When the 2011 NCAA Tournament draw came out on Selection Sunday, I knew UNC would be too big for Long Island in the first round. I didn't like what I saw after that. Washington plays a style that would give the young Heels trouble, and if the game wasn't to be played in Charlotte, I think I would have picked the Huskies to win that game. Two of what I believed would be the toughest matchups in the country for UNC loomed in the East bracket as well in #3 seed Syracuse and #1 seed Ohio St., so my expectations were tempered for this tournament coming in. After an exciting and upset-filled first weekend, things have changed just a little bit.
As has been the case for most of the year, Carolina would have the advantage inside against Washington, and they would need to exploit that in order to get through to the Sweet 16. Tyler Zeller was spectacular in the post with his jump hook yet again, John Henson altered shots and passes on the defensive end, and everyone played pretty well numbers-wise as the North Carolina Tar Heels once again found a way to win a close game, pulling out a thrilling 86-83 win against the Huskies to reach the Sweet 16. The Heels did just enough down the stretch to stay in the tournament, but this game continued a disturbing trend of lackluster starts in early tip-offs for this team. This Carolina team has lacked energy, been beaten to loose balls, and given up a plethora of open looks early in each of it's last four games that started before 2pm, and if the Heels get by Marquette (7:15 pm tip), I really hope their Elite Eight game takes place at night. If not it will likely be the end of the road for UNC and its group of night owls, as the opponent will be too good to spot them a double-digit lead.
Once Carolina finally woke up against Washington, they began playing much better defense and making smarter decisions on offense. Kendall Marshall was sensational yet again, setting a UNC record for most assists in a tournament game with 14 to go with his 13 points. I truly believe Kendall Marshall is one of the best point guard prospects for the NBA (although he could definitely benefit from at least one more year of college), but I'm happy that no one is talking about him being drafted. He just has an innate feel for the game, and usually makes the right plays at the right time. He's also a very underrated defender. Sunday he knew where his team's advantages were, and he fed Zeller and Barnes in positions where they could be the most successful. Tyler Zeller ended up with 23 points and 5 rebounds, while Harrison Barnes chipped in 22 points while effectively shutting his man down on the defensive end. Barnes has been flying up my NBA mock draft, and has a very real chance of ending the season as my #1 pro prospect. Despite that, I have a feeling that Harrison wants to leave a lasting legacy at UNC, so I think he will be back unless the Heels cut down the nets in Houston.
Dexter Strickland appears to finally be overcoming a little talked about knee injury, as his airtight defense on speedy 5'9" point guard Isiah Thomas was one of the major keys to the game. He also played well in the other facets of the game, finishing with 13 points and 6 boards, including two huge free throws to make it a three point game with five seconds to go. If he can avoid ever taking an outside jumper, he will be a very efficient player for us. I've been down on Strickland a little of late, but after learning of his injury I've changed my tune a little bit. He's obviously extremely important to us on defense and in transition, and his clutch free throws showed he can be counted on in the big moments.
John Henson had another sub-par game on the offensive end of the court, but his tremendous length allowed him to make a few key plays down the stretch to help UNC hold on. His deflection of an inbounds pass with seven seconds to go was arguably the biggest play of the game, and his four blocks and countless other altered shots were instrumental in making life difficult for Washington's big guys down low. While he's very good on defense, Henson has to learn to take the ball strong to the basket on offense. Too often he jumps in the air, then pulls the ball down around his shoulder to avoid a defender to get the shot off. When you're 6'10" and have arms as long as Henson, you should never be altering your shot in this fashion. He needs to make sure he's always leaning toward the basket, and he has to attempt to power through anyone who gets in his way. It may not always work, but more often than not he will either finish the shot or be fouled. Taking it weakly is so frustrating to watch, and I hope he ditches this awful habit soon. He, like Strickland, should also never take an outside jumper. Henson has much to do to tighten up his game in these areas before he's even close to being ready for the NBA.
