Game 2 in Hawaii: Tar Heels Rout the Prairie View A&M Panthers

Entering today I think the most I hoped for was a fast start for the team.  It's like the only thing I hadn't seen yet.  But I also know this is a three day/three game weekend and they have to be managed a certain way.  Given the Tar Heels faced the 5th ranked team in the nation yesterday, I knew they had expended a lot of energy.  Every year though our conference tournament means games on back to back days and this coaching staff knows how to manage.  Final: North Carolina 85, Prairie View A&M 45.

So this game had lots of substitutions and every healthy player saw the floor for at least 11 minutes and UNC had a very balanced attack against the Panthers.  Every player grabbed at least 3 rebounds and despite the amount of substitutions, North Carolina only turned the ball over 11 times in the game.

 

Jamie Cherry: 15 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal (photo from www.goheels.com)

 

Always nice to have someone come off the bench and make an impact.  Jamie had the lion's share of the minutes, and was great giving the starters some rest.  She brings a lot of energy off the bench and lead the team in scoring today.



 

Danielle Butts: 13 points, 7 rebounds, 1 steal (photo from www.goheels.com)

 

Danielle hit 5 of 6 shots today and turned defense into offense as 5 of her 7 rebounds were defensive ones.  She came off the bench for 22 minutes in the game.

 

Allisha Gray: 13 points, 7 rebounds, 1 assist, 3 steals (photo from www.goheels.com)

 

Everyone packed a lot of productivity in their minutes today and Allisha was no different.  She played the most of the 5 starters (20 minutes) and along with Danielle Butts lead the team in rebounding.  They both stepped up big in that department as both Stephanie Mavunga and Xylina McDaniel were rested today playing 17 and 11 minutes respectively.  Still the dynamic duo made their presence felt in the game.  We got pretty much a complete stat sheet for both players

 



 

 

Xylina McDaniel: 4 points, 5 rebounds, 1 block (photo from www.goheels.com)

 

 

Stephanie Mavunga: 5 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, 4 blocks (photo from www.goheels.com)

 

 

Jessica Washington: 6 points, 4 rebounds (photo from www.goheels.com)

 

Jessica appeared to be dealing with some soreness today, likely a carry over from yesterday.  Still thought a lot of productivity in 13 minutes on the court.  I continue to love how she is not afraid to get in there and rebound the basketball.

 

 

N'dea Bryant: 5 points, 1 rebound, 3 steals (photo from www.goheels.com)

 

I was so happy to see N'dea get a lot of minutes today.  She's so athletic and has a lot of length.  She appears to have the potential to be a real matchup problem, particularly on the defensive end.  Three takeaways today, one of them for a fast break lay-up so she was using that quickness to her advantage in this game.

 

 

Latifah Coleman: 6 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist (photo from www.goheels.com)

 

Coleman continued her hot shooting today, making 3 of the 4 shots she took from the field.  She's another guard who gets in there to rebound the basketball for UNC.  UNC's other starter, Brittany Rountree also did her share rebounding the basketball and contributed in today's game.

 

 

Brittany Rountree: 4 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal (photo from www.goheels.com)

 









It was rough out there.

 

In what appeared to be a really physical game, our friends in the black and white shirts made their presence felt as well.  There were nearly 50 fouls called in the game and over 60 free throws taken.  For Prairie View A&M, guard Jeanette Jackson took 22 of their free-throws.  It's where she got 16 of her game leading 24 points.  North Carolina was 19 of 30 from the line as a team.  Even though our players saw reduced minutes we had a few players with 3 or 4 fouls. 

 

What to take away from this win?

 

As a fan, I'm glad there was no let down after the big win against Stanford.  It was good to see the team get off to a fast start.  They scored the first 10 points of the game, forced an early shot clock violation and dominated the game throughout even though everyone played.  You hope as a fan that the players who come off the bench gained some confidence that will benefit them personally and North Carolina as a team as we move forward.  In particular, Megan Buckland sank her first 3 pointer of the year today.  YAY! Megan!

 

For the team, they have the task of facing the host team in Sunday's game.  So even though this is considered a holiday tournament, this will be a true road game for the Tar Heels.  Hawaii played Stanford today and nearly 2600 people came out and despite Stanford shooting 57% in the game, the Rainbow Wahine fought hard and had 4 players in double figures. I expect a good crowd to show up to cheer them on in their second chance to take down a ranked team. 

