Quick stuff (State game 2)...

[gary-7]

...and this was a character win.

As i said Monday, this was a hungry State team with a guy who has been unconscious in recent games. They came ready to play, and when everything they threw up seemed to go in, they got cocky --- but predictably, when things turned against them in the second half, they got chippy --- typical Keatts team:

- There were 2 adjustments that turned this one at the half. First was defensive effort. Yeah, they made a stupid pct in the first, but there were also too damn many good looks. Welp, they got almost NO good looks in the second half, and big credit for silencing Horne and friends, and THAT was renewed effort. Our perimeter guys --- Cormac, Seth, RJ and Eliot were on them like stink on a dookie, this DESPITE state's incessant ILLEGAL handoff butt-screens and push-offs. Actually seeing a couple of those called helped.

- Speaking of effort, my ONLY complaint on that after halftime was letting them get to the offensive glass. Granted, it was utter mayhem under there but gotta close out good defensive possessions.

- The other adjustment was one I was begging for out loud --- let #2 take them off the dribble(!!!). There was nobody on that team that can keep EC outta the paint, and with them swarming and beating on RJ, yeah... young fella took em to school (depite taking a pounding himself).

- Speaking of #2, yeah, Ingram had a nice game but if Holly Farms was still the ACC sponsor, Eliot "gets the chicken" hands down. 15 and 7 (he actually had 8, but what else is new) and hoo buddy at that transition laser to Ingram --- that is Marshall/Cota stuff. Moreover though, our fortunes absolutely revolved around whether or not he was on the floor

- Speaking of that, my other complaint was guys not finishing thru contact. Case in point, when State adjusted back and started doubling Cadeau at the top, Mando had a chance for a field day, and sure enough the roll dimes were there from EC, but c'mon big fella. Sure that earlier missed dunk was anger trying to make a statement, but that last layup? YIKES... and it turned into a 5-point turnaround at a key time.

- In Mando's defense, he put up with a cheap-shot fest in a physical game. And RJ had to be the classic "tough little nut" today and came up big when we needed him.

- Speaking of physical, We cashed in when we got to the line --- 23/27 with our 5-men going 7/7.

- Good and effective use of the bench (silly arguments I keep seeing about it notwithstanding)

- Finally --- on the "we can't have nice things" perspective --- as i said above, really strong halftime adjutments to turn this one around (I also liked the token pressure. Sure, it was only 24 but it took State outta their preferred rhythm and shortened their clock). WITH THAT SAID... in the spirit of Jon Stewart's return, Hubert, meet me at Camera 3: STATE DOESN'T LIKE TO BE SPED UP. They cannot hang when we play at our tempo. Playing slow plays into their hands. Look... we stormed back and got a working lead, and then you take the damn air outta the ball too soon... and we're talking about at the under-8 (!) WTF? We should be pushing tempo even off made shots. Wanna slow it down in the last couple of minutes? Sure. But please stop micro-managing late. Forget the NBA stuff. You have a veteran team, a closer in RJ and a savant PG. Let em run thru our transition iterations and they'll still be able to execute a called play......

Anyway...... There was "trap game" written all over this one and I knew State would come to play, so on a day when we were only 6/16 from 3, defense came to rhe rescue, as we held those cocky jabronies to 25 in the second half. However, it's March now --- time to play OUR game for 2 halves, each and every time!....

 

[Heels5150]

Good views as always Gary! It seems like Hubert just won’t learn from our past mistakes when it comes to trying to melt the shot clock. We scored nine points from 8 minutes until the end of the game. Hubert deliberately telling Elliot to slow it down with 8 minutes to go was ludicrous. EC had some amazing assists and easily should have finished with double digits if guys just made their open looks. Cormac played great defense in the second half but his Offensive MIA moments in games are getting very troublesome. He airmailed an attempted pass to Washington and air balled a good look at a three point attempt in the first half. We are beating ourselves. Washington got pushed around more than usual tonight and Bacot should have abused Middlebrook all game long. Bacot also didn’t get credited with 2 rebounds. dook destroyed Virginia and that is something that we haven’t done in awhile is put teams away early and dominate them. I hope we get back to pushing the ball on offense and staying that way for the whole game because if we don’t we could see a very early exit in both tournaments. When we do try and use some clock we need to continue to run our offense while looking for a good shot attempt. We are not moving the opposing teams defenses while just dribbling the ball and throwing up prayer shot attempts. Trimble seems reluctant once again in taking an open shot from the perimeter. He has passed up a few of those since he’s been back from his head injury. As we all know shooters need their confidence but I wonder why he has been trigger shy as of late. He has shown throughout this season that part of his game has progresssed nicely since last season. We can’t take Notre Dame lightly on Senior Night. Happy with the win but I was disappointed in our lack of execution and intensity for another whole game. But as always it’s a GDTBATH

 

[al would]

Can't say I'd disagree with anything in your write up G.

EC has grown leaps and bounds and that rocket dime to Ingram on the break was stupid sick. And EC has learned from the zebras hand slaps early in the season and he has become a really good defensive player and he's doing it with his feet. And his offensive moves to the rack are also on another level. If there;s a crack and he makes a move for it there are few that will be able to stop him unless he happens to run in to an elite rim protector and I'm really looking forward to seeing EC on the floor next year with the incoming class ..

I'm the worst about bitching about hubs sub patterns but tonight I thought he did a really nice job of rotating EC/RJ/Seth in and out. Also thought his use of Withers was decent and the guys looked fresh most of the game.

Would have also liked to have seen Jwash get a few more minutes since our 6th yr. sr. was lamentable at best with a piss poor 4-12 from the field with only one shot I saw outside the lane that was an air ball along with a blown wide open dunk and multiple blown bunnies I don't even think made it over the rim .. plum fng pathetic.

Last but certainly not least I got to give a yuge shout out to Ingram. That cat is a winner and he always finds a way to exploit the opposition and contributes by doing the little things that will be the difference in wins and losses in close games and I'm surely glad he landed in CH. Running the floor, banging from 3, finding the nooks to drive and being able to hit the mid-range jumper .. scrapping on the boards .. total glue guy that does what he needs to do and brings a great positive attitude and enthusiasm every minute he's on the floor. He's another one that would be hard to replace for sure.

