|
Off the cuff: Win or lose, I think most Carolina fans were ready for this season to end. It was frustrating throughout and the NIT championship game was no different. Wild turnovers, missed free throws, scoring droughts, allowing open threes, being outhustled for loose balls - this game had it all. That being said, the Tar Heels - showing character - did put together a nice run to end the season and they did fight back in recent games, including this one during the first few minutes of the second half. Coach Williams said the Tar Heels started playing harder once they reached the NIT. Which seems strange in that Carolina was disappointed about not being n the NCAA tourney. In fact, it was obvious that an NIT championship meant more to Dayton than it would have to UNC. Now, Carolina would have felt a great relief, a great burden lifted off them here in the 100th anniversary year of UNC basketball, had they won. But it was clearly disappointing to the Heels to be there and it was clearly a joy for Dayton to be there. It was a fast-paced game - too many three-point attempts for my taste. Wild games like this make it hard on officials and indeed the officiating was not particularly good. One of my beefs all year has been the lack of three-second violations. I mean, get rid of the rule if you aren't going to call it or amend it to five seconds or something. It's just a charade. On a key possession in the second half, with the Heels down just 62-59, the Flyers' Kurt Huelsman twice (on the same possession mind you) was in the lane for much more than three seconds, including one time when he actually had the ball so officials were looking at him. The first time Huelsman was in the lane for a full nine seconds - check it out on your DVR starting at the 6:44 mark. The second time, after getting out of the lane for only one second, he was in the lane for five seconds. That's 14 out of 15 seconds he was in the lane. And what happened on that possession? Chris Johnson hit a three to up the margin to six and the Tar Heels never got it closer than four the rest of the way. I wish the officials during my junior high years had been as forgiving. I came into one game to spell foul-plagued starter Jeffrey Battle, who went on to star at Memphis State, with two seconds left in the first half. The official called me for three seconds. That's kinda like the luck Carolina had this season. But, when it comes down to it, the Tar Heels just could not get the ball in the basket consistently. They've got guys coming in next year who should be able to help with that. If Zeller stays healthy and Ed Davis comes back, with the experience the underclassmen got this season, next year should help erase the frustration of this season. It could be a special year. -------------------------- Carolina Football: Golden anniversary of a redeeming 50-0 victory over Duke. Carolina Football: Excerpts from an article on the history of the Carolina-Duke rivalry. Henson Barnes, nation's top high school player, signs letter of intent
|
|
