...and it doesn't have to be this hard.

It really doesn't... but I'll save that for later below. I'll start with how we managed to pull it out:

- despite a couple of frustrating sequences, we out-rebouned them by 6, as there were better efforts at boxing out today

- we actually scrambled fairly often and (mostly) effectively. We had a couple of shaky rotations (and a DA foul by Withers in 32), but UCLA (as with many teams) did not react well to pressure. We utilized 30, 40 and even 50 once, with full, 3/4 and half pickups. We could stand to use even more, and even earlier, to get the juices flowing

- It took a comeback (yet again), as our cacaphony of offensive ineptitutde and defensive wtf-moments not only got us off to another slow start but then ballooned into a 16 point deficit. After being on the verge of being on the wrong end of a blowout, the turnaround started by (being blunt) getting RJ off of the Point, turning up the D and attacking the rim. BTW, a lineup during that sequence of EC/Ian/Seth/Cade/Wash was +7 during a key 2-minute stretch of that flurry

- speaking of attacking the rim, when we actually did that, it also got #34 in foul trouble --- and that was a good thing, considering Lubin and Claude couldn't seem to figure out that it wasn't a good idea to lay back and let him shoot 3s

- We know what Ian is right now --- a cold-blooded scorer. I mean, being real, he's seldom seen a shot he won't take --- and we need that coinfidence --- but he's also seldom seen an easy pass he'll actually make, and (yikes) he's still lost in team-D, but he brought the points today and that is his role.

- Defense in general made a needed appearance down the stretch. Huge plays by Seth and Withers, and JWash (despite the zebras suddenly getting touchy) held his ground and also stoned #34 on a key possession --- and when Cronin decided to go iso on their last possession, EC played it strong and got the winning stop vs a bigger opponent.

- It may not schow up in today's scorebook, but Cade does some really nice things away from the ball, and he's damn good in help-D

- credit to RJ for returning after jamming his thumb and being part of that attacking thing down the stretch

- Speaking of RJ --- arrrghhh, f***ing Roger Ayers (who seems to follow us every time we play a "physical" opponent) damn near cost us this game. Y'all saw it --- after RJ got (properly) called for an obvious offensive foul, he made up for it by stepping in on Help and perfectly drawing a textbook charge on the other end --- well, EXCEPT that Roger (who had characteristically swallowed his whistle all night, leaving his colleagues to call Cronin's mayhem-ball) made the worst block call I've seen in years --- one that flipped the scoreboard (and woulda been easily overturned with the NBA appeal rule).

But again, it shouldn't have come down to individual calls or plays --- it simply shouldn't have been this hard. I'll illustrate with a couple of "moments":

- First moment: With 7:44 to go in the 1st half, we made an actual, legit ENTRY PASS to the post (they DO exist!!!) --- EC to Lubin --- and we drew a foul. Unfortunately, that would be the LAST of the game.
- Second moment: Down 14 with 10:12 to go in the game, Powell knocks down a 3 from the top on a VERTICAL kick-out from the paint --- the easist catch-and-shoot there is, which comes from INSIDE-OUT action. Thing is though, the Assist came from Eliot who had driven from the wing into the lane. OK, that's fine, except that we didn't get any of those from our Bigs. See where I'm going with this? They gotta get the damn rock --- to score, draw fouls and set up catch-and-shoot kick-outs --- in other words, to STRESS THE RIM.

- Look, our down-hill drive actions by our perimeter guys is a fine part of an offense, BUT that cannot be the totallity of our paint game. This is not much of an exaggeration --- if I took my coach's whiteboard with the little court on it, I could damn near diagram our offense by taking my marker and starting in the coach's box on one sidelne and drawing a slight arc outside of the 3 line to the opposite sideline, and do it back and forth. Putting it in football terms, we're doing way too much "East-West" and not nearly enough "North-South". We pulled out the game by getting North-South. So... howz about doing that with the entry PASS too?

- In other words, we are EASY to scout. Opponents mirror our actions and just push us further out to start our offense. Again, y'all had to see this --- I mean, when your dadgummed 5 man is sprinting almost to the half-court line to set a ball-screen, something ain't working. Hell, if they run a double to the Point (as teams often do with RJ) just make the pass to the flash high post instead and you'll have a de facto 4-on-3 break!