 

The Tar Heels should be proud of what they have accomplished thus far; but I know they aren't satisfied.  These holiday tournaments can be tough on teams what with playing 3 games back to back so early in the year.  Last year, UNC was 2-1 over the Thanksgiving Holiday in the Cancun Challenge; and this year the tropical sites haven't been kind to some familiar teams.  North Carolina State had a tough time in the Bahamas and Maryland lost a game in a tournament in Puerto Rico.  I'm sure our team knows that coming out 3-0 would be a great accomplishment.  I expect they will continue to be all business.  Thankfully this will not be their first road game of the season.

 

There are quite a few big games tomorrow and several ranked teams will be in action.  As for us, we'll be winding up our time with family and heading back home to prepare to return to our routine.  Safe travels to all and Go Heels!



Game 1 in Hawaii: #11 North Carolina Defeats #5 Stanford

Okay confession time: My children and I are spending Thanksgiving weekend with some family.  Lots of food, family, cousin time for my children and snuggle time with a brand new addition.  I have a nephew who was born a few weeks early but is doing well.  He's the star this weekend.  There's nothing like holding a newborn and I have certainly been enjoying every bit of this tiny little miracle.

But tonight at 7, I pulled out my tablet to follow the game.  With everything going on around me, I remembered my favorite sports team had a big game today.  I mean it isn't everyday we play a top 5 opponent.  UNC was looking for it's first victory ever over Stanford.  I got a gift.  It wasn't tense at all watching the game move along on my little device.  Final: North Carolina 70, Stanford 54.

I certainly was expecting a much closer battle and in the first half it was what I expected.  Well, except for both teams struggling to get the ball in the hoop.  Fortunately all of those rebounding drills they have been doing lately were paying off and the team was rebounding the ball very well.  They kept a significant edge in that category through the contest.  Now the personnel we have suggested we could do this; but, rebounding is as much about will as anything else.  Heels won the battle 47 to 32.

So how did this one play out?  Not how many would think.  But those four elements Coach Hatchell gave us, the ones I've done a few posts on this blog about, were all present.  And you'd expect that in a game like this.  Experience, Leadership, Chemistry and Depth: this team seems to take advantage of what the defense allowed, especially in the 2nd half of this game. It doesn't matter who gets the points, they just stick together.  Presenting the hot hand for this game.

 

Latifah Coleman: 19 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists (Associated Press Photo)

 

I remembered writing about how Latifah just does what needs to be done.  In previous years it might have been a surprise to see this type of game; but at this point, I have seen her multiple times just make a few big baskets when the situation called for it.   But it happens as UNC needs it.  It says a lot about her as a player and as a person that she can step forward for a night like this or pivot to another type of game.  It makes North Carolina that much better when multiple players are capable of a big game and it isn't one or two players that everyone expects, especially hitting 4 of 6 shots from distance.

 

Xylina McDaniel: 15 points, 4 rebounds (photo from www.goheels.com)

 

Xylina played a bit of a different game tonight.  Stanford's defense tends to draw her away from the basket and tonight was the same.  But she took advantage and sank three 3-point shots for 9 of her 15 points.  It also meant she didn't coral as many rebounds; but other Tar Heels had that covered.

 

 

 

Stephanie Mavunga: 10 points, 8 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 blocks, 2 steals (Associated Press photo)

 

Nearly another double double for last week's ACC Player of the Week.  And she continues to add to that already impressive block shots total.  The space she takes up on the inside makes it difficult for a lot of teams and tonight was no different.  Yes, our friends in the striped shirts noticed our inside duo this evening; and, they each had four fouls.  But they both stayed on the court for over 30 minutes.

 

 

Brittany Rountree: 5 points, 2 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal (photo from www.indyweek.com)

 

Brittany did a good job filling the stat sheet while she was in there tonight.  She and Jessica Washington split duties this evening; along with, Jamie Cherry who contributed 7 points in 9 minutes of action.

 

 

Jessica Washington: 6 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal (photo from www.goheels.com)

 

 

Jamie Cherry: 7 points, 1 rebound, 1 assist (photo from www.goheels.com)

 

Now I mentioned chemistry, experience, leadership and depth.  I always do.  Coach Hatchell told us those were important things to this team and I have taken it to heart and try to notice how they stand out in each contest.  When you have a player like North Carolina has in Allisha Gray who has been putting up 20 plus points in each game, it's a real luxury.  When said player can come away with a little less than 20 points and the team still comes out with a big win, it's special.  It wasn't scoring tonight; but Gray made sure she found ways to help the team.  She makes others around her better.

