Five Great Halves in a Row

The Heels continued to prove they were back today against Georgia Tech, extending their winning streak to 31 straight at home, but more importantly playing their fourth and fifth straight great halves of basketball in routing the Yellow Jackets.

Lot's of other numbers to talk about: Carolina shot 54 for the game; made 8 three-point shots in the 1st half; the Tar Heels blocked 10 shots and had 8 steals versus only 10 turnovers for the game; ended a 4 game losing streak to Georgia Tech (the oddest number in this list).

Those numbers do tell the story.  Two numbers, two stories, two stats it particular should make every Tar Heels fan on the planet happy.

One, and the gaudiest one to look at, is the 10 threes for the game. Carolina started the season shooting 3s very well but had cooled of late.  This afternoon the Heels were getting and making open looks from beyond the arch. That, of course, opened thing up inside for another great game from Zeller, and effective and emphatic drives from Barnes.

If today's performance is proof that the Heels, in particular Bullock and Hairston, have regained their outside touch this team is practically unbeatable.  Who does the other team guard when all five Heels can shoot and score? 

Two, the defense was generally outstanding today, as evidenced by the 30 boards, and an 18 to 10 ratio of take aways - steals and blocks - to give aways - the dreaded turnover.  Boards, blocks and steals lead to fast breaks, and fast breaks lead to points.

In the second half Carolina's perimeter defense lagged at times, but the interior defense was outstanding, and I agree with Hubert Davis' kudos to Barnes for shutting down Glen Rice Jr. this afternoon.

As it is with Carolina's outside shooting, when the Heels defend and rebound like they did today, watch out world. 

The great news is the Heels have now done that for 5 halves in a row, and are starting to regain their swagger.

The iffy news is, can you really measure progress against a team that looked so overmatched like Georgia Tech looked today?  With Wake and Maryland up next, we may not find out that answer  for another week or so.  Either way, it's great to see Carolina looking like Carolina.

GO HEELS!

A few - ok, quite a few - more Heels notes:

• I loved Reggie Bullock's game today.  Not only did he bury some shots, 3 of 6 from three, I loved his activity on defense and without the ball.  His transition defense was key in the decisive first-half run that put this game away early.
• How crazy good is Kendall Marshall?  Ho hum, another 12-1 assist to turnover ratio game, with an excellent mix of long, spectacular, skip passes, mixed in with a three-pointer and a few nifty drives.  Running out of superlatives for his game.
• Fantastic to see John Michael McAdoo play with confidence today.  He had his best game in about a month.  Best of all?  He did not settle for that 10-foot fadeaway jumper he loves.  McAdoo was confident and aggressive today.
• Tyler Zeller continues to be 'the good Tyler Zeller' of last year's stretch run.  He was efficient and smooth on offense, great on the boards, and had another nice defensive game, too.  Front court mate John Henson had a nice if unspectacular game as well, 13 points, 6 boards, 4 blocks and a stop the presses 5 of 8 on free throws!
• Oh yeah, Harrison Barnes put together another dominant half of hoops.  In the first half he was not that aggressive but he made up for in the second stanza with a series of drives, pull ups, dunks, threes, and reverse lay ups.  And he played pretty good defense, too.
• Stillman White had a decent game, hitting one three, making one assist and one steal in 6 minutes of spelling Marshall at the point. Interesting to see Justin Watts play the point for about 2 minutes late in the game.  As a result, Marshall 'only' played 31 minutes tonight, which coincidentally is his season's average this year.

THAT felt good

Yes, Carolina's win over rival NC State felt good - real good.

It's always good to beat a rival, and to beat them convincingly.  I was a tad nervous about this game; State has gotten better under new coach Mark Gottfried (quick quiz: how many current ACC  coaches have had one of their teams ranked number 1? - answer via Comments below) and there was still some lingering post-FSU angst.

But this game was more than a thorough beat down - at one point Carolina led State by 31 points in the second half - of the Wolfpack.  There were many story lines in this win.

