Helluva a nice RPI and first round win vs. “The U” yesterday down in Charlotte North
Carolina. Yah gotta love that. But today is not cut from the same tree, and the experts have UNC set to yell “Timmmmmber!” at the Hokies expense. UNC is an eleven and a half point favorite, and that is not without merit. UNC is good, UNC might even be Final-4 good.
So let’s get this outta the way up front. I don’t like our chances here. Last time I predicted UNC would net 91 points on us. They were off by one, as this team might very well be the deepest in all of D-1 when it comes to (sky) blue-chip quality hoopsters. The one true chance I see if for UNC to go cold from the field. That can happen in the single elimination one and done format, but I’d say there’s only about a 10% chance of that. Nonetheless, let’s look at some James Worthy’s and some Nobody Daugherty’s first.
- UNC is shooting over 50% from the floor and 44% from downtown in their last 5
games. - UNC is simply #1 in Rebounding Margin out of all 328 D-1 hoops teams. You can see this all too clearly in the fact that the T.Heels are 3rd on the defensive glass and 5th on the offensive boards.
- UNC has been held under 82 points once in their last 7 games.
- UNC is 2nd in scoring offense, and an even more impressive 3rd in Scoring Margin.
In other words, UNC is not only beating people, they are beating the crap outta people. Another vital I realllllllly like about this years T.Heels is that they are not settling for the 3ball that so much of America is so in love with at so many levels of hoops. UNC is only making 5 and change a game from beyond 19’9”, that’s only 262nd in D-1. That tells you
that UNC is shooting a lot of internal shots; points in the paint if you will. The T.Heels get these in both transition and down low with Mr. pump-fake (and how refreshing is it to see that back en vogue, well for at least one baller) himself in one Hansbrough Toys. For years I had thought Tyler too soft to play (actually play, not ride the pine I mean) in the Association. But not any more. Tyler is very possibly the best low-post player in all of D-1, and that’s no bad thing when you can say that about a given player.
On top of all of that, UNC is pretty decent on defense, for playing such an up tempo offense. The T.Heels are 90th in FG% allowed, 76th in 3point% allowed, and teams only shoot 66% from the FT Stripe vs. UNC. So it’s gonna take an awful lot to beat UNC. In short, I just don’t see it. Virginia Tech 68 UNC 85. b’street
(per always, enter the OPT for a chance to win a free month of TSL Pass right here, winners will be post inside this write up so they do not scroll off the Mens Basketball MB)
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