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Off the cuff: Ok, so as UNC coach Roy Williams says, the Tar Heels have more problems than James Michael McAdoo but what is going on with him?

At the risk of being accused of speculating wildly, I've gotta think something is going on personally. A girlfriend issue, class problems, personality conflicts on the team, something. Because he looked better the second half of his freshman season than he's looking now.

He's not only tentative and seemingly unsure on occasion but he is making freshman errors, especially in regard to taking bad shots.

"He's rushing himself," Williams said. Ok, I wonder why he is doing that? "We've got to get him playing better," Williams said.

This team should be McAdoo's team but it increasingly seems to be sophomore Marcus Paige's team. It's good for a guard to be a team leader but McAdoo is the most experienced and supposedly talented player on the team. The team may live or die depending on how he does.

If he can pick his game up enough to help the Tar Heels salvage the season, I suppose it could be a blessing in disguise because McAdoo is nowhere close to being a highly sought after NBA pick. That means he could actually finish his four-year college year at Carolina. That's both the good and bad news.

That all being said, had the Tar Heels just executed half their foul shots in the first half, including the front end of two one-and-one, they'd have won the game against UAB.

UAB 63, Tar Heels 59
Carolina takes a step back in UAB loss

Just when it looked as if UNC had found itself after nice wins over Richmond and powerhouse Louisville, the Tar Heels returned to their old ways in 63-59 loss at Alabama-Birmingham. (12/1)

Tar Heel faithful had hoped they'd seen the last of the Tar Heel squad that lost to Belmont and were excited after the big win over Louisville. But Carolina took a step back, missing a slew of free throws and being outrebounded 52-37 against UAB, coached by former Kansas player and UNC assistant Jerod Haase.

"He got his team to compete a heck of a lot better than I got mine," UNC coach Roy Williams said. "They seemed to get every loose ball and every second chance shot."

Williams added that UAB is one of the best rebounding teams - especially offensive rebounding - in the country.

UAB shot only 31 percent from the field but, because of offensive rebounding (21), the Blazers had 13 more possessions than the Tar Heels.

The Blazers also scored 18 more points from the free throw line as they hit 22 of 28 and the Tar Heels managed an anemic four of 11, including missing the front end of two key one-and-one situations.

UAB's final eight points came from the free throw line, including five in the last 36 seconds to hold off the surging Heels who played better in the second half than in the first.

After getting down by as many as 15 points at 33-18, the Heels went to the break down by 12 at 37-25.

Behind perhaps a career-best game by JP Tokoto, the Tar Heels cut the deficit to three at 49-46 with 6:40 to go.

Carolina, which outscored UAB 34-26 in the second half, got within two at 54-52 with 2:30 to go when Nate Britt came up with a steal and got it to Marcus Paige for a layup.

A driving layup and foul shot by Paige got the Heels within a point at 58-57 with 41 seconds left but the Blazers wrapped it up with five free throws down the stretch.

Tokoto had a career-best 16 points while Paige chipped in 13. James Michael McAdoo once again was largely irrelevant as he scored six points on a three of 13 performance.

UAB's Chad Frazier had a game-high 25 points, including 12 from the free throw line.

North Carolina, now 4-2, will play at heavily favored Michigan State Wednesday night.

Boxscore


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