478 replies to this topic

[UNCSoxFan5]

Carolina to open the season vs. Kentucky in Chapel Hill November 18th at 9:00
Then it is off to California to play UC Santa Barbara on the 21st and then the Maui Invitational on November 24th vs Chaminade.

http://northcarolina...bbschedule.html

Edited by Sille Skrub, 14 December 2008 - 01:14 PM.

[keevinfizzle]

Sooooo excited. 66 days until Late Night with Roy, no looking back until the National Championship. GO HEELS!

[Drocca]

Thoughts running through my head that are often rhetorical in no order whatsoever:

• Will Ed Davis be able to crack the Top 7 rotation?
• Is Lawson's head in the game?
• Does Hansbrough start to drift outside a bit more, a la Jamison, now that we have some real bigs in an effort to improve his pro stock or does he continue to play "his game" (I don't know which I prefer and I think the truth is some combination of the two)
• Can Frasor be healthy? Like, actually healthy?
• Buy Will Graves Stock. Buy it Now!
• This is a classic Roy Williams team, he has the depth to wear anyone down; the speed and the height. Looking forward to it.
• Will someone replace Marcus Ginyard as "Drocca's favorite player" on this team?

[UNCSoxFan5]

Thoughts running through my head that are often rhetorical in no order whatsoever:

• Will Ed Davis be able to crack the Top 7 rotation?
• Is Lawson's head in the game?
• Does Hansbrough start to drift outside a bit more, a la Jamison, now that we have some real bigs in an effort to improve his pro stock or does he continue to play "his game" (I don't know which I prefer and I think the truth is some combination of the two)
• Can Frasor be healthy? Like, actually healthy?
• Buy Will Graves Stock. Buy it Now!
• This is a classic Roy Williams team, he has the depth to wear anyone down; the speed and the height. Looking forward to it.
• Will someone replace Marcus Ginyard as "Drocca's favorite player" on this team?

I will respond with thoughts

1. Yes, I think he can be an impact guy off the bench at the 4 spot with Deon shifting to the 5 to give Tyler a blow.
2. Ty knows he needs to have a good year to improve his draft status.
3. I think Tyler will do whatever Roy tells him to do. He wants a Nat.Champ more than a higher draft status
4. I think Bobby gets his 15-18 minutes a night in a good rotation with Marcus, Ty and Larry Drew
5. I would like to see Graves play better defense before I see him getting decent minutes
6. Really looking forward to using our depth

[RedOctober3829]

This just breaks my heart....

North Carolina's pursuit of a return to the Final Four is off to a bumpy start.

Senior Marcus Ginyard will miss eight weeks after having surgery to repair a stress fracture in his left foot, robbing the Tar Heels of their do-everything swingman who started every game last season.

Link

[UNCSoxFan5]

Linky goodness because I am very excited about Tyler Zeller.

Zeller unofficially finished with 12 points and 12 rebounds in the scrimmage, showing a good shooting touch from about 15 feet while pulling down five defensive boards in the first 3½ minutes.

"Tyler really runs the floor well," senior guard Bobby Frasor said of Zeller. "In practice, he just gets out and he can beat some of the guards down the floor, and that's an amazing quality for a 7-footer to have."

http://sports.espn.g...tory?id=3662886

[Clears Cleaver]

so, how bad is hansbrough hurt? stress injury?

[Drocca]

He's fine. It's not a stress fracture yet, it's a stress reaction that could, without proper rest, lead to a stress fracture. I'm surprised its even news. His dad seemed to think it wasn't a big deal and as he said, there isn't even an exhibition for another week.

[EdJurak85]

He's fine. It's not a stress fracture yet, it's a stress reaction that could, without proper rest, lead to a stress fracture. I'm surprised its even news. His dad seemed to think it wasn't a big deal and as he said, there isn't even an exhibition for another week.

Not so sure -- my friend in Raleigh claimed they were talking on the radio like he might be out a month. Too bad...even though I loathe him, no one wants to wish injury on anyone, least of all a player like that.

[RedOctober3829]

First the top-ranked North Carolina Tar Heels lost Marcus Ginyard, their top defensive player, to a stress fracture on his left foot. Now they have lost the nation’s top player in Tyler Hansbrough.