1. Probably the biggest story was playing without the Dex Factor.  Strickland is Carolina's best defender and back up point guard, but in addition to those traits is also the Heels' toughest player.  I was anxious to see if Reggie Bullock could do all the things Dex does.  

No worries.  It looked like Bullock played great defense, rebounded well, and his offense came around in the second half.  And new back up point guard Stillman White looked okay, too, even hitting a three late in the game.

2. Tyler Zeller keeps improving.  I think most Heels were unhappy with the way Psycho Z started the season, mainly due to weak hands and the occasional disappearing act on offense.  Those fears have melted away lately, as Zeller has had double-figure rounding games in 9 of the last 11 games and his scoring is up, too.  He was aggressive and unstoppable against the Pack.

3. When Kendall Marshall is setting you up, almost anyone becomes unstoppable.  He was fantastic on Thursday night with his passing and offensive, both in terms of controlling the tempo AND shooting.  I love the fact that Marshall is not simply jacking up 3s in order to 'keep defenses honest.'  K-Marsh is taking it to the rack with authority (though not velocity) and shooting 3s, and his all-around game continues to get better and better.

4.  Marshall's defense has also improved this season, and lately the team defense has been excellent. State had trouble getting - let alone making - good shots.  Bullock was great on State's sharpshooter Scott (Wood), the run and jump was utilized effectively, and of course down low John Henson, Zeller, James Michael McAdoo and Harrison Barnes intimidated, changed and blocked numerous shots, and rebounded well.  As any born and bred fan knows, boards, blocks and steals lead to fast break points, and those runs killed State.

5. Finally, despite some early foul trouble we saw another focused performance from Harrison Barnes.  He had a number of spectacular plays against State and has had back-to-back games where he has shot the ball well.  

The focus of this team is back.  I am not sold on the notion of a 'good' loss, especially one as shocking as the one in Tallahassee, but that may end up being the case for this year's team.  Coming into the season, it was obvious that the Heels had as much or more talent than any other squad in the country.  But mentally we've seen some lapses, mainly at UNLV and in Tallahassee but also in wins over lesser teams such as BC or even Nicholls State.  The Wizards-esque beat down the Tar Heels absorbed 2 weeks ago may have cured Carolina of any lingering thoughts that a superbly talented team simply needs to 'turn it on' to win games. 

Being cured of that feels good - just like beating State.

GO HEELS!

Finally

How great was it get to finally watch some Carolina basketball tonight? 


Rereading that sentence, the funniest word is 'finally.'  That's how bad the loss to FSU felt, a loss that practically wiped out the entire season, or threatened to render the 2012 campaign meaningless.  A loss that could have lingered in the players' psyche for the rest of the year.  


It was that bad a loss, that bad a performance.


That's why this win, and the way the Heels won, felt so good (at least for me).


Sure, the first half was tough to watch.  Carolina got off to a good start though we left a lot of points on the rim, especially Harrison Barnes who just seemed off.  But our early lead vanished under another barrage of Hokies three point shots.  Some of those were good shots, but some of them were just plain luck; one three banked in as the shot clock expired after Jon Henson had blocked two shots on the possession.  Even when they were falling, I didn't feel that bad; unlike against FSU there were few wide open looks for Virginia Tech during that run.

Nonetheless, the Heels trailed at half.


But at half time something great happened.  Perhaps it was before halftime, actually.  John Henson scored on an patented UNC in bounds alley-oop pass with 0.9 seconds left to give us some momentum.


And boy, did that mo carry over.  Or it at least washed over Harrison Barnes.  He came out in the second half completely focused, and shook off his mini slump with an 8-0 run to open the final 20 minutes.  


It was almost inspirational the way Barnes and the other Heels came out of half time sick and tired of not playing well.  Barnes' one man run quickly turned in a team-wide one, as everyone started making plays, extra passes, baskets and free throws as part of a 31-5 run that put the game away.


And the Heels got back to playing tough D, especially in that second half.  Carolina was only credited with 9 blocks - seemed like more than that - and the Heels were much more aggressive and attentive defensively, especially in the passing lanes, with nice help and putting up walls to cut off penetration.


