University of North Carolina Athletics
Lucas: Heels Drown Coastal in Defense
January 7, 2004 | Lucas
Dec. 30, 2003
By Adam Lucas
The best measure of how well--and unselfishly--Carolina played in Tuesday night's 105-72 victory over Coastal Carolina is that although the Tar Heels handed out a stellar 29 assists on 38 baskets, some of the best passes of the night didn't even show up on the stat sheet.
One was a heady crosscourt look from Rashad McCants to Justin Bohlander that the Asheville sophomore might not have made a year ago. Bohlander missed the shot, meaning the passer didn't get an assist, but it's the kind of heads-up play Carolina absolutely needs from McCants.
Matter of fact, after being the subject of much discussion Sunday afternoon in Myrtle Beach, McCants did several things that won't show up in the box score. He began the game by diving headlong on the Smith Center court in search of a loose ball, eventually forcing a jump ball. In the second half, he saved a possession by jumping out of bounds and calling timeout and later combined with Reyshawn Terry on a blocked shot that caused Roy Williams to leap off the bench and pump his fists in excitement.
No one is under the illusion that the Chanticleers presented a Kentucky-like challenge, or maybe even a Clemson-like challenge, but this was the kind of game Carolina needed. The Heels had been in a bit of a rut over the past couple of weeks, dating back to a lackluster win over Akron in the middle of exams. Since then, they've lost their ACC home opener to Wake Forest and turned in a halting effort against UNC-Wilmington this past Sunday. After starting the season with a burst, it was past time for the Heels to put together two complete halves and put away an inferior opponent.
"We've been two-faced," David Noel said. "Some nights we play great and other nights not-so-great. But one identity we do have is defense. Once we get it to a consistent point every night where it's clicking, I don't think anybody's going to beat us."
That's exactly what happened to Coastal. Overall, it might have been the best team defensive effort of the year, both on the ball and off it.
Even without Sean May and Jawad Williams, who were given the night off due to nagging injuries from Sunday but will probably be back against Kentucky, the game was never in doubt. McCants finished with 28 points and Felton handed out 10 assists against one turnover. Even when Felton was on the bench, the Heels didn't lose much in the way of ball-handling--Melvin Scott continued perhaps the most important evolution of this season by contributing seven assists and only two turnovers while scoring 11 points. His highlight, a left-handed no-look pass that led to a dunk, was of the variