Raymond Felton and Theo Pinson point to PG...

[imajericho]

North Carolina legend and 2005 Bob Cousy Award winner Raymond Felton shared his thoughts on the state of the UNC basketball roster following the Tar Heels' 87-70 loss at Duke on Saturday. Felton pointed to deficiencies in the team's frontcourt as a reason for UNC's disappointing 13-10 start to the season and also criticized the play of point guard Elliot Cadeau on a recent podcast appearance.

"We need two bigs. We need a point guard, too," Felton said following the Duke game, via Run Your Race. "I like the kid (Cadeau) as a kid. He's a good kid. We need a point guard. He's got a lot to learn, shall I say. A lot of the decisions he makes going to the basket. He plays a lot of bully ball, but he's not a bully. He tries to go to the basket and run people over."

Cadeau scored eight points on 3-of-10 shooting against Duke and committed a team-high eight turnovers. The sophomore point guard leads the ACC with 73 turnovers in 23 games this season (3.2 avg.), eclipsing his turnover total from last season at 67 in 37 games (1.8 avg.). He committed five of UNC's first nine turnovers against Duke.


"Some of the passes he makes in the winning times of the game [are questionable]," Felton said of Cadeau. "Let's go back a game. The bounce pass he made against Pitt when we were up two with two minutes left in the game. We got the ball. We got in position. You don't make that bounce pass to that big when he's running through traffic. That's not Sean May, I'm sorry. Sean May had some of the best hands of any big I ever played with. I could have made that pass to Sean May, and he would've caught it. I knew that as a point guard. He's been playing with these bigs all year. He knows his players. For him to make that pass in crunch time is absurd to me. I'm not saying he's the reason we are losing. We are losing for a lot of reasons. We need to get a lot in the transfer portal."

Felton's co-host, 2017 national champion Theo Pinson, also shared disappointment in how the point guard position is being played at UNC this season. Cadeau is on pace to average the highest turnovers for any Tar Heel since Cole Anthony averaged 3.5 as a freshman in the 2019-20 season.

"The point guard position is very pivotal for us, and it's not being played at a high level," Pinson said. "That's just me calling a spade a spade. It's not being played at a high level. Our margin of error is too thin for us to be making those decisions at the end of games. It's not getting played at a high level."

 

[What Would Jesus Do?]

The sophomore point guard leads the ACC with 73 turnovers in 23 games this season (3.2 avg.), eclipsing his turnover total from last season at 67 in 37 games (1.8 avg.).

Yikes! I had no idea it was that rough.

As you might guess from those numbers, Elliot's Assist-to-Turnover Ratio has also slipped from 2.24:1 last year to 1.89:1 this year.

How bad is that?

Player as a Soph	Assists:Turnovers
Felton	2.09
Lawson	2.36
Drew	1.83
Marshall	3.48
Paige	1.96
Berry	2.44
Love	1.24
Davis	1.92
Cadeau	1.89

Last year he had Armando, Harrison and Cormac for targets. Pretty good hands. Certainly better hands than our current font line. And yet, we play a lot of 3 and 4-guard lineups. And those guys have good hands, too.

 

[What Would Jesus Do?]

In case anyone is wondering, while RJ has a pretty good 2.34 ratio this season, he's the only one better than Elliot. In fact, Trimble is the only other player on the team with an A:TO better than 1.0. His is 1.39.

If you're Hubert, your choices aren't great.

Might have to cut Hubert some slack on this.

Some slack, but he isn't off the hook. After all, it's the coach's job to develop these guys.

 

[What Would Jesus Do?]

Final thought (maybe) on relative Assist-to-TO Ratio. RJ's ratio was 2.34 last year. It's 2.34 again this year. Elliot's ratio fell, but RJ's didn't. So while the loss of Armando, Ingram and Ryan doubtless makes it harder, it can't be the whole reason.

 

[GAtarheel79]

In case anyone is wondering, while RJ has a pretty good 2.34 ratio this season, he's the only one better than Elliot. In fact, Trimble is the only other player on the team with an A:TO better than 1.0. His is 1.39.

If you're Hubert, your choices aren't great.

Might have to cut Hubert some slack on this.

Some slack, but he isn't off the hook. After all, it's the coach's job to develop these guys.

He also played a key role in their recruitment, even under Roy. However, I'm still pulling for them every game and for Hubert and his staff to improve their in-game decisions and long-term player options for the future.

 

[What Would Jesus Do?]

He also played a key role in their recruitment, even under Roy. However, I'm still pulling for them every game and for Hubert and his staff to improve their in-game decisions and long-term player options for the future.

Definitely. They're my team.

It's like mothers. We may be critical, but nobody else is allowed.

 

[DSouthr]

In case anyone is wondering, while RJ has a pretty good 2.34 ratio this season, he's the only one better than Elliot. In fact, Trimble is the only other player on the team with an A:TO better than 1.0. His is 1.39.

If you're Hubert, your choices aren't great.

Might have to cut Hubert some slack on this.

Some slack, but he isn't off the hook. After all, it's the coach's job to develop these guys.

I see Cadeau differently than most seem to, his athleticism is unquestionable. I would call him a Tesla of point guards, maybe genius in that he seems to be able to process things n his mind faster than anyone else. And you may say well that should have him playing better than any one else, not really. Being able to see things on the court before they really open up is an amazing ability b ut being 1 step ahead of everyone else is as bad as being a step behind everyone else, means you struggle to stay in sync with everyone else. It is like a QB that throws to a spot rather than to a WR, it only works out well if that WR goes to the correct exact spot, if he doesn't the whole thing looks like a clown show.

All genius seems a bit crazy to most folks, Cadeau seems to move between amazing displays of ability to absolute WTF moments and then the lack of maturity shows itself, he will do something so bone headed to defy logic. It is like spinning an old 45 record at 78 rather than 45. It sounds horrible, it is like The Chipmunks singing Stairway to Heaven and you thinking, worst song I ever heard? In his head the kid is feeling I didn't do anything wrong, the other guys didn't do what he was supposed to not realizing that Lubin is actually NOT Sean May. he doesn't understand why everyone doers not see what he does & the whole thing falls apart.

 

[chickenhunter]

North Carolina legend and 2005 Bob Cousy Award winner Raymond Felton shared his thoughts on the state of the UNC basketball roster following the Tar Heels' 87-70 loss at Duke on Saturday. Felton pointed to deficiencies in the team's frontcourt as a reason for UNC's disappointing 13-10 start to the season and also criticized the play of point guard Elliot Cadeau on a recent podcast appearance.

"We need two bigs. We need a point guard, too," Felton said following the Duke game, via Run Your Race. "I like the kid (Cadeau) as a kid. He's a good kid. We need a point guard. He's got a lot to learn, shall I say. A lot of the decisions he makes going to the basket. He plays a lot of bully ball, but he's not a bully. He tries to go to the basket and run people over."

Cadeau scored eight points on 3-of-10 shooting against Duke and committed a team-high eight turnovers. The sophomore point guard leads the ACC with 73 turnovers in 23 games this season (3.2 avg.), eclipsing his turnover total from last season at 67 in 37 games (1.8 avg.). He committed five of UNC's first nine turnovers against Duke.


"Some of the passes he makes in the winning times of the game [are questionable]," Felton said of Cadeau. "Let's go back a game. The bounce pass he made against Pitt when we were up two with two minutes left in the game. We got the ball. We got in position. You don't make that bounce pass to that big when he's running through traffic. That's not Sean May, I'm sorry. Sean May had some of the best hands of any big I ever played with. I could have made that pass to Sean May, and he would've caught it. I knew that as a point guard. He's been playing with these bigs all year. He knows his players. For him to make that pass in crunch time is absurd to me. I'm not saying he's the reason we are losing. We are losing for a lot of reasons. We need to get a lot in the transfer portal."

North Carolina legend and 2005 Bob Cousy Award winner Raymond Felton shared his thoughts on the state of the UNC basketball roster following the Tar Heels' 87-70 loss at Duke on Saturday. Felton pointed to deficiencies in the team's frontcourt as a reason for UNC's disappointing 13-10 start to the season and also criticized the play of point guard Elliot Cadeau on a recent podcast appearance.

"We need two bigs. We need a point guard, too," Felton said following the Duke game, via Run Your Race. "I like the kid (Cadeau) as a kid. He's a good kid. We need a point guard. He's got a lot to learn, shall I say. A lot of the decisions he makes going to the basket. He plays a lot of bully ball, but he's not a bully. He tries to go to the basket and run people over."

Cadeau scored eight points on 3-of-10 shooting against Duke and committed a team-high eight turnovers. The sophomore point guard leads the ACC with 73 turnovers in 23 games this season (3.2 avg.), eclipsing his turnover total from last season at 67 in 37 games (1.8 avg.). He committed five of UNC's first nine turnovers against Duke.


