North Carolina basketball preview!

#129 R.P.I. North Carolina #94 R.P.I. Virginia Tech: 

Virginia Tech men’s basketball team tries to rebound after a somewhat unkempt looking home upset L when the face the mega O&M hot tix of the year in the North Carolina Heels this Wednesday night over in a slightly warming New River Valley.

The Hokies entertaining a very underwhelming looking 8 up and 9 down U.n.c. team that was not picked lower than third in the All Coaching Conference by any of my preview magazines. And yet now the blue-man-group resides at a post-season fenced looking 15th place in the A.c.c.! Fifteen outta fifteen if you are keeping McDonald’s All-American score at home. As the Heels are a virtually shocking looking .167 or 1-5 team inside the A.c.c. thus far this campaign. And if you picked this one back in September come on out and take a late January cyber-bow. Yah; “Roger that” on me neither… nevertheless, what you wanna know is who is gonna win and by how much; right? So read on, to find… out!

North Carolina Head CoachRoy Allen Williams: age=69, 879–242 (.784) overall,
and 461–141 (.766) at North Carolina.
$800,000.oo base
INCLUDING:
($60,000 expense account, $1,937,000 Learfield contract, $2,150,000 supplemental compensation, $340,000 Nike, +incentives, +a 2027 extension!)

free bowl of soup… it looks good on you.”

Baller Williams lettered in basketball and baseball at T. C. Roberson High School in Asheville, NC all four years. In basketball, playing for Coach Buddy Baldwin, he was named all-county and all-conference for two years (1967 and 1968), all-western North Carolina in 1968 and served as the captain in the North Carolina Blue-White All-Star Game. Williams has stated that Coach Baldwin was one of the biggest influences in his life. Williams went on to play on the freshman team at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and study the game under legendary coach Dean Smith. When Williams was a sophomore at Carolina, he asked Smith if he could attend his practices and would sit in the bleachers taking notes on Smith’s coaching. Williams also volunteered to keep statistics for Smith at home games and worked in Smith’s summer camps.

After coaching golf and hoops in high school for five years; in 1978, Williams came back to the University of North Carolina and served as an assistant to Coach Dean Smith until 1988. During his tenure as an assistant coach, North Carolina won the NCAA national championship in 1982, the first for Smith (and Roy); and second for North Carolina. One of Williams’ more notable events came as an assistant coach when he became instrumental in recruiting a nobody who was already cut from his H.S. team, some kid named… Jordan. After that, taking over at Kansas, his Jayhawk career was riddled with wins (28 per year on average!); conference titles (9); and more a few recruiting foibles as well. Since getting home to U.n.c. coach Williams has notched two national championships (2oo5) and (2008). Coach Williams is the only basketball coach in NCAA history to have 35o or more victories at two NCAA D-1 schools {sic: Kansas and North Carolina}. Coach Williams is the only coach in NCAA history to have led two different programs to at least four Final Fours each; wow. In 2oo7, Coach Williams was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame. Coach Williams’ teams have made the post-season 29 outta 30 times. He was won a stunning 15 different coach of the year awards nationally or in-conference combined. He has won 23 total regular season or tournament conference titles and put 39 kids into the Association.

Coach Williams chairs a $10 million-dollar U.n.c. basketball endowment and Roy had surgery on September 19, 2012, to remove a tumor from his right kidney; St.Elmo’ Bless.

Daddy Williams is married to Wanda Williams. They have a son, Scott (ex-UNC Pt.Guard), a daughter, Kimberly (dance school owner), and three grandsons

U.n.c. at a glance:

  • 8th best in rebounding margin!
  • 77th in swats.
  • 315th in FT percentage O!
  • 324th in 3-point percentage O!
  • 324th fewest turnovers forced on D!
  • 330th in FG percentage O!
  • 3 hurts listed. (Coach God thrice bless)

Heel Returning Starters=1

North Carolina Strengths:

