See nobody started a thread must be because it’s gonna be a blowout hmmm well someone should tell American that right now they lead 18-13 under 12 timeout

I got into the building early and RJ and Elliot were getting up shots. Elliot took nothing but threes and RJ was working on all kinds of stuff.

...and well, damn.

As I tried to explain beforehand, beating KU at Phog was a monumental task, but y'know what? We damn near did.
So, let's take a look:

- Sorry (not) if it offends anybody, but some of the nonsense I've seen posted here was exposed for what it is. We just walked into the toughest environment in college hoops, against the #1 team, and took it to the wire. This UNC team is not a "mess". It has strengths and weaknesses and is a work-in-progress.

- So, basic stuff. KU got "home cooking" in being allowed to be "physical" and Good Lord at the uncalled illegal screens --- I counted TWELVE of the handoff/ass-check variety --- but here's the good news: As I've harped on over and over, the AGGRESSOR gets the calls, and we didn't back down. Instead, we maintained aggressiveness and kept attacking the basket, and started getting enough calls to get to the line enough to make a difference. This was vital, as we shot 28/31 FTs.

- Reality check: OK -- we all know that we lack bulk inside, but as I mentioned pregame, Dickinson cannot guard JWash. Well, turns out he couldn't guard Withers either. JWit knoked down huge 3s and drove to the rack effectively in the second half.

- In the texts I get from my "coach-mafia" during games, the adjective that is so often used to describe Cadeau is "sick". Well yeah... my boy is SICK. Folks, we're watching something VERY special here, and he needs to play 35+ each and every game, as he is the ONE guy we can't replace.

- Our "comeback" was fueled by what I prescribed pregame --- REBOUNDING!!! They were unconscious shooting in the first half, but we cleaned glass in the second, and the transition game got going. After getting bullied on the glass in the first half, we ended up outrebounding them by one for the game!

- On a personnel note. Harris is a dirty little f***, and EC flat took him to school.

- Bad news: Too much "hero-ball". Shot-selection hurt us late. RJ was forcing all game, and despite Withers' key shots, he also forced late.

- As for the Frosh, Jackson rose to the occasion with some key ifrst-half contributions. Powel gave as good as he got, and our guy James Brown acquitted himself well.

- Hubert, my brother: PLEASE run more offense thru JWash and PLEASE utilize scrambles; These guys are made for it and our personnel can't be allowed to be sitting ducks. FORCE THE ACTION instead of allowing opponents to bully.

Anyway, hopefully we can stop dissing this team. There are areas for needed improvement for damned sure, but we can compete with ANYBODY...

Kansas up 27-20 midway 1H.

Takeaways:
- Dickinson having his way as expected
- Transition D with the second unit has been a problem
- UNC has gotten a couple of layups off makes so clearly running has been an emphasis
- Powell and Jackson have made a FG

A general opinion. If Cadeau is on the floor without RJ, EC needs to look to score more.

Game seems a little big early for the second unit.

CAROLINA 107, AMERICAN 55
NOVEMBER 15, 2024
ROY WILLIAMS COURT AT THE DEAN E. SMITH CENTER
CHAPEL HILL, N.C.

UNC Scoring Leader: Elliot Cadeau, Jalen Washington 18
UNC Rebound Leader: Drake Powell 11
UNC Assist Leader: Cadeau 8
Team Records: UNC 2-1, American 1-3

*UNC scored 107 points, its most in four seasons under Hubert Davis and the most since scoring 113 against NC State on 2/5/19.
*Carolina’s 52-point margin of victory is its largest margin of victory since defeating UNC Asheville by 68, 116-48, on 11/30/08.
*American led 18-13. UNC out-scored the Eagles, 94-37, over the final 32-plus minutes.
*UNC scored 64 points in the second half, its most in a half since 65 in the second half at Florida State on 1/4/16.
*UNC held American to 14.7% shooting in the second half, the lowest field goal percentage in a half by an opponent under Hubert Davis and the lowest in a half by an opponent since at least the 1997-98 season.
*UNC has won 19 straight non-conferences games in the Smith Center since a loss to Marquette on 2/24/21.