"Some of the passes he makes in the winning times of the game [are questionable]," Felton said of Cadeau. "Let's go back a game. The bounce pass he made against Pitt when we were up two with two minutes left in the game. We got the ball. We got in position. You don't make that bounce pass to that big when he's running through traffic. That's not Sean May, I'm sorry. Sean May had some of the best hands of any big I ever played with. I could have made that pass to Sean May, and he would've caught it. I knew that as a point guard. He's been playing with these bigs all year. He knows his players. For him to make that pass in crunch time is absurd to me. I'm not saying he's the reason we are losing. We are losing for a lot of reasons. We need to get a lot in the transfer portal."

Felton's co-host, 2017 national champion Theo Pinson, also shared disappointment in how the point guard position is being played at UNC this season. Cadeau is on pace to average the highest turnovers for any Tar Heel since Cole Anthony averaged 3.5 as a freshman in the 2019-20 season.

"The point guard position is very pivotal for us, and it's not being played at a high level," Pinson said. "That's just me calling a spade a spade. It's not being played at a high level. Our margin of error is too thin for us to be making those decisions at the end of games. It's not getting played at a high level."

When I coached basketball, one of the key things I would tell my team is to KYP...Know Your Personnel. If you know the players have bad hands, dont try to pass them to ball in traffic. You should know your teammates strengths and weaknesses.

 

[What Would Jesus Do?]

I see Cadeau differently than most seem to, his athleticism is unquestionable. I would call him a Tesla of point guards, maybe genius in that he seems to be able to process things n his mind faster than anyone else. And you may say well that should have him playing better than any one else, not really. Being able to see things on the court before they really open up is an amazing ability b ut being 1 step ahead of everyone else is as bad as being a step behind everyone else, means you struggle to stay in sync with everyone else. It is like a QB that throws to a spot rather than to a WR, it only works out well if that WR goes to the correct exact spot, if he doesn't the whole thing looks like a clown show.

All genius seems a bit crazy to most folks, Cadeau seems to move between amazing displays of ability to absolute WTF moments and then the lack of maturity shows itself, he will do something so bone headed to defy logic. It is like spinning an old 45 record at 78 rather than 45. It sounds horrible, it is like The Chipmunks singing Stairway to Heaven and you thinking, worst song I ever heard? In his head the kid is feeling I didn't do anything wrong, the other guys didn't do what he was supposed to not realizing that Lubin is actually NOT Sean May. he doesn't understand why everyone doers not see what he does & the whole thing falls apart.

You're describing Larry Drew.

 

[bluetoe]

It sounds horrible, it is like The Chipmunks singing Stairway to Heaven and you thinking, worst song I ever heard?

aside from agreeing or not agreeing with any point you're making, I'll be borrowing this to try to make points of my own..

 

[bluetoe]

I don't know basketball as well as most here probably do, and I haven't followed this board enough to know if this has been discussed...but one thing that puzzles and befuddles me is the repeated PG (and other) attack of the basket when the other team knows what we are going to do and easily snuffs it. Is this just a trait of the players or are they being coached this way?

As ignorant of BB strategy as I am, I really think I could devise something more effective. But maybe it's just me.

 

[What Would Jesus Do?]

When I coached basketball, one of the key things I would tell my team is to KYP...Know Your Personnel. If you know the players have bad hands, dont try to pass them to ball in traffic. You should know your teammates strengths and weaknesses.

The thing is, where does that leave the guy with the ball? If you have too many players you can't pass to, and the coaches won't run plays to get them open for the easy catch, then you're going to end up with a lot of dribbling and east-west movement.

 

[DSouthr]

I don't know basketball as well as most here probably do, and I haven't followed this board enough to know if this has been discussed...but one thing that puzzles and befuddles me is the repeated PG (and other) attack of the basket when the other team knows what we are going to do and easily snuffs it. Is this just a trait of the players or are they being coached this way?

As ignorant of BB strategy as I am, I really think I could devise something more effective. But maybe it's just me.

Rather than my answer that, let me suggest you watch the pod cast from AJ and David Sisk, hits to the heart of what you are asking.

 

[_B5]

This is when you say just because you played at the highest level doesn’t mean you have a great basketball iq.

Now I will be the first to admit that Elliot has made some questionable decisions over the past two months. But we all must admit it’s not like this offense makes it easy for him. He feels like he has to force passes because they’re no easy ways to get buckets in this offense in the half court. There are no back screens, no pindowns, no flare or flat screen, and no crosses. We just run a pick and pop/roll at the top of the key, every damn play with the wrong players.