If the first bullet was dodged by squeaking out the win against Washington, the second one was avoided when Marquette was able to upset Syracuse. Syracuse is one of the few teams in the country that can match the length of Carolina, and the Orange's zone defense would have surely given the Heels major problems. In addition to that, the next two games are scheduled for Newark, New Jersey, so Syracuse would have had a major home-court advantage. Fortunately for UNC, Marquette won the game, and the Golden Eagles are a great matchup for the Tar Heels. Marquette has a very good guard in Darius Johnson-Odom, but I feel very comfortable with Dexter Strickland hounding him all around the court for 40 minutes. Strickland limited Washington's Isiah Thomas to only two field goals while he was guarding him, so I fully expect Dex to make DJO work extremely hard for everything he gets. They also have another future pro in Jimmy Butler, who has a high basketball IQ and does pretty much everything well. He's a little too passive and timid most of the time however, and he will be matched up with a very similar but better version of himself in Harrison Barnes. Marquette plays an up-tempo game much like UNC, except the Heels just do it much better. The Golden Eagles are very athletic and play extremely hard, but they just don't have the talent level inside that Carolina has. The Heels will once again have a major advantage in the paint and in transition, and as long as nothing unexpected happens Carolina should be moving on to the Final Eight, where they will meet the winner of Kentucky-Ohio St. I expect to meet the Buckeyes there, as they have been the best team in the country all year and are clearly playing at their best right now.
As has been the case for most of the year, Carolina would have the advantage inside against Washington, and they would need to exploit that in order to get through to the Sweet 16. Tyler Zeller was spectacular in the post with his jump hook yet again, John Henson altered shots and passes on the defensive end, and everyone played pretty well numbers-wise as the North Carolina Tar Heels once again found a way to win a close game, pulling out a thrilling 86-83 win against the Huskies to reach the Sweet 16. The Heels did just enough down the stretch to stay in the tournament, but this game continued a disturbing trend of lackluster starts in early tip-offs for this team. This Carolina team has lacked energy, been beaten to loose balls, and given up a plethora of open looks early in each of it's last four games that started before 2pm, and if the Heels get by Marquette (7:15 pm tip), I really hope their Elite Eight game takes place at night. If not it will likely be the end of the road for UNC and its group of night owls, as the opponent will be too good to spot them a double-digit lead.
Once Carolina finally woke up against Washington, they began playing much better defense and making smarter decisions on offense. Kendall Marshall was sensational yet again, setting a UNC record for most assists in a tournament game with 14 to go with his 13 points. I truly believe Kendall Marshall is one of the best point guard prospects for the NBA (although he could definitely benefit from at least one more year of college), but I'm happy that no one is talking about him being drafted. He just has an innate feel for the game, and usually makes the right plays at the right time. He's also a very underrated defender. Sunday he knew where his team's advantages were, and he fed Zeller and Barnes in positions where they could be the most successful. Tyler Zeller ended up with 23 points and 5 rebounds, while Harrison Barnes chipped in 22 points while effectively shutting his man down on the defensive end. Barnes has been flying up my NBA mock draft, and has a very real chance of ending the season as my #1 pro prospect. Despite that, I have a feeling that Harrison wants to leave a lasting legacy at UNC, so I think he will be back unless the Heels cut down the nets in Houston.
If the first bullet was dodged by squeaking out the win against Washington, the second one was avoided when Marquette was able to upset Syracuse. Syracuse is one of the few teams in the country that can match the length of Carolina, and the Orange's zone defense would have surely given the Heels major problems. In addition to that, the next two games are scheduled for Newark, New Jersey, so Syracuse would have had a major home-court advantage. Fortunately for UNC, Marquette won the game, and the Golden Eagles are a great matchup for the Tar Heels. Marquette has a very good guard in Darius Johnson-Odom, but I feel very comfortable with Dexter Strickland hounding him all around the court for 40 minutes. Strickland limited Washington's Isiah Thomas to only two field goals while he was guarding him, so I fully expect Dex to make DJO work extremely hard for everything he gets. They also have another future pro in Jimmy Butler, who has a high basketball IQ and does pretty much everything well. He's a little too passive and timid most of the time however, and he will be matched up with a very similar but better version of himself in Harrison Barnes. Marquette plays an up-tempo game much like UNC, except the Heels just do it much better. The Golden Eagles are very athletic and play extremely hard, but they just don't have the talent level inside that Carolina has. The Heels will once again have a major advantage in the paint and in transition, and as long as nothing unexpected happens Carolina should be moving on to the Final Eight, where they will meet the winner of Kentucky-Ohio St. I expect to meet the Buckeyes there, as they have been the best team in the country all year and are clearly playing at their best right now.
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