University of North Carolina Athletics
Woody: Guthridge Trying To Be Positive
January 23, 2000 | Men's Basketball
Jan. 23, 2000
Bill Guthridge hasn't counted it, but he's gotten quite a bit of negative mail in the last week or two.
The Tar Heels have had some slippage during the past decade under both Guthridge and Dean Smith, but they haven't lost three straight in three years. In 1997, Carolina charged out to a 9-1 start, but then dropped five of the next eight including the first three ACC contests. ut Dean Smith's last team won 16 straight before bowing to Arizona in the Final Four.
This year's team may not duplicate that finish, but Guthridge insists this is a better team than it was earlier. "We've improved in all areas," he points out, "but all teams should be improved. We have to continue to get better defensively, and eliminate some of the letdowns and mistakes. For example, against Virginia we had a lot of really good box outs, and then we had a few times when we didn't box out. We had some good help defense, and then we had some times when we didn't help. We just have to get more consistent."
Guthridge wanted to apply more pressure this year, but he decided in December that wasn't possible even though the Tar Heels still trap in certain situations. "The type of defense we play is not going to generate a lot of turnovers. It hasn't the last three years, but it is a concern we don't have more."
Through the first 18 games, the Tar Heels are forcing just 12.4 turnovers while committing 15.4 per outing. They suffered 21 turnovers at Virginia, but still had enough offense to win. However, the defense couldn't contain the Cavaliers in the second half. On the other hand, the defense played well enough to beat both Wake Forest and UCLA. Carolina just couldn't get efficient production out of its offense.
Offensively, Carolina is always going to have turnovers because it passes the ball in its offense. But Guthridge prefers a 12-to-15% loss of ball. In eight games this season, including the last four, the Tar Heels have had better than a 20% loss of ball. "The easiest way not to have turnovers," the 62-year-old head coach points out, "is to come down and take the first shot, but you won't be very effective. If we can keep our loss of ball percentage in the teens that would be pretty good."
So what do the Tar Heels need most? "I don't know if there's any one thing. Number one, we need a win which would help our confidence. And, we need to improve in all areas of play."
Carolina's confidence could be fragile after losing a couple of games by a combined total of five points. "Those are the kind of games you need to win in order to have great seasons. Those are the kind of games we need to start winning, and I hope we can." Guthridge thinks the Tar Heels still have their confidence.
Granted the Tar Heels are disappointed, but their coach says they have a good attitude, they're working hard and he thinks they're improving. "When you lose you still have to be positive. The coaches can't get down and the players can't get down. Losing is contagious, and you want to stay away from that. But winning is also contagious."
Other websites are filled with comments about Carolina's impressive streaks being in jeopardy. You know, no lower than third in the ACC for 35 years, 29 consecutive years of 20- plus wins and 25 straight appearances in the NCAA Tournament. Certainly the streaks were mentioned in some of Guthridge's negative mail, but he hasn't talked about it with the team and won't talk about it.
"If somebody wants to give it to us I would take it. But we don't talk about those things. We're just trying to be here and now."