 

 

Allisha Gray: 6 points, 8 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals (photo from www.goheels.com)

 

The 2nd Half Push

 

Again North Carolina made a big push in the 2nd half of the game.  Must be something about that half-time talk who knows.  I've heard they are amazing.  After a first half of good defense; but some challenges putting the ball in the basket (and with a 25% shooting percentage saying it was a challenge is putting it mildly), the team shot nearly 60% in the second half, including 8 of 12 from deep.  That all added up to a half with 46 points.  Pretty impressive on a night when the fast break points were nonexistent.  Everyone who knows anything about this team knows they can live on fast break points.

 

What to Take From This Win?

 

As a fan, I'm so proud of this one.  We got more than a few looks from the family in the room when I periodically gave my daughter a look at the score.  She remembered the heartbreak at the end of last season and even though this one didn't have the same things at steak, it was very satisfying to get a win over the Cardinal.  It's really great to see the team get a win over a team ranked higher than they are.  It's encouraging to see them come through in that kind of moment, especially this early in the season.

 

For the team, Stanford is a very disciplined team as a rule.  They don't foul much and didn't tonight.  They don't turn the ball over much.  Again that showed tonight.  They are very deliberate in what they do on both ends of the court.  They've been very efficient and scored a lot of points so far this season and tonight were held to 54 points, nearly 30 below their average.  North Carolina is known as the aggressive high risk high reward type of team; but when a team isn't used to the type of thing, it's really unsettling.  Stanford shot 31% tonight; so that is something North Carolina can build upon going forward.

 

The Tar Heels really shared the ball and had a balanced attack even on the boards.  Six players had at least six rebounds.  North Carolina had 16 assists on 26 made baskets.  They had 24 points in the paint and 36 points from the 3 point line.  They've pulled out victories this season in a variety of ways and it's still November.  There are two more games to play in the Rainbow Wahine Showdown; so the Tar Heels can't let down.  It's back to business tomorrow against Prairie View A&M.

 

Go Heels!

 

 

 

 



 

 





Chemistry and Depth: UNC Has Energy Off the Bench

Thankfully the team has made their journey from Oregon to Hawaii safely.  They are staying at a beautiful resort; but are focused on preparing for the Wahine Showdown.  The University of Hawaii is the home team and UNC’s opponent on Sunday.  The Tar Heels will play three games in three days beginning on Friday with a game against the #6 Stanford Cardinal.  Senior Erika Johnson was kind enough to write us about how they are doing so far.  Her note was posted on www.goheels.com

Heels in Hawaii

http://www.goheels.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=3350&ATCLID=209781699

 While there is a break in the action I wanted to post another installment on what Coach has given us as North Carolina’s keys to success this season.  She mentioned Depth and Chemistry and this points to having a strong bench.  Not everyone can be a starter and every team needs players that can come off the bench and provide offense, keep up the defensive pressure, maintain the pace, preserve a starter who needs a break or has gotten a few fouls.  Sometimes the role is just to provide a different look to the opponent. 

 

We have several players who can and have come in to impact games during the current and previous seasons.  We’ll start in the backcourt.  I’ve already talked about Danielle Butts and Jamie Cherry.  This installment presents sophomore Jessica Washington, whom I affectionately call: “Woman with Wicked Crossover”. (Photo from www.goheels.com)

 

 

The North Carolina Women’s Basketball team is really fortunate to have a group of interchangeable guards.  With the four of them you have a mix of upperclassmen and young players; so you have the Chemistry between senior leadership and experience and the young players that give you the deep bench while they develop for the future.  She and Latifah Coleman are a neat upperclassman/lower classman combination for North Carolina. (photo from www.heraldsun.com)

 

UNC has signed two excellent guards in the 2015 class so next season Jessica will be one of those leaders.  And she’s is not without experience.  She was on more than one USA basketball team while in high school.  She was also a McDonald’s All-American.  She won the “Dribble, Pass, Shoot” competition that weekend. (photo from www.fullcourt.com)

 What I notice about Jessica other than a crossover than can shake defenders and break ankles is that she can play either guard spot when she is in the game.  She keeps her head up and moves around like a point guard; but she can get to the rim and shoot the 3 pointer like a scoring guard.  She’s scored in double figures in two of North Carolina’s game this season.  (photo from www.goheels.com)