Great win defending the home court and the regular season final at DES Monday for senior night. No let downs or look ahead just take care of business. GO HEELS !!

 

[gary-7]

Good views as always Gary! It seems like Hubert just won’t learn from our past mistakes when it comes to trying to melt the shot clock. We scored nine points from 8 minutes until the end of the game. Hubert deliberately telling Elliot to slow it down with 8 minutes to go was ludicrous. EC had some amazing assists and easily should have finished with double digits if guys just made their open looks. Cormac played great defense in the second half but his Offensive MIA moments in games are getting very troublesome. He airmailed an attempted pass to Washington and air balled a good look at a three point attempt in the first half. We are beating ourselves. Washington got pushed around more than usual tonight and Bacot should have abused Middlebrook all game long. Bacot also didn’t get credited with 2 rebounds. dook destroyed Virginia and that is something that we haven’t done in awhile is put teams away early and dominate them. I hope we get back to pushing the ball on offense and staying that way for the whole game because if we don’t we could see a very early exit in both tournaments. When we do try and use some clock we need to continue to run our offense while looking for a good shot attempt. We are not moving the opposing teams defenses while just dribbling the ball and throwing up prayer shot attempts. Trimble seems reluctant once again in taking an open shot from the perimeter. He has passed up a few of those since he’s been back from his head injury. As we all know shooters need their confidence but I wonder why he has been trigger shy as of late. He has shown throughout this season that part of his game has progresssed nicely since last season. We can’t take Notre Dame lightly on Senior Night. Happy with the win but I was disappointed in our lack of execution and intensity for another whole game. But as always it’s a GDTBATH

I can't believe I have to post just to bump down the tiresomeness in the last thread, but yes...
we had better not take anyone lightly from here on out, including ND.

 

[Heels5150]

I can't believe I have to post just to bump down the tiresomeness in the last thread, but yes...
we had better not take anyone lightly from here on out, including ND.

Yep since Notre Dame has won 5 of their last six games and their only loss was by only 3 points at Syracuse. With wins against Wake, Clemson and Virginia Tech.

 

[ChiShankCity]

A scoring Cadeau gives this team another offensive dimension and gives it some offensive margin for error. I want him hunting for his offense when it’s there.

Don’t do this to be mean to the kid but NC State led 39-37 when Wojcik entered. He finished out the half and it was 45-37 in 2+ minutes. Not all his fault but he can’t be out there unless it’s a 911 situation.

Shoot it well enough. Don’t turn the ball over. Make your FTs. Typically a good combination and you’ll win a lot of games that way.

Nice win. I don’t think NC State is any good. But it was a low possession game that we turned around in the 2nd half. Teams are starting to make some 3s against us, which is some cause for concern for me. But at least we shot it pretty well from 3 too.

Trap game at Notre Dame sandwiched between 2 rivalry games. Opportunity to show up and perform well before the Duke rematch.

Kudos to Ingram. Nice to see him knock down his FTs. 10/13 the last 4 games (77%). Would be nice if that lasted the rest of the season.

 

[IDUNK4HEELS]

Very little kudos from everybody to Cormac Ryan who all but shut Horne completely out in the second half. His defense was really important as the Tar Heels rallied back,,,This is a PRIME example of a team player who does not need to score a ton to help his team win…

 

[gary-7]

A scoring Cadeau gives this team another offensive dimension and gives it some offensive margin for error. I want him hunting for his offense when it’s there.

Don’t do this to be mean to the kid but NC State led 39-37 when Wojcik entered. He finished out the half and it was 45-37 in 2+ minutes. Not all his fault but he can’t be out there unless it’s a 911 situation.

Shoot it well enough. Don’t turn the ball over. Make your FTs. Typically a good combination and you’ll win a lot of games that way.

Nice win. I don’t think NC State is any good. But it was a low possession game that we turned around in the 2nd half. Teams are starting to make some 3s against us, which is some cause for concern for me. But at least we shot it pretty well from 3 too.

Trap game at Notre Dame sandwiched between 2 rivalry games. Opportunity to show up and perform well before the Duke rematch.

Kudos to Ingram. Nice to see him knock down his FTs. 10/13 the last 4 games (77%). Would be nice if that lasted the rest of the season.

You should've stopped with "Not his fault".

 

[SorryNotSorry]

Man, that Holly Farms chicken and taters was something special.

 

[dtodd4475]

State shot the 3ball lights out in the first half, you could expect a drop off, but 6% shooting in the 2nd half with 10 minutes to go. LOCKDOWN! I give Cormac the biggest pat on the back with that. He absolutely hawked Horne and was physical with him, matching their level. He only took 3 shots all game (1 -3) was locked in on other phases though.

Cadeau with finishes was great to see. State not only shadowed RJ , but kept a man planted staying at home with Cormac. The middle was there to plunder with limited help and Elliot made them pay.

The bench is worrisome, just like the Miami game, where a 12 point lead shrunk to 2 in just over 2 minutes with Mando and RJ trying to steal a blow together, when a couple subs were in together State feasted on offense. The possession where they got 5/6 cracks while Withers and Washington seemed stuck to the floor was maddening. May not need huge minutes, but it can't be instant opponent runs when we go to the bench.

Ingram was the 1 of the 3 perimeter scoring threats they did not shadow, and he came up big as well. Crashing the boards for a couple tip dunks was nice to see.

Strong second half, adjustments, effort, shot making or cooling off. Regardless, good to see the staff and team respond.

 

[tmatheny]

Yep since Notre Dame has won 5 of their last six games and their only loss was by only 3 points at Syracuse. With wins against Wake, Clemson and Virginia Tech.

Of all teams to be scheduled in the middle of State and Duke, I think I'm glad it's ND. My money is on Ryan to show out and with it being SR night, I think the energy will be there from the get go.

 

[sdingeldein]

A scoring Cadeau gives this team another offensive dimension and gives it some offensive margin for error. I want him hunting for his offense when it’s there.