A gut check win on the road is always nice, but just as nice was watching the Heels look like the Tar Heels again.  They went inside (either via the pass or drive), were patient and smart on offense, rebounded like crazy, blocked shots and overplayed the passing lanes and as a result were able to run in the second half.


It was vintage Carolina basketball, something that we only missed for one game but a game that lingered for what felt like an eternity - at least until the second half of tonight's game.


GO HEELS!

A few more Heels notes:

• John Henson broke out of his one-game mini slump, too.  In Tallahassee he seemed unfocused, but tonight he was everywhere, grabbing 16 boards, officially blocking 6 shots (but it felt like 16 - or 60 blocks tonight) and finishing with 16 points.
• Tyler Zeller seems to be back to last season's form.  He was the only Heels player to show up versus the Noles, and tonight he was just as good with a double double of his own with 14 points and 11 boards. And he, too, seemed to block or alter dozens of shots. 
• Kendall Marshall almost his own double-double with 9 points and 8 assists.  K-Mar did a nice job of looking for his shot more tonight.
• The only bad news is the potential injury to unsung hero and Dex Factor, Dexter Strickland.  He twisted his right knee in the second half.  Reggie Bullock admirably filled in for our best defender and had a nice half despite not scoring that much.

Not Much to Say

Not much to say after a total beat down like the one the Heels took at the hands of the Seminoles yesterday. In Carolina's first road game in 42 days, the Tar Heels were humiliated and buried under a barrage of three pointers, led by Davidis Dulkys' 8 of 10 shooting.

There is a smorgasbord of problems or issues one can talk about (so I lied, there is much to say), but two stand out for me.

One, the play of Kendall Marshall.  Some post mortems from the game have mentioned that FSU put pressure on Marshall.  On one hand, they did pick him up full court.  But on the other, his turnovers all were seemingly unforced.  It was as if he was a pitcher with tired legs; so many of his passes sailed out of bounds over the heads of their intended target.

This team goes as Kendall Marshall goes, and when he struggles that bad the Heels will look and play bad, too.  There certainly were other terrible performances by Carolina players yesterday; Barnes had his second straight terrible shooting day, Henson left his head and concentration skills in Chapel Hill (0-8 free throws, an embarrassing technical), and perhaps Strickland's ankle bothered him more than it looked and thus he could not effectively cover Dulkys or Loucks or anyone on the perimeter.  And our bench - P.J. Hairston in particular - was horrible.  

But Marshall is the keystone for this team; without him we collapse.

So players - and sometime teams - can have one bad game.  But for me the other disturbing thing, issue 2, was our play to start the second half.  

How many Carolina fans thought at half "Ok, the Heels played badly but we're only down 8.  Barnes will get on a roll, Marshall will feed Zeller and Henson, and we'll win this game.  And FSU can't keep shooting this well"'?  I'd bet 90 percent of Tar Heel Nation saw that scenario ready to unfold.

Unfortunately, things got worse in the final 20 minutes. The Heels thought they could turn it 'on' the second half, but other than Zeller did not. Or worse, Carolina expected the Seminoles to wilt - and they did not. The Heels failed to raise their level of play, turning it over and failing to guard to start the half, and were buried.

Very disappointing to say the least.  Carolina was in a position to win this game at half time - we had seemingly taken FSU's best shot - but did not. That's VERY un-Carolina.  And that's the worst part of this loss - we did not look like Tar Heels.

Few More Heels Notes:

• I wonder if ol' Roy will schedule any more extended home stands in the future?  Hard to measure how much impact the schedule had on this flop, but Roy is superstitious enough to avoid another stretch like that.
• Props to Tyler Zeller, who many fans have questioned this year but who was the only Tar Heels player to show some effort for 40 minutes.  He kept us in the game the first half.
• Within an hour of the loss the Dex Factor tweeted "embarrassing but a learning process; we'll bounce back!' Ah, youth. I like following Strickland (@DStrick01), who generally tweets in proper English, which I appreciate. 
• Wayne Ellington (@WayneElli22), who had 13 points last night for the Timberwolves, also tweeted "I'd hate to be at the next practice!"
• Virginia Tech looms next, though looms is a strong word.  They lost yesterday to Boston College.  I feel sorry for Hokies fan: I expect the Heels to be very focused and fired up for that one; and Seth Greenberg is still their coach.
• No time to panic yet; it WAS only one game.  But if the Heels come out flat in Blacksburg that will be a very troubling indicator about the leadership and fortitude - the talent this there, obviously - of this year's team.

GO HEELS!

Can't Spell Ho HUM without UM

Tonight's win over Miami had to be the most boring Carolina beat down of all time.  The only suspense for the last 15 minutes of the game was whether or not Harrison Barnes would score again.  For the record, he didn't.  His 6 points on 2 of 12 shooting ground his recent hot streak to a resounding halt.

But Carolina is this good - and Miami that lackluster - that on a night when our best player struggles the Heels still dominated and were never really threatened in Coach Jim Larranaga's Dean Dome debut.

There were 3 keys to the game.

One, Carolina's guards were fantastic.  Kendall Marshall had his first double-figure scoring game of the season and repeatedly slashed to the basket for scores.  Dexter Strickland was even better, turning defense into points on his way to a 14-point effort and hitting a few jumpers.

Carolina's defense was the second key tonight.  This team is started to get tough on D, especially since the Texas game.  Jon Henson and Tyler Zeller seemed to block or disrupt every 2-point shot attempted by the Canes.  On the perimeter Strickland was particularly effective, shutting down leading scorer Malcolm Grant (5 points, 2 for 8 from the field) and doing a great job playing the passing lanes.

Three, the Heels stayed focused after building a 20-point.  Unlike against Boston College, where the Heels allowed the Eagles to get within 9 points before waking up and putting the game away, Carolina maintained their defensive pressure and fed the post down the stretch against the U.   Miami never had a chance.

The Heels' next opponent is their suitcase as Carolina has to remember how to pack for back to back road games in Tallahassee and Blacksburg.  Packing a suitcase may be as exciting as tonight's win over Miami. 

Predictable results from Heels, Barnes versus BC

Carolina's 83-60 win over Boston College unfolded largely as expected.  The Heels were much more talented and simply better than the Eagles, who started 5 freshmen.  

The Heels predictably started slow then went on a run to take a comfortable lead at half time. Also predictably, the Heels got a bit bored after taking a 20-point lead in the second half. BC was able to cut the lead to 9 at one point before the Heels woke up.  Once Carolina did, the Heels went on another run to close the game out with a 23-point win.

There was some news in today's win.  The most significant item - also predictable - was Harrison Barnes' continued excellent play.  Barnes appears to be peaking at the perfect time of season, much like he did last year.  Against BC he hit shots from all over the floor - driving, taking 3s, a few one-dribble jumpers, the entire repertoire - and was very aggressive.  He had 4 steals, too, and looked like a player of the year candidate. 

It wasn't all Barnes, though.  I thought the Heels' defense was pretty good for most of the game.  Zeller had 20 points and held on to the ball, P.J. Hairston was 2 for 5 on three pointers, and Marshall once again had more than 10 assists.

With so many ACC teams stinking up the joint this year - Wake, Clemson, Maryland, and BC all pretty bad - these kinds of games may be the norm for the Heels.  The good news is you can count on 20-point wins despite some lapses in concentration, and the Heels have also shown that against good teams the Heels will rise to the occasion.   Those traits sound a lot like the 2009 team, a predictable comparison.

Speaking of 2009, a huge night for 3 members of that team tonight in the NBA.  Ty Lawson squared off with Danny Green tonight as the Nuggets took on the Spurs.  San Antonio won 121 to 117 behind Green's 24 points.  With Manu Ginobili out with broken hand Green is finally getting significant playing time in the League.


Lawson did his part for Denver, finishing with 20 and 10 assists.  


And Tyler Hansbrough finished with 15 and 7 off the bench, in 28 minutes, for Indiana in their win over the Charlotte Bobcats.  Psycho T has been in double figures every game this season for the 6 and 2 Pacers. 


GO HEELS!