Quick stuff (UVA game - ACCT)...

[gary-7]

...and this was about old-school fundamentals.

Look, we beat UVA in a rock-fight for 2 big reasons --- defense and rebounding.

- Honestly, I could almost stop right here: I dunno who on the staff came up with the idea of putting Leaky on Clarke, but he should get a bonus. Clarke is the what makes them function and Leaky prevented most of his usual shenanigans of floaters and sneaky 3s, as well as interfering with his entry passes and baby lobs. Moreover, their roster is a PG and a bunch o' 3s. 4s and 5s. Without a secondary ball-handler that made this tactic even more effective.

- Speaking of defense, we did mostly a good job of moving our feet and covering their rolls and getting our hands in gaps, and kudos to Manek for his job on #1.

- The other way to thwart Tony's teams is to keep their rough asses off the offensive glass. This was the best job of old-school blocking-out I've seen in several years. Mando wasn't scoring but he did the dirty work, and the Guards even got involved. By my count they only got 2 offensive boards all game. I'd like to see the last time that happened to a UVA team.

- Pitching what amounted to shut-out for the lion's share of the first half, all we needed was someone to make some shots (after an initial brick-laying fest), and enter Birdy Manek, who outscored UVA for the half. Just wow.

- Good to see early subs again, and UVA's personnel allowed us to go BIG when we did, with Leaky (and even Puff for a bit) manning the 2. Also good to see McKoy feeling spry again and showing up well against his former team. I was worried about ball-security vs UVA's phalanx of illegal bumper-pool "hedges" --- especially with friggin Luckie and Ayers seemingly stalking us --- and sure enough the contact went uncalled for 30 minutes but we only coughed it up a couple times.

- All I wanted to see in the second half was maintaining focus, and it got spotty at times, but when they adjusted to Manek we took advantage enough, with Caleb finally finding his range and Mando working without a double-team. We reverted to a few bad habits and things got sloppy but we still played enough defense and blocked out enough to coast home, with the added bonus of starters not having to extend themselves.

Anyway, dominate-and-advance beats hell outta survive-and-advance, and hopefully we can summon the defensive intensity again tomorrow, when we'll be facing a hungry (actual) bubble team... but it sure feels extra-nice to beat UVA twice in a season, huh?. Let's make that a habit...

 

[Rabidfrog]

- Leaky’s defense was phenomenal, definitely had a little chip on his shoulder playing opposite defensive player of the year
- Brady’s offense when he starts clicking gives me Danny Green vibes

 

[Steat]

I'll probably get laughed off the board, but Manek could lead the Heels to the Sweet 16. I'll stop here....

That's Brady MF Manek....

 

[Archer2]

I'll probably get laughed off the board, but Manek could lead the Heels to the Sweet 16. I'll stop here....

That's Brady MF Manek....

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Those highlights showed his game is more than just shooting spot up threes. I really like that young man.

 

[imajericho]

UNC if their shooting can stay hot can win the natty. The problem is if they go cold, they could lose by 20 to a mid major.

 

[FlaTarHeel]

- Honestly, I could almost stop right here: I dunno who on the staff came up with the idea of putting Leaky on Clarke, but he should get a bonus. Clarke is the what makes them function and Leaky prevented most of his usual shenanigans of floaters and sneaky 3s, as well as interfering with his entry passes and baby lobs. Moreover, their roster is a PG and a bunch o' 3s. 4s and 5s. Without a secondary ball-handler that made this tactic even more effective.

- Pitching what amounted to shut-out for the lion's share of the first half, all we needed was someone to make some shots (after an initial brick-laying fest), and enter Birdy Manek, who outscored UVA for the half. Just wow.

- Good to see early subs again, and UVA's personnel allowed us to go BIG when we did, with Leaky (and even Puff for a bit) manning the 2. Also good to see McKoy feeling spry again and showing up well against his former team. I was worried about ball-security vs UVA's phalanx of illegal bumper-pool "hedges" --- especially with friggin Luckie and Ayers seemingly stalking us --- and sure enough the contact went uncalled for 30 minutes but we only coughed it up a couple times.