  • Garrison Brooks goes as a 6′9″, 235 lb. as a third-year frontcourter from Auburn Alabama who prolly broke some S.E.C. hearts down south when he went north to Carolina. Garrison was a scoring and rebounding machine in high school who was (barely) the Alabama State player of the Year runner-up. Brooks has a first-school Big-E (Elvin Hayes) face-up and shoot game and he will block shots; (plural). As Brooksy leads U.n.c. in board-work at 9.4 rpg and his 14.4 ppg is second-best. As 53% from the floor was expected although his 34% long has been a bonus. As this is a probable overseas caliber Four and a solid interior player who has rebounding acumen. As the only real issue is foul-trouble from the lone returning starter for the Heels here.
  • One #2, one Cole Anthony who is nearing the end of his rehab after undergoing knee surgery last month —was merely the no.3 baller overall and the #1 Pt.Guard of his recruiting class. That’s all… he sucks; cut him right now! Other than that, the 6′3″, 190 lb. rookie year nugget from NYC by way of the hoops factory otherwise known as: Oak Hill Academy (Va.); is not ½-bad. Neither are his genetics… as ‘yes’ he is related in that his old man, Mr. Greg Anthony, only won an NC2A championship with U.N.L.V. in 1990, and was only an 11-year N.b.a. veteran who still holds Running Rebel career records for assists and steals! That’s all, he sucks too. What does not suck however is Cole’s already team-leading 19.1 ppg, his surprising third best 6.3 rpg, his team-leading 3.7 apg, his team-leading 1.9 spg. Cole’s netting, however, needs a little tightening up, what with 37% from the floor, 36% behind the 3-point line and 68% at the charity stripe. Granted… tho’ the rest of his floorshow is about as productive as you can be to only be 9-games into your collegiate career. Additionally, being a USA Today first-team All-America and Virginia Gatorade Player of the Year 2019 is none too shabby. As is his FIBA U18 gold medal. The book says c.Anthony to be an attacking One with a great first step. He is an explosive player with skillz at both ends of the court. The only knock I did find was he had a scholastic rep’ for needing to be more team-first. That and his shooting needs a bit more depth… tho’ this guy is a Pro’. In point of fact, he is listed as Lindy’s #1 A.c.c. Pro’ Prospect for all of 2020. So, there you go… (UPDATE: the new word is: “early February” here).

    NOT a dull boy…
  •  6′5″, 173 lb. and final year off-G, Brandon Robinson is basically your seniority leader if only per class rank default. Although he is also your 12.1 ppg, 3.4 rpg and 3.1 apg guy who does a lotta little-things medium-well. However, Brandon just finished with 12 points in 32 minutes a week removed from sustaining minor injuries when the car, he was in was struck by a car operated by an impaired driver. Dang… St.Boniface bless. b.Rob is also the men’s basketball representative on the Student-Athlete Advisory Council. He enjoys the ‘bling’ of a National Championship ring from his rookie year at U.n.c. He gets you 35% long and 1.3 spg and he was merely the AAAAAA (6-A) Player of the Year down in Georgia a handful of years back. Robinson’s old-man is a 24-season High School head hoops coach; so, you know roundball is in his blood and the 1-5 whiteboard has been poured into his head. As he had a shooter’s tag coming outta the Peach State that he willed/worked into a defender’s tag while mounting Chapel Hill. Might be a fringe overseas candidate for it if he wants the work.
  • Fr. Armando Bacot is a 6′10″, lengthy/rangy looking P/F Commonwealth refugee (Richmond, Va.) at 232 lbs. Bascot led IMG Academy to a prep national championship in 2019 and he was also a member of the U18 USA Basketball national team with Cole Anthony and Coby White, winning a gold medal with the same. Before that, he won the 2017 VISAA Division-I state champion at Trinity Episcopal School. Bacot is said to be a true internal player and nobodies stretch-Euro-F. Bascot has excellent hands and excels on the defensive glass (1o2 d-reb’s already). Armaando drops you 10.2 points per nite with 7.9 rpg and he leads the way in SWAT team work with 1.4 send-backs on 48% overall. This kid’s prolly a Pro’, although it does look like he could add another 10-15 lbs. and fill in a bit more upstairs to me.

North Carolina Weaknesses:

  • To say there is a lotta roster/rotational turnover here is to lip-service the whole shebang; so, to speak. Nevertheless, only one rotational guy we saw last (Gar.Brooks) has returned and even this supposed reload seems more parts retool to me.
  • What with ~45 ppg and a hurtful ~35 rpg all gonzo.
  • Likewise, this year’s roster wants for the signature matriculated senior year: “program players” (or glue guys) as Roy likes to put it.
  • Sources say that U.n.c. also wants for an: “offensive identity” thus far this campaign. The whispers also say that Roy has bemoaned his team’s lack of: “handling adversity” on the road this season. i.e. a LOUD Cassell would be harder to storm here, mucho!
  • As… Heel D >>> Heel O (at least thus far…)
  • Sterling Manley is done for the duration (A-scope on his right-knee, St.Nikhon bless). And so are his 6′11″, 250 legit big-man lbs. Also, doneski are his 6 ppg, 4 rpg and a swat on 56% in low-post relief.
  • Anthony Harris, a 6′4″, 190 lb. Woodridge, Va. in-state escapee is also out for the year (left-knee meniscus, St.Nikhon help here too). Gone are his sniper-like marksmanship shooting that generated 7 ppg on 43% long and 88% from the charity stripe.
  • Yikes!