Anyway, look, I don't want to down-play a gritty must win. It's just that this shouldn't have been a "must-win". We have our strengths and weaknesses, but our roster is better than UCLA. Fact is, we're mostly better than everyone we've played (with the exception of Auburn) even in this brutal schedule. The staff needs to take a good look at the film and get back to what every one of them was taught as players --- that backetball is Applied Geometry and best played INSIDE-OUT --- and come back out of the gate after Xmas with something everyone can buy in to. We made a nice first step with being more mutilple on D --- now let's rediscover our Post game to complement and take the pressure off our dynamic Guards...

Seeing as our last thread on this subject got locked, it's time to start another one.

How do you guys feel about our chances to land quality big men? Personally I'm more than a little worried about 2017.

2018 I'm more optimistic since we're in a good position for Jairus Hamilton and Zion Williamson.

Posted Nov 18, 2024
North Carolina baseball coach Scott Forbes, the reigning ACC Coach of the Year who led the Diamond Heels to their 12th College World Series appearance over the summer, has agreed to terms on a new five-year contract. The deal will keep him at the helm through at least June 30, 2029. Forbes has amassed a 154-89 (.643) record through four seasons. (GoHeels.com)

Getting help from a stringer reporter and photographer. Ready to roll.

Let's post NET weekly (and eventually daily) rankings here in this thread.

UNC 76, UCLA 74
CBS SPORTS CLASSIC
DECEMBER 21, 2024
NEW YORK – MADISON SQUARE GARDEN

UNC Scoring Leader: Ian Jackson 24
UNC Rebound Leader: Drake Powell 5
UNC Assist Leader: Elliot Cadeau 5
Team Records: UNC 7-5, UCLA 10-2

• Carolina beat a ranked opponent for the first time in five tries this season, rallying from 16 points down with 12:35 to play in the game.
• RJ Davis hit the tying and game-winning free throws with 13.6 seconds to play.
• Davis also made two 3FGs and scored 17 points. He is the only Tar Heel to score in double figures in all 12 games.
• Ian Jackson, a freshman from The Bronx playing in Madison Square Garden for the first time ever, led the Tar Heels with 24 points.
• Jackson’s 24 points were the second most by a UNC freshman in Madison Square Garden. Rashad McCants scored 25 vs. Kansas on 11/27/2002. McCants (also 21 vs. St. John’s on 12/28/2002) and Brandan Wright (21 vs. Gonzaga on 11/22/2006) are the only other Tar Heel freshmen to score 20 or more in the Garden.
• Jackson’s 24 points were the most by a UNC freshman since Caleb Love scored 25 vs. Duke 2/6/2021.
• It was Jackson’s second 20-point game as a Tar Heel. He had 23 vs. Alabama on December 4.

• Jackson has scored 92 points in the last six games (15.3 ppg).
• Jackson tied his season best with three 3FGs. He has made a three in all 11 games he has played in this season.
• Carolina trailed by double figures in the first half for the seventh time in 12 games this season.
• UCLA led 40-32 at the half. Carolina is 2-5 when trailing at the half this season.
• This was the fifth time this season Carolina overcame a double-digit deficit to take the lead and the second time (Dayton) it won when trailing by 10 or more points.
• UNC trailed Dayton by 21 in a win on November 25. UCLA’s largest lead today was 16. This is the first time since 2011 the Tar Heels have rallied for two wins when trailing by at least 15 points. In 2011, UNC overcame a 19-point deficit to Miami and a 16-point deficit against Virginia Tech.

• Between 2011 and this season, UNC had overcome two other 15-point leads: 15 at Florida State on 2/17/2014 and 15 vs. Tennessee on 12/11/2016.
• Carolina scored 12 more points in the second half vs. the Bruins than it did in the first (32 in the first, 44 in the second). The Tar Heels entered the game averaging 11.7 more points in the second half than the first.
• Carolina went 24 for 35 from the free throw line. UNC is 4-1 this season when it makes 20 or more free throws.
• Carolina committed 18 turnovers the Bruins converted into 24 points. The 18 turnovers tie UNC’s season worst (also 18 in a win over Georgia Tech). UCLA came into the game No. 1 in the nation in forcing turnovers.
• The Bruins’ 24 points off turnovers were the most by an opponent this season (previous 21 by Dayton).
• Carolina shot 37.5% from the floor in the first half and 56.5% in the second.
• It was the 11th time in 12 games UNC shot a higher FG percentage in the second half.

• In the last three games UNC has shot 57.6% (vs. La Salle), 62.9% (vs. Florida) and 56.5% (vs. UCLA) from the floor in the second half.
• UCLA scored only two second-chance points, the fewest by an opponent this season.
• Carolina led for 50 seconds, the least amount of time it has led in a win this season (previous was 8:04 vs. Dayton).
• Carolina is 7-4 in the CBS Sports Classic, including 3-0 vs. UCLA.
• Carolina improves to 45-26 in New York, including 31-12 in the current Madison Square Garden.
• Carolina is 12-3 all-time against UCLA.
• The Tar Heels have defeated the Bruins seven consecutive times and 11 times in the last 12 games.
• It was the first time in the 12 wins over UCLA that Carolina won a one-possession game. The previous closest margin in a UNC win over UCLA was seven points three times, including the 2022 NCAA Sweet 16 win in Philadelphia, the most recent time the teams faced one another.


Next Game: December 29, 8 p.m. vs. Campbell (Smith Center)

Seems Campbell is leaving

I simply do not get how a team that should be hyped as hell with these marque games against ranked teams, that mean so much to tournament seeding and recruiting, can come out of the gate so consistently uninspired and flat. Is the team chemistry that bad, is the confidence that shattered or is the game prep and coaching really that bad?

Which team for UNC will show up in the first half and more importantly who will step up in the Big Apple and rebound?

https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/team/_/id/44/american-university-eagles

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Contest #5 Early Season Non-Conference Contest





10-1

UCLA Bruins​

10-1
CBS/Paramount+
12/21
3:00 PM

North Carolina Tar Heels​

6-5




NCAA College Basketball Odds, Betting Lines & Point Spreads




Contest Rules:

Contest #1: Total points for entire season
Contest #2: Reset: Total points after game #15
Contest #3: Final Four Pool Bracket (Top 64 players)
Contest #4 Grand Prize: Total points ACC and NCAA tournaments games through title game (contest continues even if UNC eliminated)
Contest #5 Early Season Non-Conference Contest


Bullet Points!
For the first 20 games, three (3) Bullet points will automatically be added for any player that forgets to post a prediction for a game. Thus, as long as a player posts a prediction for at least one game, he will receive 3 points for all games that he fails to make a prediction. This is applicable even if he does not make his first prediction until the 20th game of the season. In this case, he will still get 60 points for the first 20 games that he failed to make a prediction for. Bullet Points will be automatically added. You do not have to request them.


Points Awarded Per Game
36 pts--Max points, Quadruple points game
27 pts--Max points, Triple points game
18 pts--Double points game
12 pts--Partial points, Quadruple points game
9 pts--Partial points, Triple points game
6 pts--Partial points, Double points game
3 pts--automatic points for any game missed (you failed to make a prediction) in first 20 games


Contest #1 Prizes
1st Place - 1-Year Subscription to Premium, plus miscellaneous prize
2nd Place - 6-Month Subscription to Premium, plus miscellaneous prize
3rd Place - 3-Month Subscription to Premium
4th Place-- 3-Month Subscription to Premium

Contest #2 Prizes
1st Place - 1-Year Subscription to Premium, plus miscellaneous prize
2nd Place - 6-Month Subscription to Premium, plus miscellaneous prize
3rd Place - 3-Month Subscription to Premium
4th Place-- 3- month Subscription to Premium

Contest #3 Prize - 6-Month Subscription to Premium, plus miscellaneous prize

Grand Prize (Contest #4)
Post Season Contest
Top 15 players in Contest #1 and # 2
ACC and NCAA Tournaments games through title game (contest continues even if UNC eliminated)
Prizes: Large Flat Screen TV, Laptop or Tablet (winner option)

Contest #5 Early Season Non-Conference Contest

Last night was hard to watch with Indiana looking very much like they didn’t deserve to be in the playoffs hope today is better.

Hubert Davis should be fired as the head coach of UNC basketball due to his inability to consistently capitalize on the program’s elite talent and resources, leading to underwhelming performance and declining results. Despite reaching the NCAA Championship game in 2022, Davis has struggled to maintain consistency, with his teams often failing to meet expectations in subsequent seasons. His tenure has been marked by questionable in-game adjustments, lackluster recruiting compared to rivals, and an apparent inability to inspire player development or cohesion. Given UNC’s storied basketball tradition, fans and stakeholders demand a coach who can sustain excellence, compete for championships consistently, and uphold the program’s legacy. If Davis cannot demonstrate immediate improvement, a leadership change may be necessary to restore UNC basketball to its rightful place among college basketball’s elite.

Was it just me or did that 98 yard TD run by Notre Dame bring back some bad memories?

The portal will be open in a month and some news is coming out. So we will post stuff in this thread.