Don’t do this to be mean to the kid but NC State led 39-37 when Wojcik entered. He finished out the half and it was 45-37 in 2+ minutes. Not all his fault but he can’t be out there unless it’s a 911 situation.

Shoot it well enough. Don’t turn the ball over. Make your FTs. Typically a good combination and you’ll win a lot of games that way.

Nice win. I don’t think NC State is any good. But it was a low possession game that we turned around in the 2nd half. Teams are starting to make some 3s against us, which is some cause for concern for me. But at least we shot it pretty well from 3 too.

Trap game at Notre Dame sandwiched between 2 rivalry games. Opportunity to show up and perform well before the Duke rematch.

Kudos to Ingram. Nice to see him knock down his FTs. 10/13 the last 4 games (77%). Would be nice if that lasted the rest of the season.

That was the only "coaching mistake" (taking Seth out and putting Wojcik in) I complained about during the game. Not sure why Hubert did that.

 

[39 Feet Above Sea Level]

Besides Cormac dogging Horne into bricks and air balls, we played tenaciously in half two.
I’m thinking Coach Davis was this close [] to his first F Bomb ever in the locker room during the break.
And holy smokes, were the Wolfpups ever getting COCKY and yucking it up in a game with two halves. 🤨

But when EVERYBODY’S FIRST TEAM ALL-AMERICAN (who would the the National POY except
for Mrs. Edey birthing a baby who would grow to be 7’ 4”/300 pounds) is diving to the floor
scrapping for loose balls, well……that’s a tide that will raise all the boats.

l agree most about NOT taking the air out with a working margin against an opponent because
you have EC and RJ. When you have a Ferrari, you might as well drive it when the sky is
Carolina Blue, baby! GDTBATH

 

[DSouthr]

Right off the top, not how others feel about this game but I am very pleased with it, IMO best we have played since we beat duke, it feels like we have bottomed out and are now re-building, oh the eb and flow of a season! LOL I am especially happy that this is a box score that showed we spread the wealth around with 4 starters in double figures points. That is what this team needs, the wealth spread because when it is they all stay connected together rather than individuals watching what RJ may do. I was happy we beat Miami, I just didn't like the way we did it, this game I liked. This is how we have to play to play deep in the NCAAT.

The assist to made shot stat that I love, that needs to be over 50%, as a team we were 13 assist to 25 made shots, over the 50% mark, the wuffies were 9 assists on 25 made, well less than that needed 50% mark. We out rebounded them even with that little bit of time we could seem to get a rebound in that second half. While true the wuffies did get cleaner looks than I prefer in that first half, some times lady luck is a factor. I lost count of all the really friendly rolls they got in that first half as well as our lack of them, sometimes the ball bounces funny. The problem with lady luck is she will leave you as quickly as she came, she left the wuffies at half time. I think you guys know, I don't really like to complain about the refs, I do try to stay away from that but dang it, a lot of what was getting those cleaner shots for the wuffies in that first half was arm bar push offs and out right shoves of our defenders off of their guys moving to catch and shoot. Time and time again blatant shoves of our defenders that the refs had to see, many were right on front of them. FINALLY they called one where Cadeau was almost pushed down to the court and it eased up after that.

Last couple times we had played the wuffies, I noticed something, I think Hubert did as well. DJ Burns has an amazing soft touch for a dancing bear, he is a load for any defender in the college game because he is so wide and so strong that he negates length. The problem is he has poor stamina, after 4 or 5 trips up and down court he is winded and his effectiveness wears away quickly, as you would expect from a sumu wrestler trying to play basketball. When he gets tired not only can he be scored on but he reaches and find foul trouble, in comes Middlebrook and Middlebrook is not a scoring threat away from the basket, we could leave him any time he had the ball over 3ft from the basket. We started this game, we played most of the time last time we played them with our focus defensively on handling their front court and not being all that concerned with their back court. At the half in this game Hubert switched the priority to more of a focus on their back court, running them off the 3pt line, limited the switching (we have a habit of sneaking in to over switching and that has caused us real match up problems). In doing this, we held them to 22% shooting in that second half and it got in to the wuffies heads. It clearly got in to Morsel's head, that dust up with Cadeau was Morsel showing his frustration, he may have rocked the baby to finish that first half but the baby went up for adoption in that second half, PUNK! DJ Horn didn't have much to say in that second half either.

One of the real things I love about this team is how we seem top have different guys step up every game and for this game Cadeau clearly gets my game ball. I love when that kid just attacks, especially early in the shot clock. His 3 dimes, one to Bacot one to Ingram one to JWit were fantastic, high lite reel worthy, think he finished with 7 dimes but those 3 were really sweet. That second half, we spread out and just had Cadeau attack. Couple times he showed he was a freshman, dancing with the ball and got it stolen but outside of that he simply controlled this game and that opened up ops for his mates for cleaner looks than they got in that first half. Ingram got off early and we needed that, just love that kid, Cadeau gets in to that dust up and who was first on scene for his team mate, Ingram, thats who, so he gets very honorable mention!

It just feels like we are again building rather than regressing, needed after 2 really UGLY wins that felt almost like losses, this felt like a solid win but a win where we can play much sharper. A season is about peaks and valleys and a coach really wants his teams to peak late and carry over to the post season and it feels like we are coming out of a valley and doing so well timed. Now on to senior night and frankly, most times I would be suspecting we could find that a trap game, you know, duke being on the horizon but this time I don't think that will be the case, I am feeling a 20+ blow out coming at the expense of the Irish, even close to St Paddy's day and joyful senior night speeches!

It is March 3rd, let the madness begin Tar Heel style, let's raise a couple more banners and a couple more jerseys how about it !

PS: I failed to acknowledge the really solid work from Seth and especially JWit. JWit has been all over the map this season, from rushing everything he tried to do to playing some really effective ball, I could have seen him in for a few more minutes than he got, he seems to have passed my guy JWash in player deserving more minutes, good on ya JWit!

 

[TarHeelMark]

First half D was bad, but credit to the Heels for holding moo to 22% in the 2nd. Major Props to Cormac's 2nd half D on Horne.