Heel Bench: (depth still=a lot!)

As 10 different Heels have run in at least 12 games here and everyone -all seventeen; that’s (17)- of ’em have balled in at least six runs thus far. i.e. mega depth lives here and fatigue is NOT an issue for this many McDonald’s All-American issues.

Justin Pierce is a 6′7″, 21o lb. rarified Bill & Mary (grad)-transfer S/F to U.n.c. Pierce finds his way to 5.6 ppg and 4.4 rpg as a kid who arrived with a label for being one of the most coveted transfers of the off-season. Pierce is a first-option kinda kid who shoots well and rebounds with authority. As this was a 15 ppg, 9 rpg and 41% behind the arc Tribal baller; and frankly mo’ was expected here. (not related to Paul BTW). Even if his 4.9-grade point average (out of 5.0 scale) is pretty much a .edu triple-double. Great on dat.

Leaky Black -grate name- is a 6′8″, 195 lb. sophomoric bean-pole baller who has a history of left-ankle rolls (may St.Phillip make that alright). Leaky did pocket a title leading Cox Mill to the 2018 3-A state championship (Nc.) And he sure seems the highlight tape part. As a strong off-the-dribble guy who seems capable of more than 5.4 ppg and 4.6 rpg to me in pure athletic/kinetic terms alone.

6′5″, 2o5 lb. Ryan McAdoo -yes, he is related- is an unusual r-Soph. season Florida Gulf Coast University to U.n.c. transfer basketballer. As Ry’ (same as Leaky) has that *it* or vertical look-n-feel to his game as a pure Three or S/F. His poppa-bear {sic: Bob} was merely the No. 2 pick in the N.b.a. Draft, was only the N.b.a. Rookie of the Year in 1973, the Associations’ MVP in 1975 and a five-time All-Star. Senior McAdoo -who was instant offense and rebounding off the Showtime pine- won N.b.a. titles with the Lakers as a player in 1983 and again in 1985. Accordingly, a lot is legacy expected here. (more than .2 ppg and .2 rpg (no typo’s) I mean).

Walker Miller is a 6′11″, 230 lb. third-season P/F by way of New Hampshire H.S. ball where he put up okay tho’ not necessarily @U.n.c. scholastic numbers. Walker is an honor roll student (UHC.edu props); he basically provides match-up length in relief (.5 ppg, .4 rpg) while not being listed in my preseason preview mags. (tho’ older bro’ (Wes) did win the 2005 national championship at U.n.c. and you have to wonder if this was a nepotistic take?)

6′10″, 259 lb. Brandon Huffman is one flexing/mean-mugging guy who would prolly make one helluva a cooler/bouncer if he wants the after-hours bar-scene work. Seriously, this dood looks 35 (years old) and Huffman is nothing if not physically filled in like cement. As this was a kid with some serious Deadliest Catch type hauls as an Anchorage, Alaska native. Where Huff’ earned first-team all-state honors in Alaska leading West Anchorage to a 4-A state title with monsta rebounding and blocking high school digits (17.5 rpg, 4 bpg) alike. Though only with 1.3 ppg, 1 rpg and 1 bpg on 60% right now.

(point being… this is a towering T.Heel team and a very tough match-up in the half-court)

Winning at home vs. normally heavily favored U.n.c. as an 8-point fave ourselves is all about, what?

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Illationconclusion(s) and OPT digits:

Number of Heels who could tar-n-feather the Hokiebird @Tech=9-10.

the takeaway:
The takeaway here is… that the more parts football school otherwise known as: Virginia Tech, is your roundball favorite vs. the hardwood factory otherwise known as: North Carolina… just about every (powder) blue-moon give/take.

Or not since Feb 4, 2010— take thy pick.


As mighty 7-time National Champion, staggering 51-time conference alpha and mere 2,268 total wins North Carolina is virtually nearly always a double-digit Vegas big-board betting favorite vs. former Southern, METRO and A-10 conference little ole V.P.I. in men’s hoops.

Seriously, this may not (quite) be virgin territory, tho’ this is about as low mileage as it gets.

