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. 

Real Carolina Basketball

After playing a string of lackluster opponents, wins against Appalachian State and Nicholls State that didn't even merit a blog post, the Heels took on - and dismantled - a legitimate basketball team tonight in Rick Barnes' Texas Longhorns.

It was great to see the Heels rise to the occasion and blow out the Longhorns - and Barnes.  I know Dean would not approve, but I really like taking it to the Hickory native who was rude enough to get in Coach Smith's face a few times when he coached at Clemson.  Of course, Carolina was on an 0 for 4 streak against Texas, so simply breaking that streak was good.

What made it great was how the Heels did it.  

One, Harrison Barnes broke out of mini-slump, one that may have been brought on by being less than focused against those lesser opponents - though that's not excuse.  Tonight he looked like an All-American, making shots from all over the floor (on 9 for 15 shooting), putting the ball on the floor, rebounding, and Barnes also dished out a nice assist to Henson, on his way to a 25 and 10 double double.

Two, despite a few lapses the Heels were solid on defense, holding Texas to 35 percent (both for 2 and 3-point shots) and out rebounding the Longhorns 49 to 34.  

Three, as any Carolina fan knows when the Heels defend and rebound that translates into fast break points - in bunches.  North Carolina used two such bursts, once in the first half when Texas had cut the lead to 8 at 24-16 and again early in the second half to basically salt the game away with about 15 minutes to play.

Finally, getting fast break points was not the only Carolina trademark on display tonight.   The Heels repeatedly pounded the ball inside, either from passes from Kendall Marshall or Jon Henson, or thanks to drives by Barnes, or some freak nasty drives and dunks by Dexter Strickland,* Henson, Barnes and P.J. Hairston.* 

It was an impressive win against an above average opponent.  We saw Carolina rise to the occasion, offensively thanks to Barnes, defensively and on the boards as a team.  As a result, Carolina blew Texas tonight.

GO HEELS!

Though the last few games before the tilt against Texas were not blog worthy, there was one development worth mentioning. This stretch of home games has seen ol' Roy use the vintage Dean Smith half court run and jump defense.  Do yourselves a favor and check out this video of Dean talking about it.

Like getting the ball down low and running - even on a made basket - the run and jump is a central part of Carolina basketball.  It's use in the last decade or so has waxed and waned, but this year Roy seems to be reemphasizing it.

There could be two reasons, one cynical and one practical.  Cynically, the run and jump may be a way to hide Marshall's defensive deficiencies.  Carolina's point guard has to disrupt the other teams offense by pressuring their point guard, something Marshall sometimes struggles to do.  The run and jump should help Marshall.

But practically speaking, Roy us probably utilizing the run and jump because he has the personnel to do so.  Outside of Marshall, Carolina's starters are all rangy and athletic, as are key reserves Bullock and Hairston. This team is made for the run and jump. It's a very effective weapon.  Besides, as Dean says in that video it's a fun defense.  Dean was talking about fun for the players, but it's also fun for Carolina fans, too.

*Extra freak nasty

Weird

What a weird, hard fought game for the Heels tonight.  

It was weird in a number of ways.  Weird to see Carolina have to play at such a slow tempo.  Even in the second half, when the Heels did a good job rebounding and therefore should have been able to run, the game was slow and played in the half court.

Weird in that Kendall Marshall had his second straight lackluster game in a row.  It's the curse of CHB blog perhaps?  Jordan Taylor and Wisconsin, not Marshall, set and controlled the tempo for this game.  We did not see vintage Marshall tonight.

That lackluster play from our point guard was one reason why our offense never flowed against the Badgers.  Harrison Barnes was fantastic in the second half, but he was by and large creating his own shots. Strickland had some nice runs on offense, but they mainly came when he was bringing the ball up. The guys who rely on Marshall to set them up, i.e. Zeller, Henson, McAdoo, etc. were non-factors on offense for most of the night as a result.  Weird.

But on the positive side, it was a gut-check, hard-fought (and cliche ridden) win over a top 10 team that will give Ohio State a run for it's money in the Big 10.

I mentioned Barnes, but he was so clutch and tough down the stretch in leading Carolina to this win almost single handedly.  Loved the methodical way he went about it, too.  He was cold and confident.  Barnes also finished with 5 blocks. 

Strickland was the offense in the first half and was magnificent in disrupting Wisconsin's offense in the second.  The Dex Factor featured a little bit of Derrick Phelps tonight in containing Taylor.  Huge night for Strickland (despite that one crazy turnover late).

Finally, in addition to Barnes our best option on offense in the second half a couple times was Reggie Bullock.  His late 3 was Barnesesque - cold and confident.  His performance was also proof that his breakout game against Tennessee State was not a fluke.

Though our offense sputtered, it was reassuring to see the way the Heels defended (Badgers shot 36 percent; Taylor was worse at 30 percent), rebounded (Heels out rebounded Wisconsin 39 to 26) and made free throws tonight (19 for 24, or 79 percent).  All three of those traits are excellent and meaningful measures of a teams toughness.  Very reassuring.

So with those 3 things on the upswing, here's hoping our offense - and Marshall -  and shooting bounces back by Saturday and the tilt versus Kentucky.  Having to worry about a Carolina team's offense?  

Weird.

Well, Carolina is back

After what seemed like years in the wilderness, Carolina basketball returned tonight in the unlikely setting of Raleigh, North Carolina.


In defeating NC State, the Heels accomplished a number of things: ended a 3-game losing streak; won their first tough road game; got back into the ACC regular season race; restored some confidence, and built up confidence in the freshman.


But all that pales to the best thing the Heels did - they looked like Carolina.  They were smart, they were poised, they were determined on defense and on the boards.  And best of all, the Heels returned to the tactic that has made them the most successful college basketball program of the modern era: they fed the post and got good shots.


Led by Deon Thompson, who clearly decided to play some inspired Tyler Hansbrough-like basketball, the Heels consistently went down low - and were rewarded almost every time.  It's hard to remember the Heels taking many bad shots.  Deon was aggressive and active, and Ed Davis looked almost as good.  After one bad shot to start the game Easy Ed got into rhythm both offensively and defensively.  


A lot of that credit has to go to Larry Davis, who only had one turnover on the road in a hostile arena.  A great bounce-back game for him in terms of decision making and shot making.  His drive for an old fashioned three-point play to seal the win was fantastic.


And his back up, Dexter Strickland, was simply an assassin. His cold-blooded three with 12 minutes left, his steals that led to fast breaks, his confident play left me giddy.


Thompson, Drew and Strickland led the Heels to victory tonight, but it really was a team effort.  That effort was most evident on the defensive end, where for a key 8-minute stretch the Wolfpack failed to score.   It was empty trip after empty trip for NC State, trips that ended in either steals - by Thompson, Strickland and one of the Wears - or blocked shots by Thompson and John Henson.  


Henson had his best game as a Heel. He flowed, was aggressive and literally created havoc for State with his ball hocking and shot blocking. Henson's effort reminded me of Wes Miller coming off the bench in 2006 at Duke to take over the game during a key but limited stretch of play.


Finally, kudos to 'ol Roy for getting this team's groove back in the last 6 days.  


A great win, any way you look at it, but greater still when you see Carolina winning while looking like Carolina.


GO HEELS!


And Kentucky lost, and we beat the junior tea baggers on their home floor!

Call Him Formosa

Because Dexter Strickland is the next Tywon.  


He was fantastic tonight, not just making a big three-pointer to seal the win over Rutgers but in playing fast but in control.  Stickland also had a nice steal late, too. 


Rutgers is a decent team, and came in at 9-2 and on a 6-game winning streak.  But the Rahway native put away his home state school tonight.  

Heels and Nats

Not often that a blow out win does not qualify as a good game, but last night's contest between Carolina and N.C. Central was a game that should not have been played.   I doubt Carolina gained anything from playing the Eagles in a tilt that more closely resembled Friday night's exhibition rout against Belmont Abbey.   At times Central had trouble simply getting the ball up court.


But I shouldn't be too harsh, since the win over NCCU was kind of a coming out party for Marcus Ginyard's jump shot.  Hitting more than one three-pointer - in consecuitive games no less - shows M-Giny's shot is legit.


Outside shooting, along with the play of Drew II, are by far the two biggest question marks with this year's Tar Heels.  And another good sign from last night's game - that addresses both issues - was the play of Dexter Strickland.  Strickland looked stage struck on Monday, but last night looked like a reliable option as both our back up point guard AND as a legit shooting threat.


So I guess as a whole the game was unwatchable, but the play of Ginyard and Stickland causes me a revise my initial assesment of the win over N.C. Central.


Hansbrough Update


Tyler Hansbrough is off to a great start for the Pacers.  He's still getting into basketball shape after dealing with shin problems for the second year in a row.  Despite playing limited minutes Hansbrough's been in double figures both games, and has already been to the foul line 21 times in less than 30 minutes.  Due to his injury his touch and timing are off, as he is shooting only 33 percent so far and he's been foul prone, too.  But once he gets into basketball shape watch out for Psycho-T.


Good Nats News?!


Some very positive hot stove league news from our hometown Nats this week.  


First, Ryan Zimmerman won the Gold Glove AND the Silver Slugger, marking Zimm as the best defensive and offensive third baseman in the National League.   The awards are an exclamation point on a great individual season for Zimmerman, one in which he hit a career high number of homers, had a 30-game hitting streak and made the All-Star team.  


Zimmerman is the main reason to care about the Nats, but hopefully that will change next season under new - and no longer interim - manager Jim Riggleman.  The Nationals announced today that Riggleman, who skippered the team to a 35-42 mark, had won the right to manage the team for a full season in 2010. 


I'm optimistic about Riggleman.  The Nationals showed a pulse after he took over, and even generated a little buzz during two significant - an 8-game then a 7-game - winning streaks.


Now if they can sign a starter and one more reliever, this team could be respectable next season and win around 70 games.


Finally, how weird that Manny Acta will also be managing next season? Less than a six months after getting fired with a 26 and 60-something record - one would think the stink from such a record would linger more than that - Acta will still have one of the most exclusive jobs on the planet as a big league manager.