From where I sit, she’s hungry to get better, wants to learn and is steadily improving.  She appears to be a real gym rat and uses her Carmichael privileges to her advantage.  She appears coachable and unafraid and that is a good combination.  She can also be found crashing the boards and diving on the floor for loose balls...doing the things to help North Carolina Women's Basketball succeed. (photo from www.goheels.com)

 

 

 

I hope she is enjoying college life because I'm really glad she is a Tar Heel.  I’m looking forward to seeing her develop over this season and the next two.  And of course seeing her shaking defenders out of their sneakers and swishing 3-pointers. (photo from www.goheels.com)

 

 

 

2nd Half Burst Secures First Road Win for North Carolina

Today, I watched the team on television.  They are on the other side of the country on a road trip.  The first stop was in Oregon.  They took on the Ducks today at 6:00.  Thankfully Pac-12 network carried the game.  Final: North Carolina 76, Oregon 59

Things started out really well with Xylina McDaniel and Stephanie McDaniel getting early buckets.  I could tell Oregon was going to have a difficult time with these two.  I noted in an earlier post that they are a lethal combo.  Today was no different.  The Tar Heels had a clear advantage in the paint.  When they struggled as they did during the last 10 minutes of the first half, was when they went away from working the ball inside out. 

Despite their best player being in the frontcourt, Oregon is a team who shoots a lot of outside shots.  They attempted 29 of them today.  And in the first half for a while those shots were falling.  3-point baskets for them combined with empty possessions for the Tar Heels resulted in an 11 point lead for the Ducks (25 to 14) during the first half.  But as tends to happen when a team shoots a lot of long balls, they eventually stopped finding the net.  North Carolina seized the opportunity and closed to within a point by half-time.

The main bright spot in the first half was Stephanie Mavunga who just would not be denied inside.  Of North Carolina's 28 first half points, she had 15 of them.

Stephanie Mavunga: 23 points, 18 rebounds, 6 blocks, 2 assists (picture from www.goheels.com)

 

 

This young lady just flat out went after it tonight.  She was hitting shots from a variety of places on the court and picked that moment when UNC was down 11 points to hit her 2nd career three pointer.  It was one of only three long balls UNC would hit today. The versatility in her game was on full display today.  Per Twitter she stated she was on a business trip this week and she certainly was all business out there today.  She put this team on her back in the first half and continued to go to work in the 2nd half as UNC found ways to get everyone involved to balance out the offensive attack.

 

 

Xylina McDaniel: 14 points, 7 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals (picture from www.goheels.com)

 

 

The way Stephanie (Mavunga) and Xylina (McDaniel) work together is like magic.  When they are both on the floor, North Carolina's offense can run through either of them and they make each other better.  Xylina has impressed me lately with how much she plays with aggressiveness but still under control.  Plays that previously may have resulted in a charge call or an impossible shot, she's getting the basket or getting to the line most of the time.  She's playing more within herself and UNC is benefitting from it.

 

 

Danielle Butts: 8 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal (picture from www.accwbbdigest.com)

 

 

I'm never surprised with how much productivity Danielle manages with her minutes.  The Pac-12 announcers alluded to her seemingly limitless energy and how much she brings to this team when she comes off the bench.  She hit 4 of her 5 shots today and pushed the pace to North Carolina speed.

 

 

 

Allisha Gray: 18 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists (picture from www.goheels.com)

 

 

Allisha's performance today is a prime example of making adjustments and the importance of being a multidimensional player.  North Carolina's 3-point shot wasn't really falling today.  Gray was 0-6 from deep.  So what does she do?  In what was UNC's concerted effort to attack the paint in the 2nd half of the game, Gray used a variety of moves to get to the rim and score.  All 9 of her field goals were within 15 feet.

 

Second Half Adjustments

 

If you've watched many games in this sport, this is a really significant area.  Whether things have gone well in the first half or not, there are always adjustments to be made in the 2nd.  Some the coaching staff will put in while they are doing their half-time talk.  Others will come as the 2nd half goes along.  Failure to adjust in the 2nd half can and does cost many teams.  It's a real credit to the coaching staff and the players when the changes are put in and executed the way North Carolina's were today.

 

Stephanie Mavunga going to locker room with 15 points at halftime made it clear UNC had an advantage in the paint.  Of their 28 half-time points, 18 of them came in the paint.  Everything was better in the 2nd half.  The ball movement showed patience.  Player movement showed a real effort to get each other open.  Players kept their heads up and I could tell even on television there was a lot of communication on the both ends of the floor. 

