OOTB Carolina basketball discussion thread

[Raising Heel]

There are several comments I have intentionally NOT made in this thread for fear of jinxing us. However, there's one I can finally say out loud.

We now know with 100% certainty that tonight is the last time Marcus Paige, Brice Johnson, and Joel James will put on a UNC uniform. I've worried that every game of this tournament would be their last. Didn't want to say anything but now it's unavoidable. The only thing that could make it less sad is if they go out on top. I hope they all have the game of their lives and we win by 20+. Not sure my heart can take a nail-biter.

 

[BlueKicks]

There are several comments I have intentionally NOT made in this thread for fear of jinxing us. However, there's one I can finally say out loud.

We now know with 100% certainty that tonight is the last time Marcus Paige, Brice Johnson, and Joel James will put on a UNC uniform. I've worried that every game of this tournament would be their last. Didn't want to say anything but now it's unavoidable. The only thing that could make it less sad is if they go out on top. I hope they all have the game of their lives and we win by 20+. Not sure my heart can take a nail-biter.

Felt happy and sad when I saw this last night.

 

[heelmanwilm]

How the hell is joel james a senior?

 

[coolwaterunc]

These guys deserve rings. Let's go get 'em.

 

[coolwaterunc]

How the hell is joel james a senior?

Yeah, if Joel James is a senior, then Trevor Cooney must be at least 40.

 

[TarHeelNation11]

I so, so badly want to see Hicks get in foul trouble (hear me out!!) in the first half so that Roy is forced to play Joel James like 8+ minutes of game time, total. Then, I want James, aka Superman, aka The First JoEl, to score 8 points and grab like 5 boards. Nothing brings a bigger smile to my face with this team than does seeing Joel James put the ball in the hoop.

 

[heelmanwilm]

Those jumpers he hit when brice got in foul trouble were huge.

 

[UNC '92]

I so, so badly want to see Hicks get in foul trouble (hear me out!!) in the first half so that Roy is forced to play Joel James like 8+ minutes of game time, total. Then, I want James, aka Superman, aka The First JoEl, to score 8 points and grab like 5 boards. Nothing brings a bigger smile to my face with this team than does seeing Joel James put the ball in the hoop.

Ok I heard you out. I hope that does not happen.

 

[TarHeelNation11]

Those jumpers he hit when brice got in foul trouble were huge.

Yeah they were. I freaked out with excitement when he made each of them.

Ok I heard you out. I hope that does not happen.

Yeah, hell I probably don't want that to happen either. BUT it would be cool to see King James, aka El JoEl, play a decent chunk of minutes tonight.

Yes, I'm making up nicknames for him.

 

[UNC '92]

In all seriousness, whatever minutes James gets I hope he uses to scorch Nova. It would be a nice ending for him. I also hope Hicks goes beast mode (again) and posterizes everyone in sight.

 

[Raising Heel]

I want to see us use our depth at the 4/5 spots to go right at Ochefu. Get him in early foul trouble.

If you look at the average minutes played per game, Villanova goes about as deep as UNC. I don't think we'll be able to wear them down as easily as we have other teams.

But other than Ochefu, they don't have anybody over 6'8" available to man the post, and nobody who plays more than about 17 minutes per game. With Ochefu on the bench we should be able to pound it inside for high-percentage shots and control the boards.

 

[TarHeelNation11]

I want to see us use our depth at the 4/5 spots to go right at Ochefu. Get him in early foul trouble.

If you look at the average minutes played per game, Villanova goes about as deep as UNC. I don't think we'll be able to wear them down as easily as we have other teams.

But other than Ochefu, they don't have anybody over 6'8" available to man the post, and nobody who plays more than about 17 minutes per game. With Ochefu on the bench we should be able to pound it inside for high-percentage shots and control the boards.

My main fear for this game is... 3>2

If they make a bunch of 3s, we could be done.

 

[UNC '92]

I want to see us use our depth at the 4/5 spots to go right at Ochefu. Get him in early foul trouble.

If you look at the average minutes played per game, Villanova goes about as deep as UNC. I don't think we'll be able to wear them down as easily as we have other teams.

But other than Ochefu, they don't have anybody over 6'8" available to man the post, and nobody who plays more than about 17 minutes per game. With Ochefu on the bench we should be able to pound it inside for high-percentage shots and control the boards.