I don’t think any of us understand slowing the offense down when they're clicking, especially with so much time left. However, we had some good shots and need to finish better. From the point when RJ made 2 of 3 FTs to put the Heels up 71-58, our last 15 possessions resulted in:

• 3 missed layups
• 1 missed dunk
• 1 missed jumper
• 3 missed 3s (2 were wide open shots)
• 3 turnovers (2 while in good position to score: travel call on EC, and Armando fumbling ball away in the paint)
• 4 scores (HI jumper, RJ free throws, RJ jumper, EC layup)

If we had just finished a few of those other 11 possessions, then we are cruising to a 15+ point win.

All in all, it was still a pretty good win over a heated, desperate rival. It's always great to beat moo, and was especially great to turn that cockiness into frustration in the 2nd half.

 

[gkss]

...and this was a character win.

As i said Monday, this was a hungry State team with a guy who has been unconscious in recent games. They came ready to play, and when everything they threw up seemed to go in, they got cocky --- but predictably, when things turned against them in the second half, they got chippy --- typical Keatts team:

- There were 2 adjustments that turned this one at the half. First was defensive effort. Yeah, they made a stupid pct in the first, but there were also too damn many good looks. Welp, they got almost NO good looks in the second half, and big credit for silencing Horne and friends, and THAT was renewed effort. Our perimeter guys --- Cormac, Seth, RJ and Eliot were on them like stink on a dookie, this DESPITE state's incessant ILLEGAL handoff butt-screens and push-offs. Actually seeing a couple of those called helped.

- Speaking of effort, my ONLY complaint on that after halftime was letting them get to the offensive glass. Granted, it was utter mayhem under there but gotta close out good defensive possessions.

- The other adjustment was one I was begging for out loud --- let #2 take them off the dribble(!!!). There was nobody on that team that can keep EC outta the paint, and with them swarming and beating on RJ, yeah... young fella took em to school (depite taking a pounding himself).

- Speaking of #2, yeah, Ingram had a nice game but if Holly Farms was still the ACC sponsor, Eliot "gets the chicken" hands down. 15 and 7 (he actually had 8, but what else is new) and hoo buddy at that transition laser to Ingram --- that is Marshall/Cota stuff. Moreover though, our fortunes absolutely revolved around whether or not he was on the floor

- Speaking of that, my other complaint was guys not finishing thru contact. Case in point, when State adjusted back and started doubling Cadeau at the top, Mando had a chance for a field day, and sure enough the roll dimes were there from EC, but c'mon big fella. Sure that earlier missed dunk was anger trying to make a statement, but that last layup? YIKES... and it turned into a 5-point turnaround at a key time.

- In Mando's defense, he put up with a cheap-shot fest in a physical game. And RJ had to be the classic "tough little nut" today and came up big when we needed him.

- Speaking of physical, We cashed in when we got to the line --- 23/27 with our 5-men going 7/7.

- Good and effective use of the bench (silly arguments I keep seeing about it notwithstanding)

- Finally --- on the "we can't have nice things" perspective --- as i said above, really strong halftime adjutments to turn this one around (I also liked the token pressure. Sure, it was only 24 but it took State outta their preferred rhythm and shortened their clock). WITH THAT SAID... in the spirit of Jon Stewart's return, Hubert, meet me at Camera 3: STATE DOESN'T LIKE TO BE SPED UP. They cannot hang when we play at our tempo. Playing slow plays into their hands. Look... we stormed back and got a working lead, and then you take the damn air outta the ball too soon... and we're talking about at the under-8 (!) WTF? We should be pushing tempo even off made shots. Wanna slow it down in the last couple of minutes? Sure. But please stop micro-managing late. Forget the NBA stuff. You have a veteran team, a closer in RJ and a savant PG. Let em run thru our transition iterations and they'll still be able to execute a called play......

Anyway...... There was "trap game" written all over this one and I knew State would come to play, so on a day when we were only 6/16 from 3, defense came to rhe rescue, as we held those cocky jabronies to 25 in the second half. However, it's March now --- time to play OUR game for 2 halves, each and every time!....

Good summation, as usual, Gary. Can’t add much to your evaluation, although I would like to add that I wish we could get some consistency from Cormac. Any ideas on that?

 

[Kool1234567]

1 of the better games for EC…Also great job in the 2nd half on D…I have said all along this team will go as far as EC will take us…Fair or not he is the key…Either way this group has been a joy to watch this year…Also we have not lost a game with My Guy Cory on the TV Broadcast…

Plus make no mistake this Tar Heel loves kicking West Raleigh tail in everything…I have to work with these clowns all the time…

 

[ChiShankCity]

Last 10 games, UNC’s defense is allowing opponents to shoot 36.5% from 3. That ranks 265th in the country during that period.

If that can be changed, it will need to be over the next 2 weeks. If it’s a matter of regression to the mean, then hopefully the 3PT is naturally good and those numbers will stabilize soon.

299th in block shot percentage and 209th in turnover percentage during that stretch defensively. So that 3PT percentage needs to fall.

 

[alabamaheel]

Last 10 games, UNC’s defense is allowing opponents to shoot 36.5% from 3. That ranks 265th in the country during that period.

If that can be changed, it will need to be over the next 2 weeks. If it’s a matter of regression to the mean, then hopefully the 3PT is naturally good and those numbers will stabilize soon.

299th in block shot percentage and 209th in turnover percentage during that stretch defensively. So that 3PT percentage needs to fall.

As much as my homer tinted glasses want me to believe our 3 point defense was ever in the top rankings this year, I knew better. We didn’t just stop playing defense effectively. Opponents started shooting better. Jmo of course but it makes logical sense just like you’ve stated. Can we be better? 💯

Edit to add. Teams do get better through the course of the season. Some improvements are expected on both ends.

 

[Rabidfrog]

As much as my homer tinted glasses want me to believe our 3 point defense was ever in the top rankings this year, I knew better. We didn’t just stop playing defense effectively. Opponents started shooting better. Jmo of course but it makes logical sense just like you’ve stated. Can we be better? 💯

Edit to add. Teams do get better through the course of the season. Some improvements are expected on both ends.