 

North Carolina took the lead on the first possession of the 2nd half with a Stephanie Mavunga lay-up.  From their they just continued to execute stretching the lead to double figures.

 

Then Came the Zone

 

Then there was that moment.  UNC came down for an offensive possession and Oregon was in a zone defense.  I don't like when this happens because our team slows down and like most teams, attempt to shoot the other team out of it.  It's a natural instinct really.  A couple of well timed 3 point shots can bring a team out of a zone.  Since 3 balls weren't falling today, that could have been a real issue.  Oregon over this stretch hit back to back 3 pointers.  Even with the lead still at 17 points, Coach called a timeout.  Out of the break, UNC found the hole in the zone.  Jessica Washington (as you should against a zone defense) got the ball into the middle where Stephanie took it to the basket.  She didn't make the shot; but, her frontcourt partner Xylina (McDaniel) had her back on the glass.  The result was an old-fashioned 3 point play.

 

The 2nd half was UNC 48, Oregon 30.  That's what you want.

 

Non basketball feel good moment of the game was a nice gesture by some Oregon fans who held up a sign welcoming Coach Hatchell back to the sidelines and acknowledging this being her 40th year coaching. 

 

So this being a fan experience blog, I generally talk about how my children watched the game.  The timing of this one did allow them to be up to watch.  My daughter is louder when we are watching on television than when we are in attendance.  She says it is because it's just us here.  11 year-olds are interesting people.  When do they stop worrying about looking silly anyway?  The two of them spent the evening waving our North Carolina car flags, singing "Here Comes Carolina" and yelling "GET THE REBOUND!" on every Oregon possession like the team could hear them.  So as usual the game was not all I had for entertainment.

 

I'm really proud of the team for keeping calm and just doing what had to be done.  They didn't look like the #11 team in the country for a few minutes; but, they put it together on both ends of the court to control the balance of the game. 

 

Both teams played a really clean game.  There were under 30 fouls called and the teams combined for only 18 turnovers.  In a lot of games one team can have that many.  North Carolina has but not this season.  Today, North Carolina had....DRUM ROLL....8 turnovers.  No it isn't a typo.  How's that for an adjustment?   Oregon was paced by 18 points and 17 rebounds from Jillian Alleyne who appears to be a really dangerous front court player for them.  Even though it took her 17 shots to get there, it appears she plays well within herself.  She used her size really well against one of the top frontcourt combos out there on occasion getting the rebound between them.  She's a preseason Pac12 Player of the Year candidate and I can definitely see why that is the case.  With improvement from the free-throw line (she was 4 or 10), she would have been well over 20 points today.  Oregon would do well to run more plays through her; but, they are in their first year with a new coach and I'm sure there will be a lot of changes. 

 









What I imagine we'll see for the next game and as the season goes on is that they continue to improve their offense against the zone and their defense against the 3-point shot.  Early in the season defensive rotations are generally a tough area for most teams; but, I can definitely see great improvements on the team's half-court execution.  That will go a long ways towards winning games that aren't played at a North Carolina fast tempo.

They are off to Hawaii next.  Thankfully, GoHeels TV is set to carry all three games out there.

Go Heels!

Experience, Leadership, Depth & Chemistry

I wasn’t sure where to include this post.  It could go with Experience and Leadership because she’s a senior and a very vocal member of the team.  It could go with Depth (Balance) and Chemistry because she provides such a spark off the bench and looks like a great teammate.  It’s hard to put her into a category because she makes so many things happen for the North Carolina Women’s Basketball team.  Presenting Senior Danielle Butts. (photo from www.goheels.com)

 

I think the first thing I noticed when Danielle arrived her freshman year was what most people notice.  I’ve said it before.  Crazy vertical leap.  I thought my goodness, she’s a track star on the side. From that first year, she made significant contributions to the team, especially on the defensive end.  It’s difficult to put it into one word; but, if I had to choose one it would be “intense”.  When you see her play, you know she likely grew up with the mentality “Go Hard or Go Home!” (photo from www.dailytarheel.com)

 

At 5”10 she can play inside or outside and I know the coaches love her because she goes after every rebound, sometimes gathering it in when it wasn’t really within her reach.  She can guard the other team’s perimeter players or go inside and post up if needed.  She is also a bit of a shot blocker.  I know I keep saying it.  Crazy vertical leap.  (photo from www.goheels.com)

