why the Louisville game on Monday is so important

[IDUNK4HEELS]

Other than the obvious that a win would kept the team's long winning streak going, a win would also give Carolina a three game lead over Virginia and Louisville which would allow UNC to drop a couple of games and still be in driving seat for the regular season championship and a possible number one seed in the east or south regional. So it's just NOT just another game on the schedule.

 

[Heelicious]

Agreed. Louisville doesn't really have any bad losses. All are very close (until yesterday), all against good teams (MSU, Kentucky, Virginia, Syracuse). Then again, they haven't really beaten or even played any great teams outside these losses. No real signature wins.

Seems like we should've won both against them last year. I recall us really getting hosed in the game we played in Yum last year. IIRC - up pretty big, got some pretty shaky play matched with shaky officiating.....

I mention this because I really want to believe that what makes this Heels team so much better this year, is the maturity, and leadership, and INTELLIGENCE on the court, (smart passes, good shots, get to the right place on defense, help on defense, know when to run, and when to run the half court offense, know who to get the ball to when that guy is hot or has a big size / skill advantage, etc).....

plus we've seen that this team doesn't really get rattled when it gets down, or when things go wrong. What makes this a huge difference, is we all know Roy's philosophy is never going to be to call a timeout to stop a run. He thinks the kids learn the most by "living through it and figuring it out on the court, by themselves". I agree that them going through that pressure and need to stop runs without timeouts, likely serves them well later in the season, when maybe they don't have timeouts or don't have guys ready to sub in for them.

I just hope guys come with intensity, and we can somehow get Justin's shots to fall more.... and to get a bit more out of Meeks, and an even bigger game out of Marcus.

The game is so pivotal, because (I know you have to take one game at a time, but)... after that, they have @ ND, but a week to prepare, then @ BC (very winnable) before home games with Pitt, Dook, and Miami. I really think the Heels need to go at least 2-1 over the next 3; and at least 4-2 over the 6 that I've listed. I don't really think this Heels team should lose to any ACC team at home this year. Maryland will be the toughest, best team they play at home this year.

Winning on Monday would set them up on a nice start / path to where they want to be at the end of ACC season.

 

[Archer2]

It's a big game, no doubt Dunk. The Cards' pride will be stung due to the beat down UVA put on them. I believe it will take an effort like we put forth against Maryland in order for us to win. I think we're due for a statement game and this would qualify.

Agree completely Heelicious!

 

[Ozheelfan]

Yup, the players know it's cruch time over the next few weeks too (just read Adam Lucas' latest offering)

I'm trying to be realistic and expect the Heels to drop one or two over the next 10 games.
But, I'm hoping they're tough (close) road losses rather than unnecessary home slip-ups.

Most importantly (esp from a recruiting point of view) Feb 17, 24 and Mar 5th need to be wins

 

[shun1]

!!!!!!!!!!!! GO TAR HEELS !!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[TPFKAPFS]

Another major difference is toughness! We can't overlook how many games we won this year that we would have lost last season due to gritting out wins. We win games when we play poorly and when we play well. I think we are physically and mentally tougher than UL this year and this will make the difference.

 

[keysersosay#1]

Agreed with all of the above..... I will be VERY happy with my usual one point WIN!!!


GO HEELS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[gunslingerdick]

Agreed with the OP. This is a big game for many reasons. The biggest reason is that we don't have a win against a top 25 team in 2016. And we've not shown the ability to go on the road and beat a "good" team. This game satisfies both in addition to giving us a cushion like DUNK stated in the OP.

I think we come out focused and ready to go and win by 6-10 points. Go Heels.

 

[DSouthr]

Agreed with the OP. This is a big game for many reasons. The biggest reason is that we don't have a win against a top 25 team in 2016. And we've not shown the ability to go on the road and beat a "good" team. This game satisfies both in addition to giving us a cushion like DUNK stated in the OP.

I think we come out focused and ready to go and win by 6-10 points. Go Heels.

We have couple wins vs teams that were top 25 when we played them, Md as an example was pre-season #1 or #2 depending on who you talked to. FSU may have been top 20 or so when we played them. We have not been playing chopped liver by any means.

I keep hearing how this schedule is back loaded but we have wins against FSU on the road, Syracuse on the road, GT, NC St, Clemson, VT. Those teams have taken down the so called back loaded teams we have to face. Duke isn't duke, they are not the power team they have been in the past, Miami looked awful last couple games, UVa does not score as much as they did last season, who has Lville beat? Everyone is struggling to beat the teams we have already beat? By season end we may see our ACC schedule was actually more front loaded than back loaded.

Not trying to down play the teams we are about to face because they are not going to be easy games, we can not play our C game and hope to cruise thru the back end.

 

[gunslingerdick]

We have couple wins vs teams that were top 25 when we played them, Md as an example was pre-season #1 or #2 depending on who you talked to. FSU may have been top 20 or so when we played them. We have not been playing chopped liver by any means.
.

Since Jan 1, 2016, we have not played a ranked team. Maryland was in Dec. Since Jan 1, we have played:

GT
@FSU
@SU
moo
WFU
@VT
BC

I believe that any game in the ACC - especially a road game - is a challenge. But let's not fool ourselves into thinking we've been up against murderer's row. The schedule is indeed backloaded. @ND, @UVa, @duke, @moon and home against Miami are all looming after we go to Louisville tonight. There is no doubt that we have much tougher competition in front of us than in back of us.

 

[IDUNK4HEELS]

4-4 early Johnson and Berry for UNC

 

[IDUNK4HEELS]

6-6 at the first tv timeout. Louisville guards are taking the ball to the hole with no problems so far. Paige O for 2 from downtown. Louisville as fully expected is playing a match up zone.