The 6-foot-9 senior big man is out indefinitely with a stress reaction in his right shin.

``We don't know how long it'll be," UNC spokeman Steve Kirschner said. "He's going to have to shut it down for a while."

Hansbrough sat out practice for just the third time in his career, so you know it’s serious if he missed any time on the court.

The folks at North Carolina aren’t saying how long Hansbrough will miss, but it could be a month or so – which could be a significant early hit for everyone’s No. 1 team.

If Jeff Goodman(who is the best college basketball writer there is) is speculating a month then you have to believe him.

Link

[DukeSox]

Again, I agree with the "no one likes an injury" thing...but this might put TH's chance of breaking Redick's ACC scoring record in jeopardy.

[EdJurak85]

Again, I agree with the "no one likes an injury" thing...but this might put TH's chance of breaking Redick's ACC scoring record in jeopardy.

Yep. TH needs around 700 pts to break Redick's record. UNC plays around an average of 35 games a year, so he'd need to average around 20ppg, making it very doable for a guy who averaged 22.6 last year. The more games he misses, obviously, the harder that gets. He'll still break Phil Ford's UNC record, though -- he needs only 122 for that.

[Drocca]

Not so sure -- my friend in Raleigh claimed they were talking on the radio like he might be out a month. Too bad...even though I loathe him, no one wants to wish injury on anyone, least of all a player like that.

Out a month from right now or a month of the regular season though?

I agree that he will miss games, I'd guess the first couple (maybe even up to four, who knows), but everything I've read/heard (and I obsess about this in an unhealthy fashion) seems to indicate that this is really about preventing major injury and that if there was, like, a final four game tomorrow or something he'd be fine.

[Drocca]

Again, I agree with the "no one likes an injury" thing...but this might put TH's chance of breaking Redick's ACC scoring record in jeopardy.

I don't want him to break that record. That record is perfect for Redick and symbolizes everything about his career. They didn't win a championship, he just scored a lot of points. It's perfect that way.

[EdJurak85]

Out a month from right now or a month of the regular season though?

I think from now -- yes, I've heard nothing about him missing more than the first few weeks of the actual season. Missing the Kentucky and Michigan St games would at least make this news...

[Drocca]

I think from now -- yes, I've heard nothing about him missing more than the first few weeks of the actual season. Missing the Kentucky and Michigan St games would at least make this news...

I know, I know. I'm trying to keep it cool. Can't you tell I'm freaking out?* I'm sitting over here chanting "Serenity Now".

I'm off to look at more presidential polls, it's all that will calm me.


*To wit, I don't want a Sean May situation and that's the vibe that scares me.

Edited by Drocca, 31 October 2008 - 11:38 AM.

[EdJurak85]

I know, I know. I'm trying to keep it cool. Can't you tell I'm freaking out?* I'm sitting over here chanting "Serenity Now".

He should be fine by the New Year, and it'll give the younger bigs some good experience -- you guys are fine. It's not like you'll be relying on the two-headed stiffmonster Mason Zoublee to anchor the post.

[Drocca]

He should be fine by the New Year, and it'll give the younger bigs some good experience -- you guys are fine. It's not like you'll be relying on the two-headed stiffmonster Mason Zoublee to anchor the post.

Speaking of which, I was told by a Duke alum at my work the other day that the starting line-up is going to be Nolan Smith, Miles Plumlee, Singler, Henderson and, Scheyer. I LOVE that line-up, I really do. So, is this true and how do you think Paulus feels about the bench role? I personally think he'd be great coming in and riding him when he's hot but not overexposing him to quicker cards. Maybe bring him in and have him get a little physical with some of the opposing guards but not have him run an offense, which he's never been great at.

Not only does Duke scare me this year, I actually like the guys on their team (minus Scheyer, of course.) What an awful thing for me to type.

[EdJurak85]

Speaking of which, I was told by a Duke alum at my work the other day that the starting line-up is going to be Nolan Smith, Miles Plumlee, Singler, Henderson and, Scheyer. I LOVE that line-up, I really do. So, is this true and how do you think Paulus feels about the bench role? I personally think he'd be great coming in and riding him when he's hot but not overexposing him to quicker cards. Maybe bring him in and have him get a little physical with some of the opposing guards but not have him run an offense, which he's never been great at.

