The Black Falcon Takes Flight!

Congratulations, Mr. Jennings. You've officially been posterized! The Black Falcon is making quite the name for himself lately. 


Enjoy!





Better yet, you decide which dunk is better. The one you've just watched, or the put back Harrison flushed against Kentucky. My heart is with dunk v. Clemson, but anything v. Kentucky is extra special. Have a look.

KU's Robinson to have knee surgery

Generally, this blog consists of pro-Carolina sentiment, anti-Duke sentiment, pity for NC State, and ambivalence to any other ACC school. Rarely ever is there anything about a school from another conference, but I came across this story today, and I have to give my two cents about the situation.


If follow college basketball closely, you have probably heard of Thomas Robinson, the sophomore forward at Kansas. You probably don't recognize his name because of stellar play, but because of the nightmare he endured during the month of January. Robinson lost his grandmother, grandfather, and mother during a three week stretch in January. His grandmother was buried on January 5th, grandfather on January 24th, and mother on January 27th. All of this for a 19-year old who is living out the dream of playing D-I basketball, halfway across the country from his Washington, D.C. home.


And just to show his perseverance, Robinson returned to the KU fold after laying his mother to rest to average nearly 13 points, while playing less than 20 minutes per contest. The best way to forget about heartache is the get back to doing the things you love. But sometimes life plays cruel, cruel tricks on a person.


As if losing three immediate family members in a short time isn't enough for a kid to deal with, he now has to undergo surgery to repair the damaged meniscus in his right knee.  Recovery from the procedure will likely keep Robinson out of the KU line-up for two weeks while he rests and undergoes rehab. 


I'm sure the surgery pales in comparison to what he's been through, but it's awful that Robinson has to take time away from what has been his solace through these tough times. My heart goes out to Thomas and his family, and I wish him a safe and speedy recovery.


You can read more about this story here.

Jason's Midwestern Plight

Recently, my life has encountered quite a few changes. I left the comforts of sunny Florida for the white blanket of Madison, Wisconsin. I had to give up my dog, look for a job, and moved to a place that I didn't know existed. The reasons aren't important, and my life is the epitome of a country song at the moment, but I'm not complaining. And though my life has been through the wringer over the past few months, one issue seems to outweigh the rest.


I have had to watch about 50% of Carolina's ACC games on my computer. You might not think this is an issue, but let me tell you, watching a game on a 50" HDTV is quite the treat compared to spotty internet coverage on a 13" screen. I don't have the scratch to get ESPN Full Court at the moment, and Madison is football country, so not many bars pony up to get the package. So, I'm left with grainy footage that can't keep up with Kendall Marshall's full-court passes or Dexter Strickland in transition. I have tried the obligatory "hook the computer up to the TV" trick, but my wireless provider apparently has the broadband capacity of the UNC campus, circa 2001 (if you were in school there at the time, you'll get the joke), and I couldn't make out any of the players.


But, even though I have to watch games in this manner, I wouldn't miss a game for anything. You could broadcast a game up the dress of Susan Boyle, and I couldn't turn away. And, moving away from ACC country has helped further stoke my obsession for Carolina sports.


Picture this: A young man is standing at the Stadium Bar in Madison, killing a few hours with friends before the UW v. Northwestern game that would guarantee the Badgers a Rose Bowl birth. Everyone is making plans to get out to Pasadena, but this young man is asking the bartender to change one of the 6,000 televisions to the Carolina-Duke football game. Imagine the looks of bewilderment that I got, partly because these people have no idea that the ACC even plays football. But, I finally got the game on, though it was about 50 feet from my group. "Sorry friends, must watch game." Talk about being an outsider.


So, even though my comfort levels in watching Carolina sports have been challenged, I can never lose my fanhood for the university that I love. I have even turned down tickets to tOSU v. UW on Saturday, probably the biggest game of the season in the Big 10. What for? It tips one hour after Carolina-Clemson, which isn't on local TV. Crazy? Maybe. Loyal? You bet your ass.  


I love you Carolina, regardless of my viewing conditions.

Clemson Preview

Saturday's second meeting between Clemson and Carolina, coupled with Florida State hosting Virginia, makes for a big ACC weekend. As of right now, the top 4 in the ACC look like this:

1. Duke 9-1
2. Carolina 7-2
3. Florida State 7-3
4. Clemson 6-4


Florida State is likely to win tomorrow, keeping the heat on Carolina for second place in the conference. A little breathing room between Carolina and Florida State is big, since Carolina still has to travel to Tallahassee on March 2nd, so Carolina needs to take care of business in Clemson tomorrow.


The first meeting between the schools saw Carolina win 75-65 in Chapel Hill, running Carolina's winning streak in Chapel Hill to 55 straight v. Clemson. It was also the first start for Kendall Marshall at the point, and Reggie Bullock lead four Carolina double-digit scorers with a career-high 18 points. Clemson was without one of its best shooters in Tanner Smith for the final 30 minutes, after Smith looked to have seriously injured his knee early in the first half. Smith has since returned to the line-up, and his shooting will be something Carolina must look out for tomorrow.


The Edge:


Point Guard: Kendall Marshall v. Demontez Stitt

On experience alone, you have to go with Stitt. He leads the team in scoring, with nearly 14 ppg, and shoots almost 40% from three. But, Marshall has shown how good he can be since becoming the starter, and has lead Carolina to a 5-1 ACC record, with a 2.4 A:TO ratio. Stitt is very good at getting into the lane, and I think this could be an issue for Marshall. Stitt gets the nod because Clemson is at home.
Edge: Stitt


Shooting Guard: Dexter Strickland v. Andre Young

Andre Young is averaging 11 ppg this season, while Strickland is putting up 8.5 ppg. Strickland is going to be a tough match-up for Young, as Strickland stands at 6'4" and is arguably Carolina's best defender. Young comes in at 5'9", and will likely struggle with any guard Carolina throws at him due to size. Young might well see Strickland, McDonald, or Reggie Bullock, all standing 6'4", or taller. Clemson also likes to play at a high pace, and this will help Dexter get out in transition where he is the most effective.
Edge: Strickland


Small Forward: Harrison Barnes v. Tanner Smith

This match up depends solely on Harrison Barnes' aggressiveness in defending Smith along the perimeter. If Barnes is able to translate the defense he played on Kyle Singler into Saturday's game, I can't see Harrison getting outplayed. His offensive game is far superior to Smith's, and I think he continues to play well.
Edge: Barnes


Power Forward: John Henson v. Devin Booker

Booker struggled in the first meeting due to first half foul trouble, playing only 23 minutes. He finished the game with 11 points on 5-8 shooting, but never really got going. Henson finished with 14 points, eight rebounds, and five blocks. This match-up is basically Henson's length v. Booker's strength. Henson has been playing very well lately, while Booker hasn't scored in double-figures in Clemson's last five games.
Edge: Henson


Center: Tyler Zeller v. Jerai Grant

Grant struggled mightily during the first meeting, going 1-12 from the field, and scoring only two points. Zeller scored 11 points on 3-5 shooting, and recorded three blocks. Both players grabbed seven rebounds each. I can't imagine that Grant will play poorly tomorrow, but the length of Henson and Zeller did seem to be an issue during the first meeting. Grant has averaged nearly 15 ppg since the first meeting, and has scored 20 and 17 in Clemson's last two games. Zeller is coming off a huge game at Duke, scoring 24 points and grabbing 13 boards. This match-up is pivotal to the game's outcome, and to me, it's a toss-up.
Edge: Push


The Bench:

Carolina's bench is much more explosive than Clemson's. Reggie Bullock, Leslie McDonald, and Justin Knox are all players that have the ability to put up big numbers. Carolina's top three players off the bench average over 20 points between them, while Clemson's top three substitutes are putting up just over 14 points between them. But, it seems that someone explodes v. Carolina at home, so don't be surprised if you see Milton Jennings or Brian Narcisse have big games tomorrow. McDonald, Bullock, and Knox are coming off sub-par games at Duke in limited minutes, but I expect them to have better games tomorrow.  Even with Larry Drew gone, Carolina is the deeper team.
Edge: Carolina


Prediction: Clemson is tough at home, going 5-0 in ACC play. Carolina is 3-2 on the road in ACC play, losing at Georgia Tech and Duke. The Tech loss was an aberration, and the way Carolina played at Duke shows how good this team can be. The big question is whether or not Carolina is able to avoid a let down against a team they should beat. I think this is a close game, but Carolina just edges it at the end.
Carolina 78 - Clemson 75

Thursday's ACC RPI, 2/10/11

Courtesy of kenpom.com

Strength of Schedule in ( )

4. Duke (46)

10. UNC (7)

17. Maryland (90)

30. Virginia Tech (64)

31. Clemson (72)

43. Florida State (54)

72. Miami (59)

76. Boston College (15)

79. Georgia Tech (53)

99. NC State (34)

123. Virginia (66)

240. Wake Forest (97)

Carolina jumps three spots from last Thursday, even with the loss in Durham last night. This team is trending upwards in a serious, serious way. I'm buckling up for one hell of a ride.

You can see last week's RPI here.

My Thoughts on Kendall Marshall

At the end of last season, I was sure that Larry Drew had turned the corner and would come into the 2010-11 season riding the wave of good play he displayed in the NIT. I thought that Kendall Marshall would be a solid back-up for two seasons before becoming the starting point guard in 2012. I could NOT have been more off-base with my assumptions, and it was clear after the Virginia Tech game that one player should be the starter, and that player was not Larry Drew.


Kendall has proven what an elite point guard looks like, and looking like a speeding blur in the mold of Ty Lawson is not required to be an elite ACC point guard. Kendall is the best passer I've seen since Ed Cota, and he's only played in 23 games during his short career. At this point, he has 116 assists in just under 20 minutes per game. But, since being handed the reigns, his numbers have increased.  Here are Kendall's number since taking over as the starting point guard:


Games - 6
Min/game - 26.3
Assists - 36 (6.0/game)
Turnovers - 15 (2.5/game)
A:TO - 2.4:1
Points/game - 6.7
UNC Record - 5-1 (only loss at Duke)


Those numbers are incredible, and also include a Carolina record for 16 assists in a game (v. Florida State), eclipsing the previous record of 14, set by Ed Cota and Phil Ford. When I watch him play, I forget he is a freshman, and then I'll see a stat with his class on it, and I think, "My god, this kid is a FRESHMAN!" It's unreal what he's doing at the moment, and it's amazing at how well everyone else seems to play when he's in the game. Inspiring teammates and improving their play is the sign of a true leader.


Up until the BC game, I was still a little undecided on how well Kendall would perform during the bulk of the ACC schedule. I wasn't skeptical, because I knew he was effective, but the slate thus far pitted Carolina against Virginia, Virginia Tech, Georgia Tech, Clemson, Miami, and NC State. Coming up, Carolina was set to play at BC, at home v. Florida State, and at Duke. Against BC, Kendall had an A:TO ratio of 6:2 in 20 minutes, leading Carolina to a 106-74 victory. Then Drew-Gate happened. Kendall was left as the only true PG on the roster, and would likely log 30+ minutes at the point, when he had only played more than 20 minutes six times, and never more than 24. But, given 36 minutes on the court against Florida State, he put up unthinkable numbers: 16 assists to only three turnovers. He followed that performance up last night with a 6:1 assist to turnover ratio at Cameron Indoor Stadium, arguably the most difficult place to play in the country for opposing teams. He also forced Duke's coaching staff to switch defenders on him twice in the first half due to his dissection of Duke's defense. 


But, what has impressed me most about Kendall Marshall was on display for the first time last night. From the lead-guard position, he had not taken more than six shots in any game this season. Last night vs. Carolina's most-hated rival, he took 11. And though he only scored nine points, the want to take over a game was on display. It was clear from the start that Kendall was not afraid of the moment, was not afraid of Duke, and didn't care who checked him. Carolina fans haven't seen this aggression since Ty Lawson, and that's what it takes to be successful. The guy knows what the rivalry is all about, and though he only shot 3-11 from the field, the mindset to force the issue is something Carolina needs.


Tar Heel fans, we are in great hands.

The Morning After: Duke

Nightmare, absolute nightmare of a second half. I completely thought this game was in the bag, especially when Dexter Strickland banked in the worst shot in basketball from the top of the key with 15:45 left in the second half to put Carolina up 49-39. But, Seth Curry decided to be Stephen for a few minutes and went off for 18 second-half points. My balloon went from fully inflated to a slow leak to a near pop when Nolan Smith put Duke up 60-55 on an old-fashioned three point play with 8:22 left. I completely expected Duke to run away with it at this point, but the youngsters at Carolina kept the game close and avoided a complete meltdown. Moral victories are still losses, but I'm proud of the effort put on display.


Anyone that watches college basketball on a consistent basis knew that Duke was going to make run in the second half at home, and the zebras were going to be a little more lenient with the whistles. It's as predictable as the sun rising in the morning. With a 14-point lead at the break, Carolina needed to make some shots, plain and simple. Looking at the box score, those shots needed to come from the interior. Carolina outscored Duke 48-24 in the paint, and Duke had no answer for Zeller and Henson, who had 48 points, combined. Duke did ratchet up the defense in the second half, but Carolina went away from the big fellas, and settled for jumpers. With that being said, most of those jumpers were fairly open, but 0-6 from the three-point line isn't going to cut it when Duke is on a tear. 


Glaring Stats:


13-22: Carolina's free throw shooting. I know it's Cameron, but if you want to win, you have to make free throws.


3-8, 9 points: Harrison Barnes' offensive output. He was hounded on defense, but Carolina needed to make him a priority on the offensive end with the way he's been scoring lately.


48 points: Zeller and Henson's combined point total, though only nine of those 48 came after Duke took a five-point lead with 8:22 remaining. 


2-14: Carolina from three. Carolina shot 19-41 from three over the past two games, but couldn't hit an open jumper to save a life last night, and it hurt.


3-11: Kendall Marshall from the field. I thought Kendall showed some aggression in getting to the rim that I haven't seen this season, but his shot selection wasn't good at times. Now don't get me wrong, I love this kid, and he's the future of Carolina basketball, but he wanted to take over last night and I think it clouded his decision making. He did have an A:TO of 6:1 though, which is incredible in Cameron.


16-20: Duke's free throw shooting in the second half. 20 second half free throws from a team that took 13 second half three pointers? It wasn't as if a multitude of them came from Carolina having to foul at the end of a game. Only four, possibly six if you count Marshall's tie-up of Singler, of those free throws came with Carolina in must foul situations.


Overall, another classic in the annals of Carolina-Duke. I hate the final result, but I was pleased with what I saw from Carolina. I saw an aggressive streak from Kendall Marshall, I saw dominance by the Carolina bigs for a large chunk of the game, and I saw dominance on the boards from Carolina. I hate the result, but love the effort.

Great Carolina-Duke Moments

The altercation: Matt Doherty did two good things for the Carolina basketball program.  The first, signing Felton, May, and McCants to national letters of intent.  The second, inciting a near-brawl with the Duke bench. An unranked Carolina took the game over the 10th-rated Blue Devils, 82-79.



"Gerald Henderson is a douche" game. Billy Packer will never admit it, but it was intentional, and Henderson got what he deserved, leaving Duke without a national title, and having a mediocre NBA career. Plus, Carolina won the game 86-72.



The Bloody Montross Game: This game took place in 1992, with Carolina ranked #9 and Duke ranked #1. Eric Montross took a shot to his right eye, but calmly sank both free throws. Fastforward to 1:00 to see one of the two free throws. Carolina won the game 75-73.



The punch: High school rivals, Art Heyman (Duke) and Larry Brown's (Carolina) fight turned into a bench-clearing brawl way back in 1961. Duke won the game 81-77, and basically cleared the way for the bad blood between the schools.



