University of North Carolina Athletics
Lucas: Terps Use Familiar Plan
January 14, 2004 | Men's Basketball
Jan. 14, 2004
By Adam Lucas
COLLEGE PARK--So that's what it feels like.
Maryland followed a familiar script Wednesday night in their 90-84 win over Carolina. Withstand a first-half push. Scratch and claw to make the game closer than it should be at halftime. Make an early second-half burst and then hold on for the rest of the game.
If that rings a bell, it's because it's the way Carolina has won plenty of games over the past few decades. Against the Terps, the roles were reversed.
The warning signs were there at halftime. The Heels forced 13 Maryland turnovers, had 14 assists on 19 baskets, and kept Nik Caner-Medley virtually silent. The Terrapins helped out by halting their own momentum at times--including an Ekene Ibekwe technical foul for slapping the backboard on a dunk that trimmed the deficit to three, only to watch it balloon back to seven after the technical. Despite all that, the Tar Heel lead was just two, 49-47, at halftime.
That set the stage for a disappointing second half that included virtually every problem Carolina has had this year. Maryland's dribble penetration was very effective, led by point guard John Gilchrist, who finished with 20 points and five assists. The Heels' defense wasn't much better off the ball, as the Terps had very little trouble getting position in the paint. Gary Williams's game plan to force the ball inside paid off in several ways, including his team's 35-to-26 advantage in free throw attempts and in the foul trouble that plagued Sean May, David Noel, and Jackie Manuel for most of the second half.
"They were focused on getting the ball inside," Roy Williams said. "Our inability to guard them in the halfcourt offense hurt us."
Another thing that's hurting the Heels right now is that there is no one on the roster who makes opposing offenses hesitant to venture into the paint. A couple of players have the potential to develop into that type of player, and it may happen sooner rather than later, but they'll get a first-hand look against UConn's Emeka Okafor on Saturday at how much just one physical, threatening presence in the lane can change a game.
Offensively, the story wasn't much better. The Heels made 32 percent of their field goals in the second half and never established any kind of consistency. May converted just 3-of-10 field goals in the final 20 minutes and Rashad McCants was 2-of-8. Jawad Williams, playing with a mask on his broken nose until just seconds remained, tallied only 12 minutes, scored five points, and got three rebounds. Only three days after darting through the Georgia Tech defense, Raymond Felton was frequently thwarted by a Terp defense that always seemed to have one extra man back before the Heels could start running.
We'll probably hear a good bit about the technical foul assessed to McCants with Maryland attempting to inbound the ball while protecting a two-point advantage with 3.5 seconds left, but the game never should have come to that.
"I can't be so inconsistent," the harshly self-critical May said. "I had two pretty good games against Miami and Georgia Tech and came up here and played like a true freshman. It's ridiculous. I played like a little baby out there and my teammates had to pay the price for my inconsistent play."
May's comments highlight the most pressing issue this team faces in the coming weeks: they're not yet good enough to lose and still believe. Every defeat is a mini-crisis, and after losing three games--Wake Forest, Kentucky, and now Maryland--that were very winnable, there appears to be a sliver of doubt creeping into the psyche of some Tar Heels.
"I'm concerned," David Noel said. "This is the third one we've lost that has been so close. When you lose three games like that, especially two in league play, it's tough. They're so devastating. I can't even explain it."
That's why while it would be nice to get a win over top-ranked Connecticut, the Huskies are nowhere close to being the most important game on the horizon. That will come next Thursday in Tallahassee, when these Heels could get a huge boost from a road ACC win over Florida State.
A road win almost happened Wednesday night. After losing by a combined 73 points in College Park the past two seasons, the most recent installment of the rivalry was close enough that it prompted a handful of fans to dash onto the court at the game's conclusion. That's how it should be when an ACC team beats North Carolina, and it was a pleasant change after the Terp crowd had to struggle to keep from dozing during UNC's two most recent visits.
So maybe some progress was made on Wednesday night. But in the aftermath, anyone wearing light blue would have told you they'd rather have a win than progress.
Adam Lucas is the publisher of Tar Heel Monthly and can be reached at alucas@tarheelmonthly.com. To subscribe to Tar Heel Monthly, click here.