Not only does Duke scare me this year, I actually like the guys on their team (minus Scheyer, of course.) What an awful thing for me to type.

Not to hijack the UNC thread as a Duke/ Dook one, but that's what I've heard, too. I am a huge Nolan Smith fan, as he seemed to get better the more time he had on the floor. Not sure how Paulus will react -- he's got to know his future is more Wojo than Duhon, so hopefully he'll embrace the role, just as you describe it. Never easy, though -- I remember Ricky Price (once a 3rd-team All-ACC'er before being suspended for cheating) being sent to the bench as a senior for more PT the late-90's superstars and not being too psyched. This is a big year for Hendu -- is he really the possible lottery pick some have claimed or not? Evidence so far points to the latter, but we shall see.

Now back to Carolina...

Edited by EdJurak85, 31 October 2008 - 01:06 PM.

[Drocca]

Let's just make this the Carolina/Duke Basketball Thread 08/09. It will be way more fun that way and have more posters, hopefully.

[DukeSox]

Let's just make this the Carolina/Duke Basketball Thread 08/09. It will be way more fun that way and have more posters, hopefully.

Will Hansbro cry more when UNC fails to win the title, or he doesn't get drafted?

[UNCSoxFan5]

Will you guys make it out of the 2nd round this year?

[cutman1000]

Let's just make this the Carolina/Duke Basketball Thread 08/09. It will be way more fun that way and have more posters, hopefully.

Add Davidson to the list of NC basketball teams to watch. You know people are going to be interested in seeing how Curry plays this year after how he dominated March Madness. He has a legitimate shot at leading the nation in scoring.

[DukeSox]

(I'm just going to keep putting Duke stuff here, why not...)

Signing day, Duke finally breaks free from the "dorky white guy" stereotype.

(these are not the same person)

Ryan Kelly



Mason Plumee

[Drocca]

This should be fun. Let's welcome the NC class, shall we? (USA Today Rankings before picture)

#9



#14



#34



and the twins #40 and #43

[UNCSoxFan5]

That class is going to be monster. Opener is Saturday against Penn.

[Drocca]

That class is going to be monster. Opener is Saturday against Penn.

Hansbrough "extremely doubtful".

Sucks.

[DukeSox]

This should be fun. Let's welcome the NC class, shall we? (USA Today Rankings before picture)

Trade?

[UNCSoxFan5]

Hansbrough "extremely doubtful".

Sucks.

The key is getting Tyler healthy for ACC play. This way we still have a #1 seed. That should be the focus.

[UNCSoxFan5]

Good first win against Penn. Next up Kentucky.

[UNCSoxFan5]

Kentucky Tonight 9:00 ESPN at the Smith Center.

Also, Tyler practiced today for the first time since his injury. Great News. http://northcarolina...m/2/813072.html

[Papi for Prez]

Nice win tonight, hopefully Zeller's wrist isn't too bad (though it looked pretty bad on the replays). Right now the one player that has improved the most from last year is clearly Deon. His post game looks great, he's attacking the rim, and still hits open 12 footers. I'm also extremely pleased with Ed Davis right now. He cleans up the boards, attacks the rim, and adds interior athleticism that's nice to see. Just can't wait to see this team when Hansbrough gets back (and Ginyard too).

[UNCSoxFan5]

Appears Zeller is probably done for the year. Hopefully we get Hansbrough back in a week and we'll be fine for ACC play.

[Drocca]

Zeller's injury really takes the fun out of last night's win. I, at least, hope he's able to medical redshirt. In that same light, I hope that Frasor wins his appeal.

Someone like Zeller is not going to make or break the season, but I was really looking forward to watching him and it just sucks for him two games into his college career.

[RedOctober3829]

A link on Zeller. Not traveling to UCSB or Maui.

North Carolina freshman forward Tyler Zeller suffered a "serious injury" to his left hand and wrist on a dunk attempt late in Tuesday night's win over Kentucky, an injury that will keep him out of the Tar Heels' lineup for the foreseeable future.