Greatest Missed Dunk Ever: Typically, missed dunks are destined for the Sportscenter "Not" Top 10. But not this one, no way. Vince Carter jumped through the roof to get this one, and though he smashed off the iron, a three was the result. 

Funny Duke Photos

In the lead up to tonight's showdown in Durham, I wanted to add a few photos to the blog.  I hope you all enjoy them.


If you have anymore to add, paste a URL link in the comments section at the end of the post, and I'll put them right up for you.

Daily Duke Sucks

Generally, when JJ Redick made the Sportscenter Top 10, it was because he scored 40 points in a college game with Dick Vitale yelling his moronic head off and talking about how well-rounded Redick was as a player. 


But, Redick's return to the SC Top 10 was actually due to his defense. Randy Foye took Redick out of his shoes with this crossover.

Well-rounded? What say you, Dickie V?

Traveling? Apparently not in Durham.

Wonder how many of these will go uncalled tomorrow night?


Exhibit A: Eliot Williams moves roughly five feet before using the dribble.





Exhibit B: Josh McRoberts moonwalks before making his move.





Exhibit C: Jimmy Dykes is pretty critical of the refs on this one, and he works for ESPN. Using the process of elimination, you have to believe it was a travel.

Duke Preview

Through my Carolina-blue tinted glasses, I think this rivalry is the greatest in all of sports. I know about Ohio State-Michigan, Red Sox-Yankees, Packers-Bears, but Carolina-Duke just has that little extra for me. I grew up watching it, I remember the scores, the players, the wins and near loses, and everything in between. Tomorrow night is the first installment of two regular season match-ups between the schools, with this one taking place in Durham. If you would have asked me a month ago if I thought Carolina had a fighting chance, I would have told you that anything can happen in a rivalry game (Translation: No way in hell). But, after the offensive outburst that Carolina has put on display over their last four games, I think Carolina is trending more towards a victory now than at any time this season.  


Last 5 meetings:
3/6/2010: Duke 82 - 50 UNC, at Cameron Indoor
2/10/2010: Duke 64 - 54 UNC, at the Dean Dome
3/8/2009: Carolina 79 - 71 Duke, at the Dean Dome
3/11/2009: Carolina 101 - 87 Duke, at Cameron Indoor
3/8/2008: Carolina 76 - 68 Duke, at Cameron Indoor


Carolina won six of eight from Duke from 2006-2009, with Duke winning both games last season, including the total Carolina meltdown during the regular season finale in Durham. I guess Ty Lawson and Tyler Hansbrough were big deals.


Forget the keys to the game. This is Carolina-Duke, and it all comes down to heart.  After all, in 1995, Carolina was heavily favored and it took two overtime periods to pull out the win in Durham. The biggest issue for Carolina is how the freshman will perform. Freshmen, especially during rivalry games, are a blessing and a curse. They haven't been in this type of environment before, so they don't fully know what to expect. You saw that in 2006, when Tyler Hansbrough, Bobby Frasor, Danny Green, and Marcus Ginyard went into Cameron and beat Duke 83 - 76.  That was a bunch of kids who didn't know any better playing without a care in the world. Or, you could have a talented freshmen group like Carolina did last year, and they completely shutdown and get crushed.  It can go either way, and let's hope we see shades of 2006 in this group.  


Not only are Harrison Barnes, Kendall Marshall, and Reggie Bullock freshmen, but two of the three also have given the Dookies some ammunition, and I'm interested to see what those math majors have come up with. Harrison Barnes, in Duke's eyes, spurned Durham for Chapel Hill when almost everybody, including myself, thought he was a Duke lock. His nickname over on the Duke message boards has become "HBFU", which I'm sure you can figure out on your own.  Reggie Bullock, as you'll see with the video clip at the bottom of the post, said Carolina fans were going to have signs that would say, "He look like a rat", referring to Coach Krzyahag;hagkhag;ski. Marshall hasn't done anything to catch the ire of Duke fans, but as Carolina's starting point guard, he'll undoubtedly be subjected to  multiple uncalled handchecks, grabs, and scratches. We might even see a few flops, but we all know that's coming.


I have a feeling that this game is going to be another classic in the Carolina-Duke rivalry. I'm going to refrain from making a pick in this one, because my hatred for Duke doesn't allow me objectively see things. I just hope Carolina is able to stop dribble penetration, and that doubling the Plumlees and Ryan Kelly is not part of the gameplan, which would allow Duke's three-point shooters open looks at the basketball.

Only 36 more hours.  


Fastforward to 1:20 to hear Reggie's truthful comments.

Duke @ Carolina, 2005

What an incredible game.  I remember being totally devastated with 3:09 left, when Lee Mybologna hit a three to put Duke up nine.  But, Carolina held Duke scoreless for the final three minutes, with Marvin Williams putting the final nail in Duke's coffin.  


Epic comeback.  Enjoy.


  

Larry's New Squad

I came across this interesting article today, and it's awesome that Larry has found a new team so quickly. 

This is just a screenshot, if you want to read the fine print, click here.

The Morning After: FSU

A surefire recipe for disaster goes something like this: 


Lose a point guard that started 37 games in the 2009-10 season, and 17 games this season. Replace that point guard with a freshman that has started exactly four games in his career. As his back up, use a player that is a natural shooting guard and has had difficulty not turning the ball over. Add to that, host a team that is only allowing opponents to shoot 36% from the field, and score 62 point per game.  


