...and that was big-time.
Lemme start by stating that we just beat a really good and experienced basketball team --- as good as anyone in this tourney.
- With that said, as I posted earlier this week, I really felt we matched up pretty well with them, in that we had the length combined with defensive presence to check their triplets. And fortunately I was right. Make no mistake, those guys are good, and made seemingly every friggin thing early. The solace was that it was mostly contested shots against generally good defense, so I kept reassuring myself that they couldn't keep that up. Fortunately, that turned out to be the case as well.
- So, how different was it to watch such a start with no whistles to stop play?... but with the reason being there was actually clean basketball going on for the first 8-10 minutes. Now, of course as games heat up, contact will come and I was keen to see how the zebras would handle it. The (easily) 20 or so uncalled moving screens on UCLA's Bigs aside, the refs managed to even it up after they seemed to be picking on Mando, and overall it was a refreshing change from what we witnessed Saturday (the blown and-1 for Caleb notwithstanding). Good to see a good basketball game not unduely influenced by the guys in striped shirts.
- As well as UCLA was playing, it was VITAL to stay in reach until halftime, and one way we did that was a throwback to the last dook game, where we goaded them into early-clock mismatches off high screen action. Our (especially RJ's) decision-making and shot-selection wasn't always on point, but we cashed in enough to reel them back in, to the point I actually felt relieved at only a 3-pt deficit.
- Really solid and important minutes for Puff, especially with every possession on both ends feeling like it was crucial --- key hustle plays when UCLA seemed to be beating us to the loose balls. And props to Mando for fighting thru a balky back, and a couple of sketchy fouls for another double-double, and a BIG shot-block in crunch time followed by a vital loose-ball save, and one of the biggest tip-ins in UNC history. And speaking of tip-ins, how about Birdy Manek cuff-dunking one?
- And of course --- go ahead, @Grover Thomas --- Caleb took over the second half. The 3s were big of course, but every bit as important were some big-time drives/finishes when we were once again trying to keep UCLA in reach.
- Now... with all those good things said, I would be remiss not to give the inevitable coach-perspective caveats. One of the reasons we had to depend on Caleb's heroics was self-inflcited. And I ain't alone on this (the Jet was on the same page), we let them dictate tempo, and being candid, it almost cost us big-time. Litrerally every time we got in transition good things happened. As big a fan as I am of the job Hubert is doing, eschewing transition opportunities for set plays doesn't have to be a dichotomy --- in other words, let the guys run first when it's there and THEN run sets when the Secondary is not available. Also, it was a mistake to not foul when we had one to give, up 5 with 15 seconds. By lettling them get an uncontested layup, we put ourselves in a precarious position of facing a 1-and-1 only up 3, with potential ample time for them to tie it follwoing a miss. Fortunately, our man-du-jour Love knocked down the front end.
Anyway, one more time, this was a big-time win vs a big-time team. All credit to UCLA. They're talented, experienced and crafty. We had to earn this one, baby. Oh, and (cough, cough) about that "ACC sucks" narrative......? Well, it's time to go from underdog to villains Sunday, and we'd best be ready, but for tonight, how good does this feel, huh?...
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-
Lemme start by stating that we just beat a really good and experienced basketball team --- as good as anyone in this tourney.
- With that said, as I posted earlier this week, I really felt we matched up pretty well with them, in that we had the length combined with defensive presence to check their triplets. And fortunately I was right. Make no mistake, those guys are good, and made seemingly every friggin thing early. The solace was that it was mostly contested shots against generally good defense, so I kept reassuring myself that they couldn't keep that up. Fortunately, that turned out to be the case as well.
- So, how different was it to watch such a start with no whistles to stop play?... but with the reason being there was actually clean basketball going on for the first 8-10 minutes. Now, of course as games heat up, contact will come and I was keen to see how the zebras would handle it. The (easily) 20 or so uncalled moving screens on UCLA's Bigs aside, the refs managed to even it up after they seemed to be picking on Mando, and overall it was a refreshing change from what we witnessed Saturday (the blown and-1 for Caleb notwithstanding). Good to see a good basketball game not unduely influenced by the guys in striped shirts.
- As well as UCLA was playing, it was VITAL to stay in reach until halftime, and one way we did that was a throwback to the last dook game, where we goaded them into early-clock mismatches off high screen action. Our (especially RJ's) decision-making and shot-selection wasn't always on point, but we cashed in enough to reel them back in, to the point I actually felt relieved at only a 3-pt deficit.
- Really solid and important minutes for Puff, especially with every possession on both ends feeling like it was crucial --- key hustle plays when UCLA seemed to be beating us to the loose balls. And props to Mando for fighting thru a balky back, and a couple of sketchy fouls for another double-double, and a BIG shot-block in crunch time followed by a vital loose-ball save, and one of the biggest tip-ins in UNC history. And speaking of tip-ins, how about Birdy Manek cuff-dunking one?
- And of course --- go ahead, @Grover Thomas --- Caleb took over the second half. The 3s were big of course, but every bit as important were some big-time drives/finishes when we were once again trying to keep UCLA in reach.
- Now... with all those good things said, I would be remiss not to give the inevitable coach-perspective caveats. One of the reasons we had to depend on Caleb's heroics was self-inflcited. And I ain't alone on this (the Jet was on the same page), we let them dictate tempo, and being candid, it almost cost us big-time. Litrerally every time we got in transition good things happened. As big a fan as I am of the job Hubert is doing, eschewing transition opportunities for set plays doesn't have to be a dichotomy --- in other words, let the guys run first when it's there and THEN run sets when the Secondary is not available. Also, it was a mistake to not foul when we had one to give, up 5 with 15 seconds. By lettling them get an uncontested layup, we put ourselves in a precarious position of facing a 1-and-1 only up 3, with potential ample time for them to tie it follwoing a miss. Fortunately, our man-du-jour Love knocked down the front end.
Anyway, one more time, this was a big-time win vs a big-time team. All credit to UCLA. They're talented, experienced and crafty. We had to earn this one, baby. Oh, and (cough, cough) about that "ACC sucks" narrative......? Well, it's time to go from underdog to villains Sunday, and we'd best be ready, but for tonight, how good does this feel, huh?...
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