When we were at our “best” during our defensive run our staying in front of drivers was excellent AND our rotations were excellent… our rotations were elite for a stretch of games. Where the help man rotated in as the 3 & 4 defender rotated with them to provide no air.
This has been what was missing since stretches of the Duke game. I hope we can find that connectivity again, because that is why teams struggled against our defense.
This is also something you always see with Elite defenses - from NBA, to NFL, to whomever else… they all have one brain on defense

 

[alabamaheel]

When we were at our “best” during our defensive run our staying in front of drivers was excellent AND our rotations were excellent… our rotations were elite for a stretch of games. Where the help man rotated in as the 3 & 4 defender rotated with them to provide no air.
This has been what was missing since stretches of the Duke game. I hope we can find that connectivity again, because that is why teams struggled against our defense.
This is also something you always see with Elite defenses - from NBA, to NFL, to whomever else… they all have one brain on defense

While I somewhat agree there were also several wide open shots missed during that stretch. Teams started hitting and improving. You think we just stopped playing defense that was working? No, teams got better and we’ve not adjusted correctly imo. I’ll also add that teams started hitting some lucky makes from deep. Several times we saw banked threes after great defense.

 

[FlaTarHeel]

.. in the spirit of Jon Stewart's return, Hubert, meet me at Camera 3: STATE DOESN'T LIKE TO BE SPED UP. They cannot hang when we play at our tempo. Playing slow plays into their hands. Look... we stormed back and got a working lead, and then you take the damn air outta the ball too soon... and we're talking about at the under-8 (!) WTF? We should be pushing tempo even off made shots. Wanna slow it down in the last couple of minutes? Sure. But please stop micro-managing late. Forget the NBA stuff. You have a veteran team, a closer in RJ and a savant PG. Let em run thru our transition iterations and they'll still be able to execute a called play......

I missed the game but this comment pretty much says it all, and in the end will be the downfall of another UNC team as we saw last season.
We scored 80+ points just once the entire month of February. And Hubert Davis is the reason why.
It's becoming harder and harder to realize this guy played for DES and coached under RW for 9 years.
Very little about his strategy is the "Carolina Way" we are used to. We get a few nuggets here and there but not enough to see us winning the ultimate prize in my opinion. I pray he proves me wrong over the 4 weeks, but I ain't holding my breath on that.

We have a bonafide Thoroughbred leading our offense yet we keep a muzzle on him.

 

[TPFKAPFS]

You know what is definitely the Carolina Way??? Top seed ACC & Top seed NCAA.(top of recruiting rankings doesn't hurteither). I know Roy is and I feel DES would be very happy with their beloved program and it's coach!

Oh that's right we won against Moo!

Way to go Hubs!

 

[Rabidfrog]

While I somewhat agree there were also several wide open shots missed during that stretch. Teams started hitting and improving. You think we just stopped playing defense that was working? No, teams got better and we’ve not adjusted correctly imo. I’ll also add that teams started hitting some lucky makes from deep. Several times we saw banked threes after great defense.

A couple thoughts…
— when you are playing excellent defenses teams have a tendency to miss even “easy” ones because they are rushing. Same thing a good pass rush does to a QB, they get antsy even if they have time. I agree teams missed against us, but also we can claim some credit.
— we have stopped rotating nearly as well and as connected. So yes, we stopped playing as in synch and as well on defense. Yes we haven’t played our good defense except in spurts. I do think the last few games we are better… but we are not the beautiful rotations we had during our first win streak. During that streak there were several games I commented that we were looking like one of the good Spurs or Bulls teams where you couldn’t even breath on offense.

 

[TPFKAPFS]

Thanks for pointing this out! Teams didn't forget how to shoot and we weren't lucky at all. We worked our tails off and they couldn't hang! There is a reason that we have put the clamps on peeps in the 2nd half lately and it ain't what THEY are doing! Our D varies based on our intensity and focus. When we decide to, we are one of the best defensive teams I have seen at UNC. We also have 5 peeps capable of taking over a game and totally drinking opponents' milkshakes!

Dang, It's Good to be the King! Again!

Well done, Hubs!

 

[DSouthr]

A couple thoughts…
— when you are playing excellent defenses teams have a tendency to miss even “easy” ones because they are rushing. Same thing a good pass rush does to a QB, they get antsy even if they have time. I agree teams missed against us, but also we can claim some credit.
— we have stopped rotating nearly as well and as connected. So yes, we stopped playing as in synch and as well on defense. Yes we haven’t played our good defense except in spurts. I do think the last few games we are better… but we are not the beautiful rotations we had during our first win streak. During that streak there were several games I commented that we were looking like one of the good Spurs or Bulls teams where you couldn’t even breath on offense.

I agree, look, no matter how well a team defends there are going to be open shots at times but what may look like a open shot is not always a good shot. Our defense did go thru a string of games playing pretty darn good. Now sure, you can blame it on the other teams just missed good shots and I can buy that for a particular game, I may even buy it for back to back games but the defense lead us in that what 8 game win streak. Keep in mind how much of that win streak was us being on the road, teams typically play better at their place.

This particular UNC team is built for offense not defense. Look at the construction, a very small back court, a freshman PG, no rim protector shot blocker, a center that is a below the rim guy, a back up center that is a poor defensive presence, and an offensive minded coach. The way this team is effective defensively is and has to be by out working the opponents, it cannot afford mistakes it has to work together as a unit more so than most teams. I am saying it is harder for this team to defend due to how they are constructed. Take for example Kerwin Walton, clearly a knock down jump shooter but couldn't defend a sign post nor did he try to give it much effort. A guy like that in your starting 5 says you don't really care about defense, you care about scoring, lot of teams do that. Our guys put the effort in, not a single Kerwin like player on this team that I see. But the level of effort with this team to be a decent defensive team is just so much more than most teams, that kind if effort just is not there every night, hard to do for a full 40mins.

Take a kid like RJ, really hard to ask him to be such a focus on the offensive end and then come down and be a defensive stopper, that is what makes a guy like UVa's Beekman such a special player.