Sounds awful, right?  99% of the time, you'd be correct.  But, in this case, the loss of Larry Drew II only meant more minutes for Kendall Marshall at the helm of the Tar Heel ship.  Marshall played a season-high 36 minutes, scoring nine points, dishing out 16 assists, and turning the ball over only three times.  That assist mark breaks the Carolina ACC record set by Carolina greats Phil Ford and Ed Cota.  Meanwhile, Dexter Strickland played arguably his best game of the season as the starting 2-guard and back up point guard.  Strickland scored 15 points and had four assists to only three turnovers.  Dex also shot 6-10 from the field, and hit on 2-4 from behind the arc.  As Tim Brando said, "addition by subtraction", and it was fully on display yesterday.


Top Performers:
Kendall Marshall - 9 points, 16 assists, 3 turnovers
Dexter Strickland - 15 points, 4 assists, 3 turnovers
Harrison Barnes - 17 points, 10 rebounds, 0 turnovers
John Henson - 16 points, 10 rebounds
Tyler Zeller - 16 points, 4 rebounds


During my preview I noted four keys to the game.  Let's see how those played out.


1.  The rebound battle must be won.  Carolina outrebounded Florida State 37-31.  Carolina came into the game leading the nation in rebounds per game, while Florida State was 9th.  John Henson and Harrison Barnes both had 10 boards each.


2.  Roy Williams needs to use timeouts efficiently.  Kendall Marshall had not played more then 24 minutes in any game so far this season.  I figured with the added weight of playing at least 30 minutes, Roy would need to use his five timeouts effectively to give Kendall some added rest.  But, what do I know?  Roy used one timeout with 42 seconds remaining to get Blue Steel into the game, and Kendall logged 36 minutes on the day.


3.  Carolina needed to hold Florida State to under 40% shooting.  In Florida State's six ACC wins coming into Sunday's game, and in five of those wins, the 'Noles shot over 40%.  In both ACC losses, they shot 33% and 36%.  But, I underestimated how quick Carolina would play with Marshall running the show.  Florida State shot 47% from the field and lost by 20.  After all, Carolina is coached by Roy Williams.


4.  John Henson needed to stay out of foul trouble.  I thought that Henson would likely guard Chris Singleton, one of the ACC's top players.  And though he did match up against Singleton some, that job mainly went to Harrison Barnes.  Singleton scored 15 points, but early foul trouble relegated him to the bench for the majority of the first half. 


Game ball goes to:  Kendall Marshall.  The kid is as cool as you like on the floor.  He sets a Carolina assist record in a game that nobody would have faulted him if he played poorly.  It's also no surprise that Harrison Barnes' stats have improved over the past five games.  Marshall makes everyone better, and the team looks more comfortable with him in charge. 


Next up: Carolina at Duke.......2/9/11 @ 9pm.  

FSU Preview

Just two days after the Drew-Gate story broke, Carolina has to jump back on the horse and take on Florida State in Chapel Hill.  Dexter Strickland will likely pick up the slack at the point when Kendall Marshall needs a breather, while also getting minutes at the off-guard spot.  Strickland got some burn as the back-up PG last season, and there were moments of brilliance mixed with moments of total disaster, as he netted a 1.15 A/TO ratio in 2009-10.  


Results from the last 5 meetings:


2/24/2010: FSU (home) 77 - 67 Carolina
3/14/2010: FSU 73 - 70 Carolina (ACC Tournament)
1/28/2010: Carolina 80 - 77 FSU (home)
3/14/2009: Carolina 82 - 70 FSU (ACC Tournament)
3/4/2009: Carolina (home) 90 - 77 FSU 


Carolina wins if.....


1.  The rebound battle is won.  Florida State is 9th in the nation in total rebounds per game at 40.6.  Carolina is 1st in the nation, grabbing 42.4 rebounds per game as a team.  The winner of the rebound battle will likely take the game.
2.  Roy uses his timeouts efficiently.  Roy Williams is notorious for holding onto timeouts and letting his team play through bad spells during games.  But, his only true point guard hasn't seen more than 24 minutes in any game this season, and those timeouts will needed to give Kendall extra breathers tomorrow night.  Kendall will likely get 30+ minutes, and using timeouts efficiently will be key.
3.  Florida State is held to under 40% shooting from the field.  Florida State is currently sitting at 6-2 in the ACC, and only one of those wins has come when they shot under 40% as a team.  Against Miami, Florida State shot 32%, but won 55-53 in Tallahassee.  The other five ACC wins have come when Florida State shot over 40% from the field.  Meanwhile, in both conference losses, the Seminoles shot 36% against Virginia Tech, and 33% against Clemson. 
4.  John Henson can stay out of foul trouble.  Chris Singleton is a stud, and is likely a first rounder in this summer's NBA Draft.  Henson has played great defense this season, shutting down players like Terrence Jones and CJ Leslie.  If Henson can stay on the floor, his length will be huge against a high-caliber player like Singleton.


Prediction: Carolina 81 - 67 FSU.  Carolina has been rolling lately, winning 9 of 10.  Florida State is coming off a big win v. Wake Forest, though they scored just 44 points at Clemson five days earlier. The Seminoles are also 1-2 on the road in ACC play, while Carolina is undefeated at home this season.  Having Kendall Marshall on the floor for extended minutes will ignite the offense, and Carolina goes to 7-1 in the ACC before taking on Duke on Feb. 9th.  

