University of North Carolina Athletics
Lucas: MBB Asked & Answered
March 25, 2003 | Men's Basketball
March 25, 2003
I have been unable to find any explanation of how (1) NIT pairings are determined, i.e., which team plays which other team; (2) it is determined whether a team plays first in the "opening round" or the "first round"; and (3) home court is determined prior to the tournament rounds in the Garden. Can you enlighten me?
Stephen E. Hart, Alexandria, VA
1. The NIT organizers are solely responsible for determining the pairings. Factors include regional appeal and television audience (if the game is televised). Unlike the NCAA Tournament, teams are not seeded with respect to their relative records or potential.
2. Some of the setup process involves simple logistics. An arena may be available for an early date but not for a date later that week, slotting a team into the "opening round." It's also sometimes a way for a team that may later have to go on the road to get an extra home game.
3. Playing at home is governed almost solely by ticket sales. The NIT prefers to play games in the first three rounds at sites that will probably have strong ticket numbers. Carolina's crowd of over 10,000 for the first-round game against DePaul was the third-largest of the tournament so far and last night's 20,000+ sellout may have been an all-time NIT record for a non-Madison Square Garden game. By the way, to head off this question, the reason that the game was a sellout but the attendance was not the usual figure of 21,750 was because neither the risers nor the first few rows of seats across from the benches were in place for the Wyoming game.
I can see Chris Bosh beating out Raymond Felton for ACC Rookie of the Year just because of the props people give young big men who can shoot. What I have a problem with is J.J. Redick beating out Felton for second place. Now me being a Heel fan you know I take exception to any Duke person beating out one of our Heels. But there is no way on God's green earth that Redick is a better guard, defender, leader, hustler, passer or dribbler than our Raymond.
Patrick Lennon, Roanoke, VA
We agree, Patrick. We guessed Bosh was going to win, but it never even crossed our mind that Redick might finish second (he got 12 votes from the 92-member panel, with Felton garnering eight and Bosh picking up the rest). We've heard some suggestions that Redick's outstanding performance in the ACC Tournament championship games might have swung a few votes, but the final deadline for voting was a full week before that game was played. Here's a quick look at the stats of the two players:
Redick: 30.5 minutes/game, 42.6 FG%, 41.4 3-PT FG%, 2.4 rebounds/game, 2.0 assists/game, 15.3 points/game.
Felton: 35.2 minutes/game, 39.3 FG%, 35.7 3-PT FG%, 4.2 rebounds/game, 6.4 assists/game, 12.8 points/game.
The hard numbers aren't that different, which means you have to have seen the two teams play a good bit to understand the difference in the roles of the two players. Redick's ball-handling was negligible, while Felton was required to almost single-handedly break any opposing press. Felton came in as perhaps the most hyped Carolina rookie ever and then proceeded to live up to those expectations, while Redick was merely one of a fantastic six-member Duke freshman class. Even the most diehard Blue Devil would have to admit that the intangibles category belongs squarely to Felton.
It's also worth pointing out who votes on these awards. There is no selection process to become a voter. The ACSMA is made up of any members of the media who pony up the required $15 for yearly dues. That means that the membership isn't necessarily the media with the most experience or talent in covering the ACC, just the ones who remembered to return their dues on time.
I hear all the time about the coaches watching film of other teams. How do they do get those films, particularly against sparsely televised opponents like Iona or others? When Doherty and company want to scout teams in the NIT and they only find out who they are going to play on such short notice, how do they get their hands on tapes?
Darrell Smith, Milwaukee
The Tar Heels have an extensive video library that is maintained by David Cason. Essentially, Cason tapes any college basketball game that is aired during the season, whether Carolina is scheduled to play that team or not. That can pay off in a quick turnaround situation like last week, when the Heels had just 48 hours to track down film of DePaul.
"We have a library, and a couple of DePaul tapes were in the library," Matt Doherty said. "Then we call around to friends of ours and ask if they have any DePaul tapes. Every league has a rule that you can't get tapes from conference opponents, so we find out who they played non-conference and call them."
In the situation with the Blue Demons, the tapes Carolina secured from other schools were FedExed and didn't arrive until Tuesday morning, less than 12 hours before the game.