 

[dtodd4475]

I think what is a glaring difference to me is that not only was Ray a more efficient assist to turnover guy, he was an absolute bucket. Driving and finishing and developed into a 3ball shooter, little bully as he put it.

If you are a minus scorer, you better be Marshall on assist to turnover ratio. Elliot to this point is still a Kendall scoring threat, and a under 2:1 assist to turnover guy.

 

[bluetoe]

Rather than my answer that, let me suggest you watch the pod cast from AJ and David Sisk, hits to the heart of what you are asking.

thanks, I took your advice even though I'm not a podcast sort of fan. But I listened to the entire thing and AJ and Sisk were informative enough that it made me realize I didn't even know as much as the little I thought I did.. And I must have learned something, gauging by how much more depressed I am now.

 

[What Would Jesus Do?]

I must have learned something, gauging by how much more depressed I am now.

LOL. Same here.

 

[Quest4Seven]

I think what is a glaring difference to me is that not only was Ray a more efficient assist to turnover guy, he was an absolute bucket. Driving and finishing and developed into a 3ball shooter, little bully as he put it.

If you are a minus scorer, you better be Marshall on assist to turnover ratio. Elliot to this point is still a Kendall scoring threat, and a under 2:1 assist to turnover guy.

Ray played with 3 first round picks

 

[Quest4Seven]

I cant get behind this take. Look how bad the offense is when he’s off the floor. Every pass he has to make is tight window because theres no movement and theres no spacing because theres no consistent shooting and no respectable big. Cadeau might look like a lung tumor right now but Hubert and his system and roster have been the pack of cigarettes a day you smoked

 

[What Would Jesus Do?]

To be fair, Kendall Marshall played with these guys

Tyler Zeller​

John Henson​

Harrison Barnes​

Reggie Bullock​

Dexter Strickland​

PJ Hairston​

JM McAdoo​

I'm not saying Elliot would have a 3.48 A:TO ratio, but it would surely be a lot better.

Meanwhile, Felton played with these guys

Sean May​

Jawad Williams​

Rashad McCants​

Melvin Scott​

Jackie Manuel​

David Noel​

Byron Sanders​

Those guys weren't chopped liver either.

Ian Jackson reminds of McCants (scoring-wise)
Drake Powell has a bit of Barnes in his game
RJ could be a match for Melvin or Reggie (as a soph)
But we don't have anyone like Zeller, Henson, May or Jawad for EC to pass to (or convert his misses)

 

[90sWoollenGymRat]

Cadeau this year does not have a legit big man to feed the ball. He also does not have consistent 3pt shooting support to help his driving game.

This off season Davis or whoever is our coach will need 2 more big men outside Wilson coming in and 2 more 3pt shooters or else it could be a long season.

I seriously doubt anyone wants Cadeau to leave us and we rely on a green FR at PG.

 

[NathanFielder]

Cadeau this year does not have a legit big man to feed the ball. He also does not have consistent 3pt shooting support to help his driving game.

This off season Davis or whoever is our coach will need 2 more big men outside Wilson coming in and 2 more 3pt shooters or else it could be a long season.

I seriously doubt anyone wants Cadeau to leave us and we rely on a green FR at PG.

It all depends who’s around the PG next season. Cadeau needs to be surrounded by skill and preferably shooting to get the most out of his tools. He isn’t a skilled enough scorer to overcome a limited offensive group around him.

So if it’s Seth, Powell, Wilson, an upgraded 5, I think you need to either upgrade to a PG who can go for 20 through the portal. Or explore the younger lead guards.

Seth and Cadeau are 2 pretty limited offensive PGs and Seth isn’t a natural 2 guard IMO. And I don’t think Cadeau can just make a positional mis-fit work.

If they bring in a stud 5 and upgrade at the 2 with a shooter/scorer, then I can see Cadeau maybe working.

Maybe Cadeau will take a leap next year. But right now, my lean is they need to really upgrade the backcourt.

 

[NathanFielder]

To be fair, Kendall Marshall played with these guys

Tyler Zeller​

John Henson​

Harrison Barnes​

Reggie Bullock​

Dexter Strickland​

PJ Hairston​

JM McAdoo​

I'm not saying Elliot would have a 3.48 A:TO ratio, but it would surely be a lot better.

Meanwhile, Felton played with these guys

Sean May​

Jawad Williams​

Rashad McCants​

Melvin Scott​

Jackie Manuel​

David Noel​

Byron Sanders​

Those guys weren't chopped liver either.