She’s probably one of the most aggressive defenders I’ve seen.  Yes sometimes a little foul prone.  She’s great at keeping her feet moving.  Just sometimes going for the steal a hand gets in there and draws a whistle.  Honestly I think sometimes our friends in the black and white shirts just figure she must have done something.  But I continue to be amazed at her rebounding ability. (photo from www.goheels.com)

 

She’s worked hard over the years to add range to her shot and I can see it paying off for her.  I know most Tar Heel fans remember this play.  She said it was the first time she’s ever scored the winning basket. (video from www.theacc.com)

 

My daughter and I have called her many things.  Energizer Bunny, UNC’s spark plug, and I even thought of calling her Danielle “Make it Happen” Butts.  I know she is going to get out there at do her best to make an impact.  During last year’s ACC tournament she entered the game.  A fellow fan near me said, “Okay, something good is about to happen.  I don’t know what it will be, but I know something good is about to happen.”  And that is how I feel every time she enters the game.  The energy among Tar Heel fans always feels like it goes up several notches as soon as she grabs the substitution towel and heads to the scorer’s table. (photo from www.accwbbdigest.com)

 

Just last night, North Carolina was in a tight game against the 21^st ranked Oklahoma State Cowgirls.  She had 10 points and 6 rebounds in ten minutes of action.  That included a very timely 3-point basket as the shot clock headed towards zero.  That isn’t a shot she takes much at all so I admire her courage to put it up and drain it.  The zone Oklahoma State was employing on defense was giving UNC a bit of a fit. A well-timed 3-point basket is a good weapon to have.  Would have loved to see what she could have done with more time; but, our friends in the black and white shirts thought she was a little too aggressive. 

 We love her though just the way she is.  Folks should come out to watch her and the other seniors try to make the most of their final season.

UNC Comes Through in Shootout with the Cowgirls

And that title isn't a play on words because of Oklahoma State's mascot.  There were 139 shots taken in tonight's game.  Nine players scored in double figures: four for Oklahoma State and five for North Carolina.  The teams combined for nearly 160 points.  UNC survived a stiff test tonight playing it's 2nd consecutive game against a ranked team.  Final North Carolina 79, Oklahoma State 77.

Oklahoma State is a member of the Big 12 Conference, which is historically really balanced with good competition during the season.  I watched them quite a few times on television last season and found them to be a disciplined resilient group.  I would see that more tonight as the Tar Heels threatened to pull away several times building double digit leads only to have Oklahoma State come right back.

The Not So Good?

First I'll get the hard part out of the way.  So what didn't go well?  Well, Oklahoma State scored 48 points in the 2nd half.  UNC has scored 50 points in a half but I'm sure the coaches weren't thrilled with the opposing team scoring that many, especially since UNC scored 39.  After Oklahoma State had just 9 field goals in the first half, they had 19 in the 2nd stanza.  Oklahoma State was able to work the ball around to shooters more and when that didn't work, there was LaShaun Jones on the interior.

UNC also didn't shoot as well as they have been in previous games.  It appeared from where I sat they sort of fell in love with the long ball and Coach confirmed that in the post game presser.  The Tar Heels attempted 18 3-pointers in the first half alone.  Now on Sunday those shots were going in; but I was happy to see them attack the basket more in the 2nd half, working the ball around and getting inside so at least the long shots were more open.

The Good

Now, what did go well?  Thankfully a lot more than didn't.  I mentioned Oklahoma State is a discipline team.  North Carolina tonight had 18 assists on 30 made baskets and just 13 turnovers.  The Tar Heels came out on top despite the game being played at a slower pace.  Oklahoma State did a decent job of keeping the tempo where they wanted it.  Despite the high score this was very much a grind it out affair.  When shooting percentages aren't what you'd like, it tests a team's patience; but, the Tar Heels while they did take some quick shots in the first half, were much more patient in the second.

Experience, Chemistry, Leadership and Depth/Balance

You hope these show up every game.  North Carolina again had five players in double figures.  And for the third straight game, two of them were not starters. 

 

Xylina McDaniel: 10 points, 10 rebounds, 3 Assists, 1 block, 1 steal (photo from www.goheels.com)

 



Xylina has done a lot of hard work inside this season and she's doing the little things to help the team win.  She's playing under control, moving inside and out and as a result filling the stat sheet.