Yep! And our depth in the post is where I think we have the advantage and could do that. Even if we don't foul him out we can wear him out. We just have to trust ourselves and not settle for poor outside shots unless they are open.

 

[Hark_The_Sound_2010]

It's not likely that Nova can shoot 71+% in back to back games - but they can probably hit the 3 ball as often as they did against OU if we're not cognizant of it. A loss would be crushing regardless - but I could handle it if they just made a ton of transition buckets and repeatedly drove the lane and were able to score over Brice and Meeks. I will absolutely flip my shit though if they go 12 of 18 or something like that from 3 land, with no defender within 3 feet of them on half of those.

 

[gunslingerdick]

It's not likely that Nova can shoot 71+% in back to back games - but they can probably hit the 3 ball as often as they did against OU if we're not cognizant of it. A loss would be crushing regardless - but I could handle it if they just made a ton of transition buckets and repeatedly drove the lane and were able to score over Brice and Meeks. I will absolutely flip my shit though if they go 12 of 18 or something like that from 3 land, with no defender within 3 feet of them on half of those.

I'd rather them get hot from behind the 3 point line and beat us that way than I would see them making layups. No-f*cking-way they should be able to have success in the paint against us. I don't want to see open 3s but if they hit a high percentage of 3s with hands in their face, then it's just not our day. I can live with that. I will be sad if this team doesn't win tonight but frankly, they've exceeded my expectations already. ACC Reg Season Champs and ACC Tournament Champs and a FF appearance is a pretty good year.

 

[UNC71-00]

I am getting absolutely nothing done today and I have a ton that needs to be done.

 

[TarHeelNation11]

It's not likely that Nova can shoot 71+% in back to back games - but they can probably hit the 3 ball as often as they did against OU if we're not cognizant of it. A loss would be crushing regardless - but I could handle it if they just made a ton of transition buckets and repeatedly drove the lane and were able to score over Brice and Meeks. I will absolutely flip my shit though if they go 12 of 18 or something like that from 3 land, with no defender within 3 feet of them on half of those.

Will you flip out wicked hahhhhd?

But really, I'll be right there with you. I HATE the 3-point shot. I watched a little bit of the Texas Western - Kentucky 1966 national championship game. While the gameplay itself wasn't fantastic, it was apparent to me after just a couple minutes of watching of how much the 3-point shot has corrupted the game.

 

[UNC71-00]

I'd rather them get hot from behind the 3 point line and beat us that way than I would see them making layups. No-f*cking-way they should be able to have success in the paint against us. I don't want to see open 3s but if they hit a high percentage of 3s with hands in their face, then it's just not our day. I can live with that. I will be sad if this team doesn't win tonight but frankly, they've exceeded my expectations already. ACC Reg Season Champs and ACC Tournament Champs and a FF appearance is a pretty good year.

Me and Slings see this the same.

 

[TarHeelNation11]

Me and Slings see this the same.

That's Lingerdick to you.

 

[BillyL]

Its 11 AM on Championship Game Day . . .

We're so sorry, Uncle Albert

But, we haven't done a bloody thing all day

 

[Raising Heel]

Me and Slings see this the same.

Add a third to that list.

Incidentally, Villanova isn't a terrific 3-point team. Their season average on 3-pointers is exactly UNC's defensive percentage against 3-pointers: 35.9%. What makes them so dangerous is that they have 4 guys who average between 36% and 39% from deep. Hard to defend when you don't know where it's going to come from.

ETA: The way they really hurt you, IMO, is the way they get shots in the paint off the dribble. We're going to need a team effort to prevent penetration and force it back outside. Then, it's absolutely imperative we keep them off the offensive boards.

 

[Hark_The_Sound_2010]

Will you flip out wicked hahhhhd?

Oh yah kid, wicked hahd. I'll take my cah and pahk it in Havahd yahd and take a Louisville Sluggah to it (a la the fax machine in Office Space).

 

[TarHeelNation11]

Oh yah kid, wicked hahd. I'll take my cah and pahk it in Havahd yahd and take a Louisville Sluggah to it (a la the fax machine in Office Space).

I chuckled quite a bit reading that lol.

 

[UNC71-00]

I think Im gonna knock off work and start drankin

 

[TarHeelNation11]

I think Im gonna knock off work and start drankin

Or you could drink off work and start knockin'

Am I right?