As history says to bet U.n.c. here and to basically bet U.n.c. on the blind to boot.

 ***

Our handy-dandy friend the so-called Forum Guide of Graham Houston fame is calling for a 5 point T.Hell, upset VomiT over in Blacksburg, Va. by ~11 PM Wednesday night.

The annualized year-to-date vitals say that… V.Tech is up +5% in shooting percentage margin (mostly on O); V.Tech is up +11% in 3-point percentage margin (nearly all on O); although U.n.c. is up an impressive 10-boards in rebounding margin (nearly all their superiority on the backboard; as V.Tech is pretty close to even in rebounding margin for the duration).

The most recent 5-game metrics say that… the Hokies are up +5% again in shooting percentage margin (mostly on D however this time); with the Gobblers now up +12% in 3-point percentage margin (with a little more D credit than O for V.P.I.) and yet the Heels are now up +12 in rebounding margin (as V.P.I. is not hitting the glass of late).

For a change, VeeTee is up 5% at the charity stripe for the year.
U.n.c. us up a very unusual +6 in R&R in the last fortnight of play.

  1. Williams remains stuck on 879 career wins, still tied with mentor Dean Smith for fourth all-time among men’s Division I coaches.
  2. North Carolina from falling under .500 this late in the season for the first time since 2001-02.
  3. Bacot just became the first Heel freshman since Tyler Hansbrough in 2005-06 to record six double-doubles in his rookie or nugget year. Further… Bacot’s 7.9 rebounds are the most by a Heel freshman since Sean May averaged 8.1 in 2002-03.
  4. Overall… U.n.c. has been an offensive rebounding machine in the last couple of weeks. Hokie defensive rebounders beware.
  5. Virginia Tech ranks last in A.c.c. games in offensive rebound percentage (19.5) and ranks first with 50 percent of its total shots being 3-pointers.
  6. Virginia Tech had its worst defensive effort of the season (on 48% allowed) Saturday at home against Syracuse and it cost the Hokies a chance for a conference four-game win streak for the first time since winning six straight in 2015-16.
  7. Curiously enough… insiders say that Coach MY was not thrilled with his team’s scouting and overall intellectual preparedness for ‘Cuse.
  8. U.n.c. has never ever dropped six consecutive Atlantic Coast games. This is only the fourth time in 32 seasons a Roy Williams team has been beaten four or more games in a row.
  9. North Carolina is 68-14 against Virginia Tech, including 15-4 since the Hokies joined the A.c.c. Carolina has won eight of the last nine games head-to-head.

The Call

No.12o Net Ranking North Carolina no.44 Net Ranking Virginia Tech:

It sure does want to feel like we are catching a slumping Nor.Carolina club at just the right time.

8 PM kick-off!

Our VT.edu student body will be back, this is a very hawt tix down in the recently <32°f 24060, our refugee Buzzketballers will be shooting @home, and U.n.c. does have to sojourn 201-miles to play the Hurrying Hokies on national T.V. in this one here.

And yet this is just not a good match-up for us… presuming these mental Achilles Heel’s and downright dysfunctional Carolina functions at all as Coach Thomas Paine’s basic hooping Common Sense goes.

oOo

Nevertheless… U.n.c.’s overall defensive marker has loosed up a bit in their last 5-games, and the yet Hokies have chilled late January out on O. Thereby canceling out any user-friendly looks from the sky-blue crew and thereby making this one a push not named rebounding margin.

As it does not take a rocket surgeon to see that U.n.c. should dump the ball down inside and into the low-post vs. the vertically challenged Youngsters and take their chances closer to the rack on Wednesday night.

If they do this we are in for a long-haul as our little O&M engine that could goes… if however, we conduct ourselves well from the outside, or something is truly Tobacco Road train-track switched, we do have a fair to middling shot to nick or steal one vs. much-vaunted U.n.c. here.

Ergo, therefore, to Whit; do you favor the smaller outside shooters at home or the towering traditional Three through Five match-ups inside?

As Eye for one ‘capped this game to a virtual “Winter is here” dead-heat push.

What with the Hokie scoring margin exactly even in our last 5-games, and with the Heel scoring margin virtually even for the season.

That and our slowing-starts have been aging our Youngling coach of late.

i.e. we need to go on jump an available U.n.c. from the word: “GO”.
🙉🙈🙊
💯

(50% confidence interval)
Virginia Tech
=75, North Carolina=73 (overtime)

LETS GO!

Hokies!

 bourbonstreet**

 

 

 

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