Stephanie Mavunga: 18 points, 11 rebounds, 2 block, 2 steal, 1 assist (photo from www.goheels.com)

 

I knew Stephanie (Mavunga) would bounce back.  After being limited to just 18 minutes of play on Sunday due to foul trouble, Stephanie came back tonight with 18 points. She played 30 minutes tonight and was in there for the critical moments to help secure the win.  She got several big baskets late.  It was in fact her on the other end of a sweet pass from Latifah Coleman to put in what ended up being the game winning basket.   

 

 

 

Jessica Washington: 11 points, 3 rebounds, 1 steal

 

Jessica came off the bench to provide some big baskets tonight.  She's no doubt a shooter and we needed every one of those points.  She did have a couple of tough plays; but, she'll learn from them.  She's always trying to learn and improve and I love that about her.  If the lights are on in Carmichael late at night, she's probably in there working on her game and I can see that in her shot this season.

 

 

Danielle Butts: 10 points, 6 rebounds, 1 assist (photo from www.goheels.com)

 

 

Whenever this young woman enters the game, the energy in Carmichael Arena jumps up several notches.  Rebounds, defense, hustle plays-whatever needs to be done, she's out there doing it.  In just 10 minutes, she managed those numbers.  She gives true meaning to the phrase "spark off the bench".









 

Latifah Coleman: 7 assists, 1 turnover (photo from www.chapelboro.com)

 

I know I started out talking about the five players in double figures and I've only mentioned four; but I had to slip this in first.  With 7 assists, Coleman was responsible for at least 14 of North Carolina's points tonight.  And with just one turnover, she wasn't giving Oklahoma State any additional possessions.  I am just tickled with this effort against such a good team.  In the end, with less than a minute to play and the score tied at 77, Latifah Coleman drove towards the hoop and when the defense collapsed on her, she went up and while in mid-air, found Stephanie Mavunga had (as you are supposed to do when the player guarding you leaves) slipped towards the goal and hit her with an amazing pass that resulting in the winning bucket.

 

 

Allisha Gray: 22 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, 5 steals (photo from www.goheels.com)

 

 

Last year, the "Quiet Assassin", this year, not so much.  The first few minutes of the game it was Allisha Gray 8, Oklahoma State 0.  Allisha continues to come up big in this young season.  She had her second consecutive 20 plus point game.  And she's doing it with more than just the long jump shot, although she did hit three 3-point baskets in this game.  The biggest of them had to be the one that reclaimed the lead when Oklahoma State had hit one to go up two with 5:40 minutes left.  She had a lay-up on a set play, rebounds and put backs to score and jumpers inside of 15 feet to go along with three free throws.  In the end, when Oklahoma State had one last chance and hurled the ball towards their basket in hopes of someone making a last second shot, Gray came up with the steal to secure the UNC victory.

 

North Carolina was favored I believe by 7 points in this game.  When you consider the 4 or 5 points experts say home court advantage is worth, I guess the game went about as expected for some people.  There is certainly plenty to take away from this game to help prepare for the next one.  We have one of the best in the business at breaking down film in Coach Andrew Calder; so I'm sure likely as I type this he's beginning his analysis to prepare for the game against Oregon on Sunday.

 

Some nights are like this though.  Some nights the win isn't comfortable.  Some nights the other team is just scoring no matter what and you have to come through anyway.  Some nights you have to just have to make enough big plays and UNC did that tonight.  After Stephanie Mavunga's basket to put UNC up 79 to 77, the defense they played on Oklahoma State's next possession was outstanding, resulting in a tough shot that bounced off the rim.  Brittany Rountree chased the rebound; but couldn't get it.  What does she do?  She puts herself in a stiff defensive stance and forces the turnover (the Oklahoma State player traveled.)  My children were feeling it too.  My daughter immediately asked for food after we left Carmichael.  When I asked why she never asked while we were at the game it was.  "I didn't get hungry until second half and I couldn't even think of leaving my seat then."  My son just said, "Whew, close one mom!"  Had this face most of the final minute.

 

 

 

The team is going to be traveling for a while and we don't have another home game until December 14th.  They're headed to Oregon and then to Hawaii for a Thanksgiving tournament.  Did I mention I am jealous?  Hope the week yields lots of good basketball and good memories and smiles like these.

 

Most of all, of course safe travels, well played games and no injuries.  Safe travels to all making trips next week.  As always Go Heels!



