow night's game against Iona/Winthrop is on ESPN.
Video of Monday Press Conference with Roy
I already heard it on InsideCarolina.com, but TarHeelBlue is offering video of Coach Williams' Monday Press Conference.
UNC 140, Pfeiffer 101 (EXHIBITION)
I was able to catch the first half of the game on Carolina All-Access and it was quite a show. UNC had doubled up Pfeiffer going into the half with a 70-35 lead. I can't remember a time when a Carolina team scored that much. They continued the scoring spree for the rest of the game, but they also had a let down on defense. Coach Williams was "as frustrated as he's ever been" after UNC let Pfeiffer score 28 points in the final four minutes. It goes without saying that this year's team is going to be fun to watch. Hansbrough, Frasor, Green, Wright, and Ellington started the game. Reyshawn Terry had to sit out 1 game due to violating an unspecified team rule and Mike Copeland sat out due to illness. As in the last game, both Hansbrough and Wright were impressive early on. Hansbrough started the game off by dunking on 4 of Carolina's first 5 possessions. The freshmen played well. In the post-game interview, Coach was asked about the starting rotation for the first regular season game on Tuesday. His response was classic: "What the rotation will be- we're going to find out who in the dickens is going to guard someone the next two days. Talk to me then, cause we're not going to play like that, and if we do, I'm serious, if we only guard people like that we'll play 30-point games."
He said in a press conference today that Hansbrough, Terry, and Wright are definitely starting and the other two positions are up for grabs. He also said he's going to substitute a little less than he has in the preseason. I don't know about you, but I can't wait to start watching these games! Links:
Exhibition Saturday
Unfortunately the exhibition game against Pfeiffer isn't televised, but you can watch it on Carolina All-Access. Tickets for the game have sold-out. For more on Pfeiffer, check out InsideCarolina's coverage.
Not Shy: Loaded Tar Heels have sights set on Final Four
"Coach Roy Williams and his returning players want to erase the bitter disappointment of a 65-60 loss to upstart George Mason in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. UNC has one distinct target for this season - the NCAA Final Four. "
Continue at Winston-Salem Journal.
Freshman guard Lawson adds dimension to Carolina
"Roy Williams had heard all the initial scouting reports on the kid. Lightning quick. Strong upper body. Fast. Tenacious defender. Speedy with the ball. If you’re sensing a trend there, so did Williams, an admitted speed freak who absorbed all the widespread praise of Tywon Lawson’s quickness and speed but still needed to see for himself. So in the summer of 2004 at the Nike Peach Jam in Augusta, Ga., Williams sat courtside and studied Lawson in detail. He was sold after the first 3-on-2 break. “I was amazed at his acceleration,” Williams said. “The pace that he could push the ball with, very few people could. And so immediately I thought he was the type of guard I would really like to coach.” Continue at Fayetteville Observer.
Title drive starts with Terry
"North Carolina senior Reyshawn Terry remembers the days when he didn't play a prominent role in the Tar Heels' basketball program. Sure, Terry will leave Chapel Hill next spring with a ring on his finger from the 2004-05 national championship season, but the 6-foot-8 forward didn't have his stamp on that team. Last season Terry came out from behind the curtains, and along with a young Tar Heels squad that featured everyone's all-freshman center, Tyler Hansbrough, led North Carolina to a 23-8 record that few saw coming." Continue at Rocky Mount Telegram. Oh, and check out the end of the article:
GIMME FIVE: with sophomore MARCUS GINYARD Ginyard tells us his five favorite things about Chapel Hill. 1. The fire trucks are painted Carolina Blue 2. Franklin Street 3. North Carolina females 4. Carolina basketball 5. The university
;-)
Fox Sports Top 25 preview: No. 4 North Carolina
In this article, Fox Sports' Jeff Goodman discusses North Carolinas as their preseason #4 pick. Prediction: First in the ACC; Final Four.
Hansbrough leads AP's preseason All-America team
Tyler was the leading vote-getter for the AP preaseason All-America team. While last year's preseason team had 3 players from the ACC (JJ. Redick, S. Williams, and C. Smith), this year Tyler is the lone ACC representative.
Lucas: Hansbrough Mellows As Sophomore...Maybe
"Maybe Atlas doesn't really hold the world on his back. Maybe Paul Bunyan's footsteps didn't really create the Great Lakes. And maybe Hercules didn't really slay the hydra. But it's absolutely indisputable that Tyler Hansbrough spent part of his summer pushing a sports utility vehicle around a parking lot. "
Continue at TarheelBlue.
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