Tyler Zeller won't make the Tar Heels' trip west after sustaining a wrist injury against Kentucky.
North Carolina spokesman Steve Kirschner said the school would have more information on the injury once team doctors examined Zeller later Wednesday afternoon in Chapel Hill. Kirschner said that Zeller would not likely join the team on its Wednesday evening flight to Santa Barbara, Calif., for its game against UC-Santa Barbara on Friday night, or the team's three games next week at the Maui Invitational in Hawaii.

Link

Edited by RedOctober3829, 19 November 2008 - 03:39 PM.

[UNCSoxFan5]

Zeller will be able to redshirt if he is out for the year as he would play in less than 30% of his team's games. However, I don't see if it will matter as I don't know if hes planning on staying for five years in school.

[RedOctober3829]

An update to the above link. Zeller broke his ulnar and radius, had surgery, and is out 12-16 weeks.

[someoneanywhere]

I am looking forward to tonight and the Irish, if only because it is hard to tell how well UNC is playing defensively right now. The guys are saying all the right things about commitment to that end of the court, but when your opponents are terrible, it's difficult to see whether talk is walk. Kentucky was just awful and looked to be awful without Carolina having too much to do with it. Oregon looked more intimidated and overmatched than anything else. Tonight, I think we'll see an opponent without the flaws of Kentucky and without the awestruck of Oregon.

I wonder if Roy has this one circled, too.

[UNCSoxFan5]

Should be a really good test. I want to see how our bigs play against Harangody. I think our guard play, especially Danny Green, could be the key to a win.

[Clears Cleaver]

This team is really, really good. Like undefeated good. I'm nto srue the defense is superior, but they get everyone to play at their pace and wear you down with depth and talent and size. and Lawson

[UNCSoxFan5]

And we still aren't at full strength. Getting Ginyard back will be such a good boost, making our 2/3 so much deeper.

[Drocca]

Wednesday's game against Michigan State, despite their blowout loss to Maryland, should be another decent test. The problem with these "tests", as I see it, is that the three teams that may actually be better than us we won't be able to play unless we hit them up in the tournament. I say "may actually be better" because in all likelyhood, they aren't. Every team loses games and not every favorite wins the championship every year; this is what makes this sport so great; but I can't help but coming back to this thought:

Who is going to beat us, and, more importantly, how?

Edited by Drocca, 01 December 2008 - 11:15 AM.

[Hendu's Gait]

Wednesday's game against Michigan State, despite their blowout loss to Maryland, should be another decent test. The problem with these "tests", as I see it, is that the three teams that may actually be better than us we won't be able to play unless we hit them up in the tournament. I say "may actually be better" because in all likelyhood, they aren't. Every team loses games and not every favorite wins the championship every year; this is what makes this sport so great; but I can't help but coming back to this thought:

Who is going to beat us, and, more importantly, how?

Injuries to both TH and Lawson. And even then, UNC is 3 deep at those positions (counting the Frosh). They're just so deep that they need a really bad game to a high quality team to lose. UNC can beat you so many ways, that a bad game turnover-wise, or in the paint, or on defense, or at the 3Pt line, or at the FT line, would be offset in the other areas.

[Drocca]

Injuries to both TH and Lawson. And even then, UNC is 3 deep at those positions (counting the Frosh). They're just so deep that they need a really bad game to a high quality team to lose. UNC can beat you so many ways, that a bad game turnover-wise, or in the paint, or on defense, or at the 3Pt line, or at the FT line, would be offset in the other areas.

Well, for the sake of discussion I'd like to take the "injury" question off the table. Yes, injuries could happen and probably will.

But, this team as currently constructed; who can beat them and how?

Is there a team in the country with a better inside offensive game? (Hansbrough, Davis, Thompson)

Is there a team in the country that will rebound better? (Hansbrough, Davis, Green, Thompson)

Is there a team in the country with a better backcourt? (Lawson, Ellington)

Is there a team in the country with more experience?

We may be favored, not just in every game, but in every aspect of every game. That is what starts to give me some pause. Someone will beat us, more than just one someone. But, who? And, again, how?

[DukeSox]

Someone will beat us, more than just one someone. But, who? And, again, how?