I was just wondering why Scott May has such a large role in the decision process regarding Sean May's return. Is that normal? It seems like the decision should rest with Sean, the team doctor and Coach Doherty. I understand Scott's concerns, but Sean is on scholarship, and if he is able to play, then he should play. I can't help but think that the cautiousness may have cost the team a trip to the NCAA's this year.
Todd Schanel, Charlottesville, VA
Sean May is in a unique position because his father has extensive Division I basketball experience. That's not a luxury that most college basketball players have, so it would be foolish for Sean to not consult his father and get his perspective. It's a popular myth that Scott May was the only one calling the shots on Sean's return, but Carolina's doctors had the final green light or red light call. It's also worth remembering that every parent of a player would have extensive input in an injury situation. Jackie Manuel's parents relocated to Chapel Hill to be closer to their son, and at least one (and usually both) of Raymond Felton's parents, Will Johnson's parents, David Noel's sister, and usually Rashad McCants's mother have followed the Heels to every game this season, home and away.
To us, they're basketball players, but to their families, they're a son or brother. That transcends NCAA Tournament bids or the wishes of Carolina basketball fans. If you have a son, you'd probably feel the same way.
When the men's basketball team ceased to be called "The White Phantoms" and become "The Tar Heels"?
Bob Goodwin
Carolina may have been given the nickname "White Phantoms" by the Atlanta media. However, as you noted, it was not an athletic department-wide nickname; it applied only to the hoopsters. They were definitely known by that name in 1922 when they began a streak of four Southern Conference tournament championships in five years. There's also a reference in a South Carolina newspaper to that nickname from a game story against Clemson in the 1935-36 season. According to SID emeritus Rick Brewer, it may have lasted up until the late 1940s.
However, it does not appear that "White Phantoms" was ever an officially-sanctioned nickname. Instead, it was a nickname that enjoyed widespread public recognition, like "Choo Choo" Justice or, more recently, the way that University of Virginia teams are referred to as the "Wahoos" or "'Hoos" by their fans but usually as "Cavaliers" by the media or official press releases.
I think the Heels finally looked like they were playing together with the two impressive wins over Duke and then Maryland. So why disrupt the chemistry by bringing May in the ACC tournament match up with Duke. What do you think?
Frank Collins, Wichita Falls, TX
If the team hadn't worked with Sean since his injury on Dec. 27, we'd agree with you. But they had practiced with him regularly for at least a week, so they were already in the process of getting used to him. Once you get into March, there's no "good" time for a player to return from injury, because there's always the prospect of having to juggle a set lineup. Matt Doherty was well aware of that, because he was on the 1984 team that tried to reintegrate Kenny Smith into the flow after his return from a broken wrist. As that team proved, it's not always a simple process.
ottom line? Carolina simply ran into a better team that day against Duke and didn't have much left in the tank after two scintillating wins over the Devils and Maryland.
Some friends of mine and I were sitting around having a debate and I was wondering if you could provide me with some information. The question was: Which Div 1 schools' alum has gone on to have the most NBA World Chamionship rings? Being a devote Tar Heel fan, I chimed in "UNC"!How many total NBA crowns do UNC's alum have total? And who are the alum individuals with those rings? And how many per individual?
Jeff Bacheler
I think we're going to have to charge you for more than one question, Jeff. Carolina alums have a total of 33 NBA championships. They break down as follows:
Michael Jordan, 6
illy Cunningham, 2 (one as a player and one as a coach)
Mitch Kupchak, 8 (three as a player and five in the front office)
Charlie Scott, 1
Tommy LaGarde, 1
ob McAdoo, 2
obby Jones, 1
James Worthy, 3
Scott Williams, 3
Kenny Smith, 2
Pete Chilcutt, 1
Rick Fox, 3
Adam Lucas will answer your questions about the Carolina men's basketball program this season in an exclusive column published each Tuesday. Lucas, editor of the Tar Heel Monthly, will answer your questions on personnel, strategy, opponents and anything on your mind about the Tar Heels OTHER THAN RECRUITING SPECIFICS. Please send your questions to Adam at alucas@tarheelmonthly.com, and include your first and last names and your hometown.
