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Tar Heels utilize versatility as a weapon

Posted on February 24, 2011February 24, 2011 by Staff

By Eddy Landreth
Staff Writer

One has only to look at Carolina’s two games against Boston College this season to witness UNC’s valuable versatility.

On Feb. 1, the Tar Heels streaked past the Eagles on their home court, 106-74.

The Tar Heels ran with the skill and abandon shown by the best of Roy Williams’ teams at Kansas or UNC.

When BC came to Chapel Hill for the return match on Feb. 19, Eagles coach Steve Donahue had clearly decided he was not going to watch the same jet stream blow his team off the court again. So when Boston College took a shot, frequently no one wearing a BC jersey went to the boards to fight for the rebound.

Instead the Eagles hustled to get back on defense and did their best to force UNC into a half-court game. Donahue got the tempo he wanted, but not the result.

Carolina’s size and improvement on defense made the difference.

“We’re blessed to have a defense like we have,” said sophomore big man John Henson, who is one of the cornerstones of that defense. “We have so many games we have pulled out with our defense.”

The Eagles acknowledged Carolina’s inside superiority by avoiding virtually any attempt to go in the lane. Half of Boston College’s 14 field goals were three-point shots.

“You throw [Harrison] Barnes in there at the three and I don’t think there is anybody that big in college basketball,” Donahue said. “I don’t know if there is anybody in college basketball that can score over them.”

Heading into Wednesday’s game at N.C. State, only Duke had scored successfully over the top of UNC in its last nine games. And the Blue Devils did that with jump shots and free throws, not close-range shots.

The last couple of seasons have shown there’s more than one way to win in college basketball. UNC demolished everything in its path in winning the 2009 national championship. No team could stop the Tar Heels from scoring.

A year ago, Duke and Butler made it to the final game on the strength of low-scoring defensive games, and the Blue Devils’ defense proved one stop better than Butler.

The intriguing aspect of this Carolina team is that it can do both. If the players could find a way to finish more consistently on their close-range shots, the Tar Heels might even win with greater ease. At least now, though, they know that if they have to do it with defense, they can.

Rebounding goes along with good defense because defensive possessions do not end until one team gets the rebound or the other team scores. Carolina outrebounded Boston College 44-30. UNC would almost surely have done so even if the Eagles had not run back so quickly.

“It was very difficult,” BC’s Reggie Jackson said. “I wasn’t disappointed in our guys’ effort. We were trying to box out. The refs let it be a physical game, which we love. But they outrebounded us 44-30. That is basically what got them the win.”

Rebounding, and a defensive effort that led to the Eagles shooting 26.9 percent from the field. It was a tale of two games, and both were the best of times for Carolina.

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