Experience + Leadership at UNC

There are four points of emphasis Coach Hatchell has given us for the team.  I know, I know, but here they are again for a lead in.  Experience, chemistry, leadership and depth (also known as balance).  In four games, counting the two exhibition games, we have seen these show up; but it was in the last game in particular that North Carolina needed all four.  So I’m going to take a couple of posts to look at them and how they exist on the team from where I sit.  In this installment: Experience and Leadership.

Since I already did a feature on the inside duo of Stephanie Mavunga and Xylina McDaniel, this post is going to focus on our senior guards from a fan’s perspective.  Last season UNC was a really young team.  This year, there are two seniors anchoring the backcourt.  These players are the engine of the team.  They call the plays, drive the pace, feed the post players and defend the perimeter.  And at North Carolina they also grab rebounds.  Matters not you are 5’7” tall everyone rebounds at UNC.  Presenting Latifah Coleman and Brittany Rountree. (photos from www.goheels.com)



 

            

Senior Guard: Latifah Coleman (photo from www.goheels.com)

 

I love watching this young lady play.  After suffering an ACL tear earlier in her career, she came back and just does whatever she can to help this team.  She has a lot of things you can’t teach like great work ethic and a lot of heart.  (photo from www.bigstory.ap)

 

She’s usually the one found doing the things that don’t always show up in the stat sheet.  It’s hard to find a way around her when she is on defense.  She gets low, uses her feet well and she’s very quick laterally despite the previous injury.  On offense she seems to be able to get to the rim almost at will.  There’s just some more consistency needed in the finish.  (photo from www.goheels.com)

But I have a tremendous amount of confidence in her because I have seen how she has grown over the years and I have seen her shine when the lights were the brightest.  In the 2013 ACC tournament semi-finals against Maryland, our starting point guard Tierra Ruffin-Pratt left the game due to illness.  UNC was mounting a comeback from a double digit deficit at the time and seeing Tierra on the sidelines having (to put it mildly) some tummy trouble would have normally brought everything to a halt.  Coleman came in and scored 17 points and lead UNC to victory while playing some stifling defense.  She's a crucial on defense for UNC.  (photo from chapelboro.com)

But that just had to be done.  And that is what Latifah does.  She does what has to be done.  She plays great defense and directs the offense when she is in the game.  As time has gone on scoring wasn’t needed as much.  With the addition of Jessica Washington last season and Jamie Cherry this season, there is more offensive fire power in the back court.  Coleman from where I sit, has a calming effect along with her tenacious defense and that is I believe two of the main things that will take UNC a long way.  No doubt she is a great teammate. (photo from www.espn.com)

 

Senior Guard Brittany Rountree

When Brittany first arrived, I thought, “Wow this kid can really shoot the rock!”  I still remember the record setting day in Greensboro where she hit 7 three-pointers.  Over the years she has developed, I have seen things added to her game.  I’ve seen her lock down defensively and rebound really well for a guard.  She played a bit of point guard for us too in her time at UNC as well and did a wonderful job leading the team. 

 

 

Like Latifah, Brittany does a lot of things that don’t show up  on the stat sheet at the end of the game.  They don’t get by the eyes of the UNC staff though.  She’s great at getting the ball inside to the post players, getting to the right spot on the floor.   She isn’t afraid of contact; so she’ll mix it up in the middle, take charges from bigger players and crash the boards.  (photo from www.dailytarheel.com)

 

 

 

She’ll have plenty of assists from the 2 guard spot.  One of the most memorable so far was in a game against the Miami Hurricanes.  With the score tied, Miami missed a shot.  Brittany got the rebound with just a few seconds left.  She dribbled the length of the floor and found Danielle Butts for the winning basket.  That ended a long home court winning streak for them.

 

So far this year, I already see her shooting a bit more and I love it.  She has so much range on that 3 pointer that it’s hard to guard it effectively.  She can also get to the rim and since the 3 ball is falling, that driving lane is going to open up for her.  If it closes, there are other shooters waiting and she’s quick enough and aware enough to get them the ball.  If not, she’ll hit the lay-up, get fouled or both.  (photos from www.goheels.com)

 

 

 

I have a lot of confidence in her.  I’ve seen her step up when the game is on the line whether it was a big shot like the one that gave us the lead after coming back from an 18 point deficit in the NCAA tournament last season (during which she played amazing defense) or stepping to the free throw line in the waning moments to protect a UNC victory. (photo from www.goheels.com)

 

 

 

I’m going to try not to think about how much we will miss these two.  I hope they enjoy their senior season.