Breaking News: Larry Drew Transferring

Reports from ESPN have stated that Larry Drew II, the junior Carolina point guard, is transferring.  No other information has been leaked, other than Drew left school on Thursday, and the Tar Heel coaching staff is aware of his decision.


This leaves Carolina short at the PG spot, with Kendall Marshall as the only true point guard on the roster.  Dexter Strickland will likely get minutes as the backup, as we saw last season.  Drew becomes the fourth player to leave, or be dismissed from the Carolina basketball team since the end of last season.  David and Travis Wear transferred to UCLA over the summer, while Will Graves was dismissed by coach Roy Williams before the start of the season.


UPDATE: Here is Larry's tweet: "They say don't ask permission just ask forgiveness, you know?  So..forgive me"


I've had a little time to let it sink in, and here are my thoughts on this situation:


1.  Leaving a team in the middle of the season, whether it be rec league or D-I basketball, is childish.  The kid is a junior in college, and is playing for arguably the most storied program in the history of college basketball.  Leaving now does nothing, NOTHING, for his pro career.  His dad is the coach of the Atlanta Hawks and undoubtedly has connections in the European Leagues, where Larry could make a decent living.  Larry isn't NBA material, whether or not he transfers.  


2.  Something is up with California.  Three transfers in less than a year from the state, and none of them lived up to the hype.  I hope the Carolina recruiting trend moves away from California.


3.  Dexter Strickland better get that Pistol Pete ballhandling tape.  Dexter struggled last year at a position he wasn't comfortable at, but he'll have to move to the back up PG role with Drew leaving.  Let's hope his roadrunner legs can use some discretion.  


4.  Kendall Marshall will likely get 30 minutes per game now.  This is a good thing, in the long run.  Marshall has proven his worth as the starter, but he is still a freshman.  Even with Drew on the roster, Marshall was/is the best PG on the roster.  He'll get more minutes, and let's see what he does with them. 


5.  More minutes for the Bullock and McDonald.  The starting lineup will likely remain the same.  But, Dexter will certainly be the first player subbed out, either for Bullock or McDonald.  Then, he will re-enter the game to replace Marshall.  This means an extra 20 minutes per game at the 1-2 spots, with Marshall likely getting between 8-10 extra minutes, and Bullock/McDonald getting an extra 3-4 minutes each.  

ACC RPI as of 2/3/11

According to kenpom.com, here are the ACC's RPI ratings, with Strength of Schedule in parenthesis:


4. Duke (48)
13. North Carolina (10)
21. Maryland (53)
30. Virginia Tech (70)
34. Clemson (79)
41. Florida State (73)
64. Miami (45)
72. Georgia Tech (57)
79. Boston College (17)
96. NC State (47)
127. Virgina (71)
258. Wake Forest (129)


It's incredible how bad Wake Forest is.  They have the weakest SOS in the ACC, but they also sit at 258, out of 343, in the RPI.  The RPI ratings are generally a better guideline than the AP/ESPN rankings due to the multitude of factors that are taken into account when determining if a team will make the NCAA Tournament field.  As of right now, I'd venture to say that the ACC will get four, maybe five, teams in the field of 68 (sounds weird with 68 instead of 64).  Miami has some work to do if they're going to make a move, and Florida State probably sits on the bubble.  

Daily Duke Sucks

No words needed.  This explains it all.

Daily Duke Sucks

Just had to post this one on a night when I think Duke loses their second straight.  Maryland always plays Duke tough, and I the "experts" always say "you don't want to play Duke after a loss", but I think Jordan Williams gives the Bumlees the business tonight and Maryland wins in College Park.  

If that happens, that sets up a pretty nice match-up on Feb. 9th (Thank you, Mr. Faircloth). 


UPDATE:  Maryland is garbage. 

National Signing Day!

Today is the day that college football fans live for.  National Signing Day is the day that high school recruits sign their letters of intent (LOI) to attend whatever college they choose.  Butch Davis has done a fantastic job at the helm, and today has been a good day thus far for Tar Heel fans.  As of 11:30am EST, Carolina has 25 LOI's.  So far, Carolina has inked:


Updated @ 1:15pm


Kiaro Holts, OT, 5*
Delvon Simmons, DT, 5* (Updated 11:20am EST)
Marquise Williams, QB, 4*
Landon Turner, OG, 4*
Sylvester Williams, DT, 4*
Travis Hughes, LB, 4*
Norkeithus Otis, LB, 4*
Jack Tabb, TE, 3* (Updated 10:45am EST)
Alex Dixon, CB, 3*
Kameron Jackson, CB, 3*
Tim Scott, CB, 3*
Sam Smiley, CB/WR, 3*
Brandon Ellerbe, S, 3*
Darien Rankin, S, 3*
TJ Thorpe, WR, 3*
Travis Riley, RB, 3*
Romar Morris, RB, 3*
Eric Ebron, TE, 3*
Jarrod James, OG, 3*
Devonte Brown, DT, 3*
Shawn Underwood, DT, 3*
Keeon Virgile, LB, 2*
Tyler Alberts, DE, 2*
Miller Snyder, K/P, 2*
Stephen Houston, RB, Juco transfer (Updated 10:45am EST)


Chrisitan Russell, a 3* linebacker out of Hoke County HS has enrolled at Hargrave Military Academy. Russell's grades would not have allowed him to enroll at Carolina at this time.