Probably most important, to you, is when? Hopefully not late March...

[Drocca]

Probably most important, to you, is when? Hopefully not late March...

Well, yeah, obviously the when is very, very important. But, the question of what style of team could do it and how it could be done is interesting to me. I figure that we have some fans of other top programs here and wanted to elicit some opinions.

As a Duke fan, what would have to occur for Duke to beat Carolina. Certainly, on paper, after the MSU game that will probably be the biggest regular season game.

[RedOctober3829]

UConn is going to be the team to have the best chance to defeat UNC if they play.

Is there a team in the country with a better inside offensive game? (Hansbrough, Davis, Thompson)

No, but Thabeet can slow down Hansbrough. Adrien/Thompson and/or Davis would be a great matchup. The wildcards are Gavin Edwards and hopefully Ater Majok off the bench.

Is there a team in the country that will rebound better? (Hansbrough, Davis, Green, Thompson)

UConn is comparable to UNC on the boards. Thabeet and Adrien can hang with Hansbrough/Thompson/Davis and once Robinson comes back that gives more size on the wing. Dyson can rebound well for his size as well.

Is there a team in the country with a better backcourt? (Lawson, Ellington)

UConn's backcourt is very, very good at this point. The addition of Kemba Walker has made a tremendous impact on the speed that UConn plays at. Walker, AJ Price, and Dyson give speed, scoring, great defense on the press they put on in the Paradise Jam, and court awareness. I really think Walker is as fast as Lawson. Ellington has transformed his game ten-fold since he arrived in Chapel Hill and has become a complete offensive player. But, Price can do everything that Ellington can.

Is there a team in the country with more experience?

Nope. You can't duplicate the wars that Hansbrough/Lawson/Ellington have gone through over the years. The UConn group outside of Adrien and Price(although wasn't active) hasn't even won an NCAA game.

The coaching aspect is a wash with the great Calhoun and Williams.

[DukeSox]

As a Duke fan, what would have to occur for Duke to beat Carolina.

Zoubek and Lance Thomas, with a little Singler thrown in, have 15 fouls to through at Hans in an (attempt) to slow him down.

Nolan Smith minimizing turnovers. Scheyer and Singler shooting well. Henderson doing everything all over the court.

These teams are (basically) the same teams that played each other last year.

First game, at UNC, Duke won 89-78.
Second game, at Duke, UNC won 76-68.

They'll be competitive games.

[Clears Cleaver]

Lawson is the guy who they can least afford to lose, IMO. if he got hurt, they will not get as many easy baskets and their perimeter D takes a hit. Anyone else, including TH, is replaceable by players already on the roster.

the team that beats them will have to rebound and hit threes efficiently. and limit the fast break points, both primary (lawson) and secondary. I think Uconn is the 2nd best team that I've seen, but it is waay too early to be confident in that call. and right now, UNC is about 10-15 points better

[Drocca]

Zoubek and Lance Thomas, with a little Singler thrown in, have 15 fouls to through at Hans in an (attempt) to slow him down.

Nolan Smith minimizing turnovers. Scheyer and Singler shooting well. Henderson doing everything all over the court.

These teams are (basically) the same teams that played each other last year.

First game, at UNC, Duke won 89-78.
Second game, at Duke, UNC won 76-68.

They'll be competitive games.

I don't think that the teams are basically the same as last year. We lost no one and have marked improvement from Deon Thompson, Danny Green, Wayne Ellington and a healthy and firing on all cylinders Ty Lawson. We also added Ed Davis and replace Quentin Thomas with Larry Drew (huge upgrades). A lot can happen between now and then and I agree that they will be, and will always be, highly competitive games; I'm just curious what the game plan is.

I actually dislike your strategy quite a bit. Putting Hansbrough on the line that much is not very effective, IMO. He hits his free throws. I would want, if I were a team like Duke, to get into a three point shooting contest for a few runs a half and then have it in the 2-4 point range one way or the other with 2:00 to go in the game. At that point, Coach K is a far, far better coach than Williams and Duke can use an advantage. The things is though, will Carolina play 'out of its game' at this point or are they too experienced now to let that happen?