 

[DSouthr]

I missed the game but this comment pretty much says it all, and in the end will be the downfall of another UNC team as we saw last season.
We scored 80+ points just once the entire month of February. And Hubert Davis is the reason why.
It's becoming harder and harder to realize this guy played for DES and coached under RW for 9 years.
Very little about his strategy is the "Carolina Way" we are used to. We get a few nuggets here and there but not enough to see us winning the ultimate prize in my opinion. I pray he proves me wrong over the 4 weeks, but I ain't holding my breath on that.

We have a bonafide Thoroughbred leading our offense yet we keep a muzzle on him.

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Been talking about this for a while, good to see gary address it in this recap as well as your touch on it. I have clearly shared that Hubert this season has been much better than Hubert of last season was and I absolutely stand by that. BUT...

You coaches out there may appreciate this, you have this kid that has this bad habit on the court, let's say he does what Cadeau was doing for a spell, he reaches in the cookie jar to often (tries to steal a pass and gets the whistle for reaching), or pick any bad on court habit you wish. You see it in film review, you show it to him and the team, you have done this before several times, the kid agrees he has to stop doing that, the kid knows. And yet come the very next game the whistle blows, the kid knows what he just did AGAIN, the coach knows, his mates know, everyone knows. But in the heat of battle players revert to instinct and a bad habit is just like a good one in that it takes in some cases many year to entrench as instinct it can take several years in some cases to break. It is far easier to instill a good habit than it is to break a bad one because in the heat of battle kids revert back to what they always did.

As a head coach I fear Hubert is like this, has some bad habits as a coach that have become instinctive and I think he knows it, I think he tries really hard to break those bad habits but when the bullets' start to fly he tends to revert. What may be the single most difficult bad habit he has to break is over coaching, calling to many set plays, in essence trying to be the PG from the bench. You have to let the kids play, when you do they play with JOY, they have fun, when this team has fun it wins, it wins big. But calling all those set plays to often put's a muzzle on things, it slows things down, it becomes work more than joy. If the players get in to a tough spot trust them, let them play thru it, let them learn how to play thru it. It is not a video game, you don't control their every move. TURN THEM LOOSE AND LET THEM PLAY!

 

[heels05champs]

I missed the game but this comment pretty much says it all, and in the end will be the downfall of another UNC team as we saw last season.
We scored 80+ points just once the entire month of February. And Hubert Davis is the reason why.
It's becoming harder and harder to realize this guy played for DES and coached under RW for 9 years.
Very little about his strategy is the "Carolina Way" we are used to. We get a few nuggets here and there but not enough to see us winning the ultimate prize in my opinion. I pray he proves me wrong over the 4 weeks, but I ain't holding my breath on that.

We have a bonafide Thoroughbred leading our offense yet we keep a muzzle on him.

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Well said. I could make an argument that it cost him a national championship against Kansas as well.

 

[FlaTarHeel]

BUT...

And at the end of the season he will judged by this, fair or not. 🤷‍♂️

 

[ChiShankCity]

It is strange to me why we don't run more in the final 6-7 minutes or so. Also, we don't really run off of makes in the 2nd half. Not even to just probe.

If we had a Harrison Barnes or Tyler Hansbrough on this team, you could talk me into slowing things down and getting them the ball on every possession at their sweet spot. Those 2 guys are good enough to get either a look that you could live with, or get fouled. This team has 1 pretty good isolation player and he's a 6'0". Probably isn't going to draw a ton of fouls. Bacot has regressed in his isolation play IMO. This team needs to move the ball, run misdirections and scheme looks.

But I also don't know how many dudes on our team really want the ball in their hands when the game is on the line late. I know RJ does. He's built that way. He's not afraid to fail. Ingram's been really good all year. He's literally shooting like 85% for the season in close late game situations. But I wouldn't call him a player who's just gonna go get it late. He needs offense created for him or off offensive rebounds. I see Ryan being more hot potato at the end of the game. And it's hard to depend on Cadeau because he's an inconsistent shooter.

It's weird to me too. It's as if the team plays a little bit scared and the coaches coach a little bit scared.

Scared money don't make no money.

 

[KeeLo]

I love this photo...I think it came after an EC and-1

Mandatory Credit: Scott Kinser-USA TODAY Sports

 

[TPFKAPFS]

With such poor coaching and so many "questioning/judging" our coach it is no wonder we keep losing so many games......wait, we keep winning??? Must be luck since Hubs doesn't have any idea how to coach in the 2nd half of games and our players are too scared to even handle the ball! I wish someone would show our players or coaches this site so they could all get coached up!

I accepted this incessant second guessing of everything Hubs did when it wasn't successful. But now, especially since he has "corrected" everything peeps complained about last year & while going through an unprecedented winning campaign in the ACC and looking like a 1 seed in the Dance, I just don't get it!

Watch again, please! His set plays WORK! I hate the taking the air out of the game too, but we aren't losing those games. Cormac Ryan isn't scared of a single thing and all 5 of our starters have the cajones to take the last shot! (and most likely make it) It is idiotic to watch Ryan pass up a good shot to get a teammate a great one and then criticise him for not forcing it up! Seth does hesitate at times (far less than before), but he is also driving, dishing, rebounding, and putting the clamps on whoever is hot!

Maybe once he wins his first Natty peeps will finally remove their blinders! (I doubt it) Name an active coach who could get more out of this team! (If you have one you are wrong)

We are so blessed to have a worthy successor to DES and Roy! A man who is equal to them as a human and growing to their level as a coach!
Go Tar Heels!

 

[DSouthr]

It is strange to me why we don't run more in the final 6-7 minutes or so. Also, we don't really run off of makes in the 2nd half. Not even to just probe.

If we had a Harrison Barnes or Tyler Hansbrough on this team, you could talk me into slowing things down and getting them the ball on every possession at their sweet spot. Those 2 guys are good enough to get either a look that you could live with, or get fouled. This team has 1 pretty good isolation player and he's a 6'0". Probably isn't going to draw a ton of fouls. Bacot has regressed in his isolation play IMO. This team needs to move the ball, run misdirections and scheme looks.