 

[UNC '92]

I think Im gonna knock off work and start drankin

Well one of the pm's I work with scheduled a messaging platform migration tonight at 8 EDT for one of our recent acquisitions. I am miffed at his dumbass for that, however I have written all the scripts already needed and done some testing so they should be good but I still have to be on the call. I have already told the engineers who will be running my scripts and plan that they better get it right and not have a single damn question or even call out my name tonight. Technically it should all go quick but I'm betting someone eff's something up. If so, they will be getting a drunk pissed off me.

 

[Raising Heel]

Well one of the pm's I work with scheduled a messaging platform migration tonight at 8 EDT for one of our recent acquisitions. I am miffed at his dumbass for that, however I have written all the scripts already needed and done some testing so they should be good but I still have to be on the call. I have already told the engineers who will be running my scripts and plan that they better get it right and not have a single damn question or even call out my name tonight. Technically it should all go quick but I'm betting someone eff's something up. If so, they will be getting a drunk pissed off me.

Dude.

 

[BlueKicks]

Man, I think I might join you guys for a cyber drink.

I thought I was nervous before the Florida Gulf Coast game.

 

[UNC71-00]

1 Red Oak down the hatch

 

[TarHeelNation11]

1 Red Oak down the hatch

You lucky sumbitch. I'd pay a pretty penny for a Red Oak right now . . . okay so like one always has to do for Red Oak. $20 12-pack? Criminy.

 

[BlueKicks]

 

[BillyL]

1 Red Oak down the hatch

I'ma gonna haveta poor me a half glass of wine here shortly. I love this feeling of knowing you're playing for the national title on Monday night.

This is the 9th National Title game in my lifetime . . . don't know how many more of these opportunities will come around, so, I cherish this day.

Cheers y'all . . and GO HEELS

 

[notashelbyfan]

Where's dook?

That's all carry on!

 

[grillheel]

Top of The Hill is sold out of tickets for tonight (had a line around the building at 2 AM) and some dude you guys know just left to go and try to get into the Smith Center.

 

[notashelbyfan]

Not a cloud in the sky all Carolina blue!

 

[TarHeelMark]

This game is making me nervous as hell, but they all do.

On one hand, Nova beat the pre-tourney favorite and throttled the player of the year. On the other hand, if the ACC is truly the best conference (like we all think it is), then Nova merely beat two over-rated teams?

 

[BlueKicks]

And hey, sorry if I become a post freak at times like this.

This'll be the first truly high-stakes Tar Heel game I've watched in my life where I won't have to sit and suffer in silence (well, not entirely).

It's surprisingly invaluable to be able to bash some letters out and lessen the anxiety of the process - even if it's just a little - though I don't want them to win for my own satisfaction.

You're a cool bunch of people, and I want them to lift the title for you guys and gals who have lived this well before I knew what a Tyler Hansbrough was.

I'll happily watch on from afar.

 

[Hark_The_Sound_2010]

Not a cloud in the sky all Carolina blue!

Must be nice... its snowing here. Yes, it's April 4th

 

[Hark_The_Sound_2010]

And hey, sorry if I become a post freak at times like this.

This'll be the first truly high-stakes Tar Heel game I've watched in my life where I won't have to sit and suffer in silence (well, not entirely).

It's surprisingly invaluable to be able to bash some letters out and lessen the anxiety of the process - even if it's just a little - though I don't want them to win for my own satisfaction.

You're a cool bunch of people, and I want them to lift the title for you guys and gals who have lived this well before I knew what a Tyler Hansbrough was.

I'll happily watch on from afar.

Feel free to post in the game thread on Radar too. For a board that is incredibly uptight about everything and bashes the smallest notion of anything about the team not being 100% perfect - people give the game threads a pass, so you can let loose on there without backlash.

 

[grillheel]

I'ma gonna haveta poor me a half glass of wine here shortly. I love this feeling of knowing you're playing for the national title on Monday night.

This is the 9th National Title game in my lifetime . . . don't know how many more of these opportunities will come around, so, I cherish this day.

Cheers y'all . . and GO HEELS

I hadn't thought about it but it will be my ninth as well. I was five years old in 1957 and don't remember anything about that, but I have been there all the way for the others. 1981 was the strangest-Reagan gets shot, didn't know if they were actually going to play, and it was on my birthday to boot. Some pretty cool memories. Hoping this will be a good one! GO HEELS!