The (*) listed are from scout.com, and they rank the players from 1*-5*.  Carolina's recruiting class is currently listed 16th by scout.com, 15th by rivals.com, and 13th by ESPN.com.  I will update this post as soon as I get more information. 

The Morning After: Boston College

I have to say, watching Carolina last night was like watching a completely different team, as an offensive explosion that hasn't been seen by Heels fans since 2009, erupted.  Carolina put 106 points on BC, winning their 6th ACC game, 106-74.  The 2009 edition scored 100+ points three separate times in conference games, against Maryland (108), Duke (101), and Georgia Teach (104).  The offensive efficiency displayed last night gave glimpses into the reasons why Carolina was rated a top-10 team coming into the season.  Everything was clicking last night, and though BC hit 13 threes, they were completely overmatched.  Carolina had four players scoring in double figures, shot 57 % from the field (52% from 3), and had 27 assists to only 9 turnovers.  


Carolina's big contributors last night were:


Harrison Barnes - 26 points (season high, 9-15 FG, 4-7 3PG)
Reggie Bullock - 16 points (6-9 FG, 4-7 3PG)
Tyler Zeller - 18 points, 6 rebs (6-7 FG, 6-6 FT)
John Henson - 13 points, 7 rebs, 2 blks (6-10 FG)
Kendall Marshall - 7 points, 6 assists, 2 TO's
Larry Drew - 9 assists, 1 TO


During my BC preview, I had four keys to the game, and Carolina took care of all four.


1. The transition games gets going.  Carolina outscored BC 24-2 on fast break points, and scored 33 points off BC's 16 turnovers.  
2. Carolina must hold Reggie Jackson to under 20 points.  Jackson scored only six, a season low.
3. Harrison Barnes must continue the great play he displayed against NC State.  The stats speak for themselves.  26 points, shooting 60% from the field.  Welcome, young man.
4. Carolina must neutralize the BC homecourt advantage.  Did they ever.  Carolina handed BC their first home conference loss, and did it in style, winning by 32.  


I was fully off on my UNC 71- 67 BC prediction, except for the result.  BC played at much higher rate than I thought they would, and it shows that if a team is willing to run with the Heels, they might be in a bit of trouble.  


Next up for Carolina, Florida State at home.  This will be big time game, especially if Maryland can beat Duke in College Park tonight.  Either way, Carolina is now showing how good they can be when it all comes together.  

And We Thought Henson's Free Throw Shooting Was Bad

Check out Deandre Jordan's epic airball from the charity stripe from last season.  It's a beauty.

Boston College Preview

Carolina travels to Chestnut Hill to take on Boston College tonight, after hammering NC State on the weekend, 84-64.  Carolina sits at 15-5 (5-1 ACC), and BC is currently 14-7 (4-3 ACC).  The early Vegas line lists Carolina as a two point favorite.  Carolina and BC have met only once each of the last two seasons, both being BC victories.  The most shocking of the two was the ACC opener in 2009, with BC handing Carolina its first loss of the season.  


Last five meetings:


2/20/2010: BC 71(home) - 67 Carolina
1/4/2009: BC 85 - 78 Carolina (home)
1/31/2008: Carolina (home) 91-69 BC 
3/1/2008: Carolina 90 - 80 BC (home)
2/17/2007: Carolina 77 - 72 BC (home)


Carolina wins if:


1.  The transition game gets going.  BC generally plays a slow, controlled offensive set, and Carolina must force turnovers and run.  We've seen how the Heels struggle in the halfcourt set on offense, and forcing turnovers and quick run-outs will be key.
2.  Harrison Barnes can continue his great play he displayed v. NC State.  Barnes had his best offensive game of his short career, scoring 25 points on 10-16 shooting on Saturday.  Barnes is supremely talented, and when his shots are falling, he's impossible to guard.  
3.  Reggie Jackson is held under 20 points.  Jackson leads BC in scoring, hitting almost 19 points a game this season, and averaging 21.5 ppg in BC's four ACC victories.  But, in BC's three conference losses, Jackson is only averaging 14 ppg.  
4.  Carolina can neutralize the BC home court advantage.  BC is 4-0 in the ACC at home, but 0-3 away.  Carolina has to come out like they did against NC State, and not fall behind early like in games against Virginia, Virginia Tech, and Miami.  


Carolina has won 8 of 9, while BC has lost 5 of 9.  I think Carolina continues to play well, and wins a close, low-scoring game.  Prediction: Carolina 71 - BC 65

Nice Try, Little Brother

The NC State Wolpfack (click here if you don't get the joke) made their way into Chapel Hill on Saturday, and like usual, left with their tails tucked between their legs.  Now, I expected a Carolina win, but I didn't expect a 20-point blowout, especially with State's talented freshman class, Scott Wood's 3-point shooting, and the return of Tracy Smith from an offseason ACL injry.  State was without freshman PG Ryan Harrow due to flu-like symptoms, but I still figured State would put up a good fight and at least make a game of it.  


But, if you watched, that wasn't the case.  CJ Leslie met John Henson, and the country finally met Harrison Barnes.  Leslie, arguably State's most talented player, was kept in check by John Henson's length.  Leslie had a good game, scoring 14 points on 6-12 shooting, but that was cancelled out by Henson's 16 point, 16 rebound, 7 block performance.  