But I also don't know how many dudes on our team really want the ball in their hands when the game is on the line late. I know RJ does. He's built that way. He's not afraid to fail. Ingram's been really good all year. He's literally shooting like 85% for the season in close late game situations. But I wouldn't call him a player who's just gonna go get it late. He needs offense created for him or off offensive rebounds. I see Ryan being more hot potato at the end of the game. And it's hard to depend on Cadeau because he's an inconsistent shooter.

It's weird to me too. It's as if the team plays a little bit scared and the coaches coach a little bit scared.

Scared money don't make no money.

There is not a single starter that we have that does not want the ball in their hands for a last second shot, not one. Every single one of them has taken and made huge shots this season at very important times of the games.

Bacot regressed? No he hasn't, do you not realize that the kid is being constantly fronted and worked to deny the pass in to him and gets consistent back side help when he is able to catch the pass? Why do you think Ingram gets so many open looks? Ingram can't create for himself? What do you think Ingram is doing when he is backing down a defender as we see him do constantly, getting a back massage?

 

[DSouthr]

With such poor coaching and so many "questioning/judging" our coach it is no wonder we keep losing so many games......wait, we keep winning??? Must be luck since Hubs doesn't have any idea how to coach in the 2nd half of games and our players are too scared to even handle the ball! I wish someone would show our players or coaches this site so they could all get coached up!

I accepted this incessant second guessing of everything Hubs did when it wasn't successful. But now, especially since he has "corrected" everything peeps complained about last year & while going through an unprecedented winning campaign in the ACC and looking like a 1 seed in the Dance, I just don't get it!

Watch again, please! His set plays WORK! I hate the taking the air out of the game too, but we aren't losing those games. Cormac Ryan isn't scared of a single thing and all 5 of our starters have the cajones to take the last shot! (and most likely make it) It is idiotic to watch Ryan pass up a good shot to get a teammate a great one and then criticise him for not forcing it up! Seth does hesitate at times (far less than before), but he is also driving, dishing, rebounding, and putting the clamps on whoever is hot!

Maybe once he wins his first Natty peeps will finally remove their blinders! (I doubt it) Name an active coach who could get more out of this team! (If you have one you are wrong)

We are so blessed to have a worthy successor to DES and Roy! A man who is equal to them as a human and growing to their level as a coach!
Go Tar Heels!

I have shared what I have liked with Hubert's coaching this season as well as what I find concerning and I think I have been fair in both. I loved the emphasis in pre-season and early season to push the tempo, get it out and run but I have watched as that has slowed way down. While it was a given that when RJ was our PG the game was going to slow to a half court pace but when Cadeau was in early season were out and running but even that has really slowed down now? I loved when we got out and ran and doing so very few set plays were coming from the bench and yet as this season has progressed, less and less running, slower tempo, and now mostly set play calls? That is slippage from early season to now on issues that I think we considered universally needed by this team.

There is a time and a place for set calls but I think this team is better when it plays with in precepts more so than set plays and I worry that we spend to much time on set plays and not enough on teaching precepts of our free lance motion offense, from what I see.

I don't care what profession it is, it is a rookie mistake that many new managers make, in the business world we call it micro managing, in sports we tend to call it over coaching, it is basically the very same thing. That new first time manager feels the responsibility for the results but they can not themselves provide the action needed for the result they need, they have to get it done thru other people, and the mistake is trying to control that out come by requiring his people to have everything they do scripted and controlled by that manager, all the sudden no one loves that work place and the results are not what they could be. Trust your people, trust that you have trained them properly and if they are not take responsibility and action to correct things. It was up to the manager or coach to bring in the people he has, it was up to them to train those people, and the results will dictate if that manager is going to be successful or not. That manager or coach has to consistently self evaluate and not regress to bad habits if he expects his people to not regress. Great managers build great work teams that are invested in the result, that allows them the freedom to do what needs to be done to drive the desired results. Coaches are managers, the definition being one who gets things done thru other people, not one that builds clones of themselves.

 

[2DDIMOND]

With such poor coaching and so many "questioning/judging" our coach it is no wonder we keep losing so many games......wait, we keep winning??? Must be luck since Hubs doesn't have any idea how to coach in the 2nd half of games and our players are too scared to even handle the ball! I wish someone would show our players or coaches this site so they could all get coached up!

I accepted this incessant second guessing of everything Hubs did when it wasn't successful. But now, especially since he has "corrected" everything peeps complained about last year & while going through an unprecedented winning campaign in the ACC and looking like a 1 seed in the Dance, I just don't get it!

Watch again, please! His set plays WORK! I hate the taking the air out of the game too, but we aren't losing those games. Cormac Ryan isn't scared of a single thing and all 5 of our starters have the cajones to take the last shot! (and most likely make it) It is idiotic to watch Ryan pass up a good shot to get a teammate a great one and then criticise him for not forcing it up! Seth does hesitate at times (far less than before), but he is also driving, dishing, rebounding, and putting the clamps on whoever is hot!

Maybe once he wins his first Natty peeps will finally remove their blinders! (I doubt it) Name an active coach who could get more out of this team! (If you have one you are wrong)

We are so blessed to have a worthy successor to DES and Roy! A man who is equal to them as a human and growing to their level as a coach!
Go Tar Heels!

I think Huberts taking the air out of the ball earlier against State had more of a purpose and game plan. I noticed EC splitting defenders and getting into the paint where he was more dangerous. That looked much different than previous games where we passed the ball around until RJ went to work with less than 5 seconds on the shot clock.

 

[gary-7]

With such poor coaching and so many "questioning/judging" our coach it is no wonder we keep losing so many games......wait, we keep winning??? Must be luck since Hubs doesn't have any idea how to coach in the 2nd half of games and our players are too scared to even handle the ball! I wish someone would show our players or coaches this site so they could all get coached up!

I accepted this incessant second guessing of everything Hubs did when it wasn't successful. But now, especially since he has "corrected" everything peeps complained about last year & while going through an unprecedented winning campaign in the ACC and looking like a 1 seed in the Dance, I just don't get it!