1. The first thing that came to my mind considering Tony is the best coach in the country and our coach should still be fired. Maybe one of these message board gurus got to word to the staff to put Leaky on him.

2. The scouting report says don't give Brady an open look but now he's putting the ball the floor with confidence. Whoa..... 😮

3. I still think McCoy can help us. Hopefully he can have a good tourney run and build on it for next year.

4. That little rug rat Kihei Clark fouls 50 times a game and gets called for 2. Its ridiculous what he gets away with.

 

[Bubspub88]

That game to me showed how far this team has grown and the mental focus has developed this year. In November or December if Love and Davis were missing early and double teams were frustrating Bacot on offense the team would just check out on the defensive end. There were early games where one hot guy kept UNC in the contest early but not a time when UNC really pulled away against D1 teams simply because they were locking down an opponent on the other end.

I was curious to see how much of that halftime lead would be eliminated and was surprised to see it was maintained. I still don't see a consistent identity from this team but they are showing they can win in different ways, and going into March that is critical.

Va Tech scares me - beating a good team 3 times is hard, Hokies are still in the bubble talk and Mike Young has VT playing with unbelievable balance (not really one guy on the perimeter Leaky can take away and force them to adjust). I think a loss puts UNC 8/9 seed while a W could bump them to 7.

Overall a nice W but no reason to be satisfied. Heels need to come out hot and make VT work on the defensive end. Hopefully if it comes down to the end still close the Hokies' legs will start feeling that burn from 3 games.

 

[Indy_Heel]

Still don’t see how Williams won DPOY besides the obvious. How times has he been called upon to shut down the other teams best player? Has he ever guarded away from the basket? Leaky set the tone early by the D he played on Clarke. 6’8” guy guarding Clarke…

I’ve never liked watching games where the crowd is blacked out and just the floor is illuminated. That has to do something to a shooters depth perception. Granted they should be able to adjust but after watching everyone throwing up bricks that wasn’t named Manek in the first half, made me think. Seems like this year when Bacot is off he cant hit the easiest of shots. When he’s on he’s hot and can’t miss even with his body contorted. I did noticed last night when they got up he almost looked like he was trying things. Like two possessions in a row spinning to right shooting lefty. One he tried was about a 10’ fall away brick shot.

I must admit in the second half I was getting a little pissed when UVA was getting desperate on there pressure. UNC was just dribbling the ball up top the whole shot clock and not passing it around then heaving up a desperation shot. Because every game we sucked this year that’s what we did. Once I calmed down and noticed who was on the court, I realized I’m pretty sure it was by design. There was still a lot of time left (I think over 7min) and you had Puff, McCoy, and Dunn (for a small stint) with Davis running PG. I started thinking bigger picture as we are able to sub our key guys getting them rest for 3 games in 3 days. The stall seemed to work better though once UNC started moving the ball more. Did Manek play in the last 5min? Puff and McKoy both had 17 min, Dunn 4, Styles and Walton with 3. Even though Bacot had 33 min he had multiple rests in there.

Unlike other games this year, the team seemed locked in even when the shots weren’t falling. Probably had something to do with UVA bricking shots as well, but I’ll take it. It was funny to see the halftime score Manek 19 UVA 13.

 

[gary-7]

1. The first thing that came to my mind considering Tony is the best coach in the country and our coach should still be fired. Maybe one of these message board gurus got to word to the staff to put Leaky on him.

Just read Adam's column and it was Hubert himself who noticed Clarke being the key to them getting any consistent offense, just as I did while watching the Louisville game --- great minds --- and moving Leaky onto him threw UVA for a loop. Surprsingly, Tony never adjunsted to iso RJ, who was as a result, guarding a bigger guy.

 

[TarHeelMark]

Leaky's versatility is why he deserved DPOY. He can guard and shut down just about any position. The dook guy is basically just a rim protector, right?