*North Carolina is 230-18 against non-conference opponents in the Smith Center and 479-87 overall in the Smith Center.
*Jalen Washington had a career-high 18 points, topping his previous high of 17 against Charleston Southern on 12/29/23.
*Washington scored in double figures for the first time this season and sixth time in his career. UNC is 5-1 when Washington scores in double figures.
*Washington made a career-high six free throws on seven attempts. His previous high for made free throws was four at Louisville on 1/14/23 and vs. Arkansas on 11/24/23.
*Elliot Cadeau shared scoring honors with 18 points, the third consecutive game he has scored in double figures. It is the first time *Cadeau has scored in double figures in three straight games.
*Cadeau is the first Tar Heel with at least 12 points and seven assists in the first three games since Ed Cota in 1999-2000.

*Cadeau had eight assists tonight and 23 through the first three games, the most by a Tar Heel in the first three games since Kendall Marshall had 28 assists in the first three games in 2011-12.
*Cadeau tied his career high with four steals, tying his career high (four at Miami on 2/10/24).
*Cadeau tied his career-high free throw attempts with nine.
*Seth Trimble had 13 points, marking the first time he has scored in double figures in three straight games.
*Trimble tied his career high with six rebounds.

*Cade Tyson made his first three-pointers of the season (made three) and scored in double figures (11) for the first time as a Tar Heel. *It was the 51st time in his career he scored in double figures.
*Tyson made multiple three pointers for the 36th time in his career.
*Drake Powell had a season-high 11 rebounds.
*John Holbrook and Dante Mayo Jr. scored their first career points in their first college games. Russell Hawkins also played in his first varsity game.
*UNC did not make a three-pointer in the first half (0x6) and was 0x10 until making its first with 12:43 left in the second half (by Tyson).

*Carolina made seven of its last 12 three point attempts.
*Carolina out-rebounded the Eagles, 46-23, out-scored them 22-6 off turnovers, 56-16 in the paint and 23-0 on fastbreaks.
*Hubert Davis is 80-32 as UNC’s head coach, including 43-6 at home.
*It was the third straight game a different Tar Heel led the team in scoring (RJ Davis vs. Elon, Seth Trimble vs. Kansas and Cadeau/Washington vs. American).
*This was the first matchup between the Tar Heels and American.
*Ian Jackson and James Brown did not dress out. Both players have lower body injuries and are day-to-day.

Next Game: Friday, November 22 at Hawai’i (7:30 p.m. Hawaiian Time, 12:30 a.m. Eastern Time) ESPN2

I'm hopeful this thread won't turn into a debate/underpant soiling session about NIL, but who knows!

I looks like Hubert has 9 offers out for the '25 class.... 4 x PF, 2 x SG, 1 x SF, 1 x CG and 1 x PG.

So it looks like he's in the market for a high level Big, but no centre yet... wings are always needed but I'd like to see some action on the PG front - thinking EC may only be on board for another season.

I know very little about the players and would love to hear people's thoughts

Bryant and I are here inside Allen Fieldhouse and ready to see how the Heels handle all of this.

...originally posted in another thread --- decided to start a separate topic:

Made a point of watching a good bit of quite a few games post-facto (I love having ESPN3, ACCNx and SECNx on my Sling), and KU is as good as you'll see but no one is markedly better than other top teams --- plus all teams are works-in-progress even as far as scouting (most of that gets done during holiday events anyway).

Early impressions just from what I've seen:
- KU is legit, and so are we. In fact, if the staff will make the proper tweaks, we can be better.
- Gonzaga was a dadgummed juggernaut in slamming Baylor then turned around and damn near lost to a blah Arizona State team at home --- Zags are loaded on offense (and have the rare PG who's in Cadeaus's league) but struggle defensively (as Mark's recent teams have seemed to do).
- Houston is vintage Sampson thug-ball, but Auburn took them down at Houston.
- Speaking of AU, they're friggin scary if they're clicking
- AZ still has Caleb and an elite PG in Bradley and a buttload of incoming firepower
- bama is loaded again, but with the caveat that they have Oates
- I've seen just enough of dook to be (once again) not be as impressed as the fawning media, but they added Flagg and a shooter and a rangy Big with enough size to be a problem. Games with them will be the usual wars.
- I have not seen MIch State yet so I don't know what Izzo has this year, and just a little bit of uk --- so yeah, I'll be paying attention tonight

BTW, an early dark horse team nobody wants to play is North Florida. They've already beaten S.Carolina and GaTech on the road (and Tech ain't half bad) --- ain't gonna scare anybody at the airport but are matchup hell. Will be interesting to see what they do at UGA tonight...