Watch again, please! His set plays WORK! I hate the taking the air out of the game too, but we aren't losing those games. Cormac Ryan isn't scared of a single thing and all 5 of our starters have the cajones to take the last shot! (and most likely make it) It is idiotic to watch Ryan pass up a good shot to get a teammate a great one and then criticise him for not forcing it up! Seth does hesitate at times (far less than before), but he is also driving, dishing, rebounding, and putting the clamps on whoever is hot!

Maybe once he wins his first Natty peeps will finally remove their blinders! (I doubt it) Name an active coach who could get more out of this team! (If you have one you are wrong)

We are so blessed to have a worthy successor to DES and Roy! A man who is equal to them as a human and growing to their level as a coach!
Go Tar Heels!

Look, this critique is not to say everything is wrong. It is simply a valid critique and BTW, one shared by some who played for Dean.

We are a team that functions best in transition and playing at fast tempo. Yes, we have good set plays, but there's no good reason to be slowing things down at the under-8 (especially when EC is on the floor). Unlike the 4 Corners days, the short shot-clock actually works against you when you slow down as it sometimes forces bad shots late-clock --- it's like running the Corners with both teams knowing you hafta shoot at a deadline.

 

[TPFKAPFS]

FTR: I'm reacting to weeks of critique and not any one person; I see way too much critique, even after fun, hard fought wins and I am fed up! I also prefer to play fast and I loved the warp speed of Roy's best teams! 8 minutes in the game & my team takes the foot off the gas-makes me cringe inside! (If we are going to do it, I would prefer the 4C with the ball in EC's hands also) I think DES is a Saint as well as a great coach and his players are almost part of my blood family BUT this ain't then! I coached High School, AAU, and had chances at college assistant coach jobs, but I could NOT coach these kids! These players are not the same and these players require a firm hand! (but you must wrap it in a velvet glove!) I deal with this generation all day 24/ 7 and I can tell you with certainty that if you employ the methods of the past you will miss them totally! Dean's players (and you) know a great deal of basketball and many of them were basically coaches on the floor, but modern players do not grow up being coached hard and taught the fundamentals. They grow up being coddled by parents, coaches, handlers, and every person in their lives! They are taught that fancy beats fundamental because it gets you clicks and $$$ from NIL! They are media stars by the time they hit middle school and if you don't tell them constantly how great they are, they will sabotage your team on purpose! AND despite all this, Hubs has turned our ship around and restored our glory! Don't take my words for it: AJ, Adam Lucas, and many others agree that:

"For the first time in five years, North Carolina has entered the final week of the regular season not fretting about its NCAA Tournament bubble status, but rather sitting atop the ACC standings and in serious contention for a potential 18th No. 1 seed."

And it is all thanks to Hubs!
(The critique is fair, but believing in results ain't too bad either)

Beat ND & puke-Go Tar Heels!

 

[FlaTarHeel]

TPFK you get offended at pretty anyone questioning the tactics that HD and staff employ. I get it, and even felt the same way at times in his first 2 years but it's year 3 and time to look at all the facts.

#1 The run is his first year was pretty much a miracle, and as much as it hurts to say may never happen again.
Brady Manek, Mando, and Caleb Love is particular went nuclear from the Sweet 16 to the first 20 minutes of the NC game.

#2 He sh-- the bed in season two and nothing you say otherwise will change that. NOTHING at all. That blame lies with him, not CL and not the rest of the team.
Guys like Trez Styles, Dunn, Justin McCoy have proven that they could have helped us make another title run if given more that 3 minutes a game. But instead he ran the same 6 guys in the ground until they couldn't defend at a high level nor make shots late in games.

#3 The thought(excuse) was that it wasn't "his" team and wait until he gets "his" players to play in "his" system. Which I find laughable considering the comments HE himself made before last season.

#4 We are playing much better last season and even a non-basketball person can see it. Notice I said WE are playing better. That happens when the balls goes through the basket. And how do i know that? Because I have also coached at every level(HS/AAU/Small College).

#5 To re-visit #4...Is he coaching better than last season? It sure looked like it early on, but many of us basketball minds are now seeing the same nonsense over the last month that we saw for 90% of the 2022-2023 year.

#6 My final thought..... There's alot of basketball left in the season I pray, but anything less than an Elite 8 with "his" roster and probably the last 6"11 245 monster that commits to a program for 4 years, will be a failure.
POINT, BLANK, PERIOD!!!!!!

 

[sdingeldein]

Y'all should read David Sisk's answer to a question about Hubert as a coach. He had nothing but positive things to say about the job he's done this year.

 

[ChiShankCity]

TPFK you get offended at pretty anyone questioning the tactics that HD and staff employ. I get it, and even felt the same way at times in his first 2 years but it's year 3 and time to look at all the facts.

#1 The run is his first year was pretty much a miracle, and as much as it hurts to say may never happen again.
Brady Manek, Mando, and Caleb Love is particular went nuclear from the Sweet 16 to the first 20 minutes of the NC game.

#2 He sh-- the bed in season two and nothing you say otherwise will change that. NOTHING at all. That blame lies with him, not CL and not the rest of the team.
Guys like Trez Styles, Dunn, Justin McCoy have proven that they could have helped us make another title run if given more that 3 minutes a game. But instead he ran the same 6 guys in the ground until they couldn't defend at a high level nor make shots late in games.

Complete failure of logic here. You're saying the 2021-2022 run was pretty much a miracle. I can take away from that statement that you didn't think the 2022 team was all that good. They just got ridiculously hot at the right time and caught a bracket break with St. Peters. Right? So that team wasn't all that good.

So then, how the hell did the 2022-2023 team go to being National Championship contenders if they played the bench more? That was the same exact team (minus Manek) that was no good the season prior. Why did expectations change so drastically? Because they made a miracle run? That's a complete failure of logic. If that 2021-22 team was not good, it's very unlikely that the 2022-23 team was good to begin with. And probably even less likely they would've been good enough if a bunch of role players played more.

So what is it? #1 and #2 both cannot be true.

I also don't get the continuous adoration for last year's bench, lol.

(FLA blocked me so I know I won't get any response from him, lol)