(11) KENTUCKY 73 @ NORTH CAROLINA 75
CBS starts their College Hoops season off right with the Man, The Myth and the Heart Attack Legend, Gus Johnson!!! Early in the 1st half, UNC’s on the break…….Larry Drew stops and pops a trey. Gus says, ”Drew….RISE AND FIRE!!!!!” ….Adolph says, “Gus….CHILLS AND GOOSEBUMPS!!!”
This was a great game. One of various tempos. It started as an open court affair, not only exposing UNC’s chronic turnover epidemic, but exposing Kentucky’s erratic shot selection as they ended the 1st half on a pretty big shooting slump. The game changed in the 2nd half as Kentucky slowed the game down, forcing the half-court game and using the whole shot clock. This played into Carolina’s strength in their lanky big men who blocked shots and grabbed the boards off of Kentucky’s low field goal percentage.
The game ended with Carolina chipping away to hold off Kentucky hitting their free throws to keep their small lead. Due to the Law of Gus, there was a pretty exciting finish as Kentucky missed a half-court buzzer beater that would have led Gus Johnson to go crazy, and streak down Tobacco Road!!!
NORTH CAROLINA
Insanity Report North Correspondent, Marc Paulsen texted me saying that UNC’s defense may have changed. He sheepishly stated that Roy may have read the last blog calling him out. That’d be huge if Roy did read it, but even if he did, how can he UN-COACH the UNC turnovers? UNC’s guards turn the ball so many times that it seems like it’s ingrained into their DNA. Roy’s a coach not a geneticist!!!! Plus, he’s a coach, NOOOT A POOOOL-MAN!!!!!!
The bottom line with UNC is they are young and their guards are weak, and when those guards are running on all cylinders they still cannot command a game from distributing the ball to hitting open jumpers. They are rarely en fuego, and rather than distribute the ball, they turn the ball over with softer entry passes into the post than Homer Simpson’s ring entry vs. Drederick Tatum!
Carolina’s strength is most definitely in their forwards, Tyler Zeller, John Henson and soon-to-be Harrison Barnes. As stated, they are a bit weak deep in the blocks, but they are a threat once they hit their jumpers from the short corner and elbow. They’re reach, especially Henson’s will alter many shots in the trenches.
Tyler Zeller had his coming out game this afternoon. He had a career high 27 points off of 11-12 free throw shooting. His coming out party was due to his determination late in the game and will to win. Zeller started the game a bit soft in the blocks allowing defenders to deny entry passes, but he kept the Kentucky bigs honest with those needed 10-15 foot jumpers. When he lined up to hit his FT’s late in the 2nd half, those shots were already made before he shot the ball. You could see it in his eyes!
Henson is a work horse that sparks UNC. He’s a hard hard worker, but he’s not strong enough to command position in the blocks. He throws up bigger bricks from the free throw line than a Holmes on Holmes underpinned foundation!!!! His free throw shooting is so bad that over/under prop bets are posted betting “Henson FT Airballs” at over/under 2.5! He had a 1-on-1 fast break breakaway opportunity where the shear length of his go-go gadget arms should have drilled the ball into the hoop; But he awkwardly and softly went for reverse lay-up. HENSON IS RAW!!!!!! He continues to develop, but until he can strengthen those Olive Oil arms, he will continue to show flashes of brilliance rather than a more consistent solid 40 minutes of hoops.
Harrison Barnes (like UNC, in general) has been way over-hyped and over-rated by almost all media and pollsters . He is a definite talent and will be a threat. But in watching 2 games so far, Harrison Barnes tries to do too much all by himself. His drives/shots he takes are 1 on 3 drives or his shots are over of double/triple teams. He had an amazing put-back dunk in the first half that is a sign of things to come, but right now, Harrison Barnes’ game is playing into the press clippings headlined by an ill-advised pre-season All-American selection. Harrison, calm down and listen to Roy! Don’t believe your own press clippings, you’re not there yet!
Talking to Paulsen this afternoon, made me realize that UNC has been waaaay over-hyped in the past 2 years. They are in the midst of there 2nd rebuilding year post-Tyler Hansborough. They are still developing, and Top 10 ranking are unrealistic at this point.
Overall, this season’s freshmen in all of the NCAA are indeed talented, but most have a lot to develop. There is no one-and-done’ers in the nation except for Duke’s Kyrie Irving and maybe, Ohio State’s Jared Sullinger (from what I’ve seen in box scores and recaps, but yet to see a game). This bodes well for fans of the Madness as we will have deep rosters for the next 2-3 years and Gus Johnson better take his blood pressure meds!!!
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