 

[TarHeelTroy]

Agreed on Leaky deserving DPOY. Mark Williams is obviously good at D, but he is 9 feet long so yeah he is going to block shots. I saw he blocked a Syracuse player under the basket without jumping. Just standing there with his arms up. Nobody in the ACC is as versatile or works harder at D than Leaky Black.

 

[midline]

Not sure what happened to the talent at Virginia, but they are awful. But I will enjoy it as it won't last long as Bennett has some talent coming, and with talent, they are very difficult to play.

 

[DSouthr]

A funny thing happens in the ACCT, especially for the teams that have those 2 first round byes. Sitting around watching other teams play and then when your time to take the court comes you face a team that has already played at least a game if not 2 in the tourney. For example, we pulled the dreaded late game, so our guys hung around, watching games on TV, getting a rather brief shoot around to adjust to the arena views, a long way away from home, itching to play but having to wait, for a tip time that is just not comfortable for them. Having played at least 1 full game already, the opponents have a monster shoot around under their belts, they have the feel of the environment, some of them already have that feel of their shots flowing and we had to start from scratch. It is a sneaky advantage those teams have that had to play their way in this tourney to yesterdays games have.

Now we played really well defensively, that is why we were the only team to win yesterdays games by a solid margin but our offense was not as crisp, our shooting was a bit off. We won in more of a work man like blue collar way and that is important in a tourney like this and a game like that. But I am speaking to a slight advantage those already warmed up teams have over the teams coming out cold for the first time in this kind of format.

But that switch tends to switch back after the quarter final games because now the teams that played yesterday for the first time are warmed up, have been able to play thru yesterdays nervous energy. They now have the chance to play against teams that have played at least 2 games in 2 days and at times 3 games in 3 days already, fatigue begins to set in hard, legs start to tire and shots begin to come up short from even good shooters. VT has now played 2 games (one going to OT and the other being really pressure packed) that can tend to take a lot out of you. You see a lot more fouls occur because tired legs results in more reaching. This tends to really show itself late first half and for a good bit of second halves in games like this.

This being the ACCT things do not always play to form, most often the ACCT title game is not played by the teams you expect to be there, we have come close but so far not really any shocking upsets, well other than Wake and maybe that was not as shocking because it seemed the rest of the league began to catch up to Wake as the regular season progressed.

What should happen tonight is VT will come out swinging early on (that initial surge of emotion of being in the semi finals of the ACCT and playing that under dawg role). But if we can stand our ground, take their early blows, and fight back those already played 2 games in the last 2 days legs will start to get heavy. We just can not let them put us in a deep hole by half time that we have to fight back out of. If we can keep it close or go in to the half with a decent margin (with no problematic foul trouble), we should be fine. Bacot going in to the half time locker rook with no more than 1 first half foul will be important so don't pick up any cheap ones in that first half Bacot, may at times have to let a guy go in that first half because Bacot not picking up a second foul (Manek to) is more important than a 2pt basket given up. Get to the second half and then tighten it up.

Really like to see us pound it inside in the first half, go at Alluma and the Mutt, try to draw them in to foul trouble, realize their legs are not fresh and VT must keep those 2 in the game for huge minutes. WE have a real length advantage out of the 3 spot with Leaky or Puff, how about we invert and try to post Leaky on a smaller guard in the paint or force them to switch a big on Leaky and kick to Manek for a spot up over a short guard? If RJ and Love can take good shots and not start forcing harder looks as they have been prone to do over the course of this season this one should come out with a great ending. So far our guards have dome much better limiting the TOs and taking better shots both are going to be really important tonight.

 

[DSouthr]

Not sure what happened to the talent at Virginia, but they are awful. But I will enjoy it as it won't last long as Bennett has some talent coming, and with talent, they are very difficult to play.

I think a lot of Va looking so bad yesterday you should blame on UNC! Moving Leaky onto Clark, masterful move, it allowed our best defender to in essence cut off the head of the snake, in doing so they had nothing else.