Harrison Barnes also came to play, scoring a season-high 25 on 10-16 shooting.  Barnes, who has struggled mightily this season with his ballhandling, only turned the ball over once, played under control and showed the reasons why he was rated as the #1 overall recruit in the class of 2010.  


Now, to the point of this post.  Sure, we need some facts and all that jazz, but the real point is to laugh at NC State.  State, who has gone 22-49 in the ACC since hiring Sidney Lowe in 2006, hasn't made the NCAA tourney field since firing Herb Sendek after the '05-'06 season.  You would assume that Sendek must have been awful to get fired for someone with Lowe's record, but think again.  After all, this is NC State.  


Sendek was fired after making the NCAA tourney five consecutive seasons, going 46-34 in the ACC during that time.  Sendek also took State to the Sweet 16 in 2005.  But, State would rather have a native son (Lowe won an NCAA Title in 1983 at State) than a proven coach that gets them to the tournament on a regular basis.  But, what did you expect.  


We'll see how long Lowe stays around, but with this advice from Roy Williams, maybe he'll figure it out.

Daily Duke Sucks

Everybody already knows the flopping that's taught in Durham, but even this is a little extreme.  It's incredible that a team with a proud tradition and past successes has to resort to these tactics.  

But, I guess that's what you do when you're getting your ass handed to you by an 11-8 team.  Miles Plumlee, you're a pansy for this.

Daily Duke Sucks

It has come to my attention that the world needs to know that there is some black magic associated with Coach
Kryzyualagllhnasglahglohski and the dookies.  A poster on Inside Carolina, going by the handle of HeelGod, has photographic evidence of this evil.  


Now I'm warning you, what you see, can't be unseen.  This girl has apparently become possessed with all that is evil in this world, similar to the situation in the new Anthony Hopkins film, The Rite.  I hope everyone takes notice of this, especially Shabazz Muhammad, and understands that this is a serious disorder that cannot simply be remedied by using Epsom salt.  Epsom salt is also terrible for toe injuries (See: Lawson, Tywon), but I digress.


And thanks, DHG, for the proof that we've all known for quite some time.  

Daily Duke Sucks

It came to my attention that I missed yesterday, but I'm having some car issues, so work with me here.  I found a nice little article from NBA Fan House ranking the NBA's worst players.  The list is designed to go from 1-20, but like any good satire posting, the authors make a few exceptions. 

I must say, focus mainly on players 3 and 6, and just take a guess where they played college ball.  

And, Gerald Henderson, you're still a punk, and you'll never be as good as Wayne Ellington, or make a Final Four, or win an NCAA Title.  Tyler's Hansbrough's nose says, "Hello".

Have a look, here.

Daily Duke Sucks

Today's clip comes from a 1997 game between Kansas and Maryland. Surely, Duke can't be a part of this, right?  


But wait.  Dick Vitale has the call, and well, you figure out why he's often referred to as Dookie V.

Recruiting Trail

There have been a few developments in Carolina football and basketball recruiting over the past week, so I figured I'd chronicle them here.

Basketball:  

Marcus Paige, the #5 rated PG in class of 2012 committed to North Carolina.  Paige was deciding between Carolina, Kansas, and Iowa, and chose the Tar Heels a few weeks after being offered by Roy Williams.  Paige is a good friend of JP Tokoto, another Carolina recruit out of Wisconsin, and it looks like Paige's decision may speed up Tokoto's decision process.  

Desmond Hubert, a center out of New Egypt, NJ, has received a scholarship offer for the 2011 season.  Hubert, at 6'9 and 200 lbs, is the 13th rated center in the '11 class.  Hubert would add some depth to the Carolina frontcourt next season, especially if John Henson decides to move on to the NBA.  He would be a good get, as he also has offers from Maryland and Villanova.  He recently stated that he's narrowed his list to Maryland and Carolina, and let's hope he choses Chapel Hill

Football:

With less than two week until National Signing Day, Carolina is looking to add to it's 15th rated recruiting class.  The big fish still floating around for Carolina are Savon Huggins, and running back out of New Jersey, and Curtis Grant, a linebacker out of Virginia.

Huggins is the 4th rated RB in the 2011class, and is rated as the #23 overall prospect.  It basically comes down to Rutgers and Carolina, with many experts picking Huggins to apply his trade in Chapel Hill.  Butch Davis also just had an in-home visit with Huggins, and he and his father stated that the visit went well.  Savon would be a huge pick up, and would probably move Carolina into a top-10 spot of overall recruiting classes.  He would also become the feature back that Carolina hasn't had since the days of Jonathan Linton and Leon Johnson.  Keep in mind, Carolina hasn't had a 1,000 yard rusher since Linton accomplished the feat in 1997.

Grant is the #1 outside linebacker in his class, and the #19 overall recruit.  Grant is an incredible prospect at 6'3 and 210 lbs, and is deciding between Carolina, Ohio State, and Florida.  The experts believe that it's between OSU and UF, but rumors circling have mentioned Carolina as the darkhorse in the race for his signature.  If Grant decides to pick Carolina, he'll be joining a great corps of freshman linebackers, with Travis Hughes (5-star), Norkeithus Otis (4-star), and Christian Russell (3-star) already committed.  

Having Grant and Huggins commit, which I would be happy with either, will certainly move Carolina up the overall recruiting rankings.  Nabbing both would certainly move Carolina into the top 10, and possibly closer to top five.