Ian Jackson reminds of McCants (scoring-wise)
Drake Powell has a bit of Barnes in his game
RJ could be a match for Melvin or Reggie (as a soph)
But we don't have anyone like Zeller, Henson, May or Jawad for EC to pass to (or convert his misses)

This is why it will ultimately depend on Cadeau’s supporting cast how good he’ll be. If his supporting cast is Trimble, Powell, Wilson and an upgraded 5, then they need to upgrade the PG and especially shooting at the PG.

If they upgrade the 2 and the 5, then you can see where Cadeau fits that better. But I would still explore upgrading.

IMO this team needs to upgrade its backcourt next season. Everyone knows they need a good 5.

I don’t think Cadeau is a player who elevates everyone around him because he’s too limited a player for that. He needs a ready made team around him.

 

[90sWoollenGymRat]

It all depends who’s around the PG next season. Cadeau needs to be surrounded by skill and preferably shooting to get the most out of his tools. He isn’t a skilled enough scorer to overcome a limited offensive group around him.

So if it’s Seth, Powell, Wilson, an upgraded 5, I think you need to either upgrade to a PG who can go for 20 through the portal. Or explore the younger lead guards.

Seth and Cadeau are 2 pretty limited offensive PGs and Seth isn’t a natural 2 guard IMO. And I don’t think Cadeau can just make a positional mis-fit work.

If they bring in a stud 5 and upgrade at the 2 with a shooter/scorer, then I can see Cadeau maybe working.

Maybe Cadeau will take a leap next year. But right now, my lean is they need to really upgrade the backcourt.

Trimble is a solid combo guard, he can play either spot. If we land a stud SG then Trimble might be back-up PG/SG next season. That SG is Jackson but he is leaving unless our NIL can match his NBA salary for next year....hopefully.

 

[What Would Jesus Do?]

This is why it will ultimately depend on Cadeau’s supporting cast how good he’ll be. If his supporting cast is Trimble, Powell, Wilson and an upgraded 5, then they need to upgrade the PG and especially shooting at the PG.

If they upgrade the 2 and the 5, then you can see where Cadeau fits that better. But I would still explore upgrading.

IMO this team needs to upgrade its backcourt next season. Everyone knows they need a good 5.

I don’t think Cadeau is a player who elevates everyone around him because he’s too limited a player for that. He needs a ready made team around him.

Harsh, but not unfair.

The possible quibble I have is that Cadeau started the season better and seems to have regressed. That makes me wonder if the problem is in-season development. I'd love to know more about his off-season development - since that seems to have benefited him more than what's happened since the season started.

That's sort of the opposite of Ty Lawson. Lawson started every season like he forgot half of what he knew about basketball; but playing and coaching (I assume) made him better than the previous year by mid-season. Whereas EC started this season better than last season, but doesn't seem to have improved since then.

Several (but not all) of the players around him this year have gotten better. So why not Elliot?

So, yes, EC needs a better supporting squad. But I also think he needs better developmental coaching during the season.

 

[What Would Jesus Do?]

Trimble is a solid combo guard, he can play either spot. If we land a stud SG then Trimble might be back-up PG/SG next season. That SG is Jackson but he is leaving unless our NIL can match his NBA salary for next year....hopefully.

That's looking like $4-6 million.

Ian should be amazing next year if he stays, but do we have the money for him and a top center (and retaining our current guys, and whatever else we need)?

Even if we match his NBA salary, don't you think he'd rather go pro? The sooner in, the sooner to free agency.

 

[Quest4Seven]

Harsh, but not unfair.

The possible quibble I have is that Cadeau started the season better and seems to have regressed. That makes me wonder if the problem is in-season development. I'd love to know more about his off-season development - since that seems to have benefited him more than what's happened since the season started.

That's sort of the opposite of Ty Lawson. Lawson started every season like he forgot half of what he knew about basketball; but playing and coaching (I assume) made him better than the previous year by mid-season. Whereas EC started this season better than last season, but doesn't seem to have improved since then.

Several (but not all) of the players around him this year have gotten better. So why not Elliot?

So, yes, EC needs a better supporting squad. But I also think he needs better developmental coaching during the season.

We were preseason number 9. As the season has gone on the flaws in the roster have become more clear and the way to defend this team has gotten more obvious. Add in a coach that doesnt make adjustments and that’s why every game has looked the same the last month

 

[bluetoe]

Cadeau might look like a lung tumor right now but Hubert and his system and roster have been the pack of cigarettes a day you smoked

holy moley, this place is a treasure trove of euphemisms. I'm stealing this one too.

