University of North Carolina Athletics
Mick: Defense Wins Championships?
January 12, 2000 | Men's Basketball
Jan. 12, 2000
"Shoot, we'd be good if Haywood would just be more AGGRESSIVE!", said the fellow getting changed next to me in the health club, swinging his forearm through the air to demonstrate.
"I don't know. Are we watching the same player," I said. "He's actually played five outstanding games in a row. Did you see him the other night against -
"What was that game he didn't get but one rebound?", the guy continued, adding about 20 decibels. "Hells bells, son. If I was seven feet tall, I'd get ALLLLL the rebounds."
Enough already.
That was yesterday's news.
The new look Tar Heels have been re-tooled for 2000, and they appear to have their swagger back, especially on offense. NC State coach Herb Sendek called the Heels "an offensive juggernaut" prior to the game and he may be right.
*** Brendan Haywood has hit an unbelievable 40 of his last 47 shots, that's 85%, and leads both the ACC and the nation in field goal percentage. Over his last 5 games he's averaging 15 points and 9 rebounds. He's been active and enthusiastic, he's blocking and altering shots and he's passing intelligently out of double and triple teams.
*** Since moving into the starting lineup, Kris Lang has been a double-figure scorer in all three games.
*** Joseph Forte has made 19 of his last 29 shots, 65%, and is the top freshman scorer in the ACC.
*** Max Owens has the sweetest release since Al Wood, and has a true knack for getting his shot off against taller players inside.
*** And if there is nobody open, Ed Cota can get into the lane and score with that deadly push shot of his. (23 points on 8-8 shooting against the Wolfpack.)
The best college teams in America play sound transition defense and modern day ballhandlers are too good to consistently trap, especially if palming isn't going to be called. Therefore, high level games are often determined by which team can get the most quality shots against a set, halfcourt defense.
Carolina will always look to run after defensive rebounds but in the absence of favorable numbers the Tar Heels, with five excellent offensive players on the floor most of the time now, are currently the best team in the conference at scoring or getting fouled WITHOUT THE BENEFIT OF A FAST BREAK.
asketball is not an undefeated sport, especially in the rugged ACC, and it is still early of course. But Coach Guthridge and his staff have UNC looking like the most potent offensive team in Chapel Hill since the Calabria, Stackhouse, Wallace, Donald Williams, Jeff McInnis group that went to the 1995 Final Four.
Offense can't win a championship by itself, but Saturday night against the proud Wolfpack defense, the unstoppable force defeated the immovable object.
