Just a Little Too Late for UNC

Larry Drew II waited just a little too long to foul out, and UNC dropped another close game, this time 78-76 to Texas on a prayer by freshman Cory Joseph.  He and future pro Jordan Hamilton had their way on the perimeter, which is hardly a surprise.  Since at this point every single game seems to be a repeat of the one before, I'm going to shorten up the analysis and just list some important stats until something changes.  I do want to give some props to Dexter Strickland, who had his best game as a Tar Heel with 18 points on 6-10 shooting, 3 assists and 0 turnovers in 30 minutes.  While Dexter plays great defense and is coming off a great game, I still think he should probably play a few less minutes to open up a few for Reggie Bullock, who only saw 9 minutes of action against the Longhorns.


Larry Drew II: 25 minutes, 0-3 FG, 2 points, 3 assists, 4 turnovers

Kendall Marshall: 15 minutes, 3-6 FG, 7 points, 3 assists, 1 turnover (no brainer)

Other than the clear switch at the point (can you really afford to leave Kendall "J Kidd" Marshall on the bench while you play Larry "rec league all-star" Drew?), there are a few other things I think would improve this team.

• More time for Justin Knox against physical opponents to beef up the interior defense.  The other guys have to get tougher, stronger, and more competitive inside as well.
• Much more time for Reggie Bullock, who I still believe is one of the best scorers and shooters on the team, as well as a long defender on the perimeter.
• Polarizing minutes for Leslie McDonald, dictated by his first 3 shots of the game.  He's clearly a streak shooter, and if he hits a few of them he should probably play 25-30 minutes.  If he misses all 3, take him out for the game.  It's obvious when he is on, and when he isn't, and Roy needs to make his substitutions accordingly.
• Go with the hot hand.  Stop taking out guys when they are playing well!
• BOX OUT!!!!!

UNC hosts William and Mary tonight in a game they SHOULD win, followed by a trip to Madison Square Garden to take on a Rutgers team that could give the Heels some problems.  It's painful to watch, but I will be glued to the TV once again at 7 pm tonight to see if anything changes.  Stay tuned.