 

[dtodd4475]

Ray played with 3 first round picks

And Ray was lottery, the #5 pick overall I think. No doubt the roster is no where as good for Elliot, but I think that is the point Ray is making, that he plays like a bully, but ain't one. I took it as constructive criticism, Elliot is talented, but...

They practically dare Elliot to score, Ray on the other hand did not hesitate to attack. Would and did "bully" games down the stretch when needed. At least that is how I took his commentary on the podcast, which is what he was asked to give. Hoping that Elliot can get to that point.

 

[DSouthr]

thanks, I took your advice even though I'm not a podcast sort of fan. But I listened to the entire thing and AJ and Sisk were informative enough that it made me realize I didn't even know as much as the little I thought I did.. And I must have learned something, gauging by how much more depressed I am now.

It is a bitter pill for sure, it depressed the crap put of me to but having watched that one you really owe it to yourself to watch the part 2 of that, AJ's "is it time for a referendum on Hubert", it is not nearly as depressing (not as long either).

Ya see, I began a journey a couple weeks or so ago, man I was depressed bad, my Tar Heels were falling apart and I just couldn't understand why. I basically saw 2 camps I could fall in to, the Hubert needs more time or the FIRE HIM NOW! LOL Truth is I just was not comfortable with either and everything seemed to contradict common sense. I wanted a common sense driven reasonable explanation for why we are where we are and what can be done to fix it that was not fire Hubert or bring back a coach that can't coach, I needed a 3rd option, a 3rd option that I now believe I have found and has me once again excited in a positive way.

 

[NathanFielder]

Trimble is a solid combo guard, he can play either spot. If we land a stud SG then Trimble might be back-up PG/SG next season. That SG is Jackson but he is leaving unless our NIL can match his NBA salary for next year....hopefully.

I don't think Trimble is a guard, I think he's a wing. So him playing the 2-guard next year IMO will be a weird water/oil mix, especially with a pass-guard reluctant shooting PG like Cadeau.

I don't think there's a single player on this UNC team who would start on Duke. It needs better talent up and down the roster. Wilson looks like it's a start and he has no competition since this roster doesn't have a competitive 4, lol.

 

[NathanFielder]

Harsh, but not unfair.

The possible quibble I have is that Cadeau started the season better and seems to have regressed. That makes me wonder if the problem is in-season development. I'd love to know more about his off-season development - since that seems to have benefited him more than what's happened since the season started.

That's sort of the opposite of Ty Lawson. Lawson started every season like he forgot half of what he knew about basketball; but playing and coaching (I assume) made him better than the previous year by mid-season. Whereas EC started this season better than last season, but doesn't seem to have improved since then.

Several (but not all) of the players around him this year have gotten better. So why not Elliot?

So, yes, EC needs a better supporting squad. But I also think he needs better developmental coaching during the season.

I would argue that the PGs you're referring to all had substantially more talent than Cadeau. I'm not going to put Lawson in the same sentence. He was such a superior gifted player. Like he legitimately had generational PG ability. For a guy that small to be able to finish at the rim as well as he did doesn't come around often. And he obviously had like Olympic speed. Then Felton, Coby White were more talented. Idk if Marshall was more talented but his was a gigantic PG and that had its advantages.

I don't think it's all that difficult to figure. This team shot the ball a lot better their first 5 games or so.
- Through the Michigan State game, they shot 37.7% from 3, they also had a national top 50 free throw late.
- Since the Michigan State game, they shot 30.0% from 3, and their free throw rate ranks 201st during that time.

So, they're not shooting it well and they're not getting to the FT line. So Cadeau has to do things he's not really capable of doing on a consistent basis at this team.

In a nutshell, this season has come down to 2 things.
- Lack of any quality and consistent play from the bigs.
- A lack of 3PT shooting for the fast majority of the season.

You can nitpick everything else and it's really valid. But without bigs, this team has found it hard to get to the FT line and score efficiently. That's forced them into more difficult 3s and they've missed a ton of the open looks they've been getting too.

And since I know there's going to be a criticism of how many 3s this team has taken.... Since Michigan State:
- UNC ranks 220th in 3PT rate (3 pointers attempted per field goals attempted)
- UNC ranks 29th in 2PT FG%
- UNC ranks 201st in FT rate

It's a myth to say this team has been overly dependent on 3s. Apart from RJ, they really don't shoot a lot of 3s. I would argue it's one of their biggest mistakes. This team had to be a 3PT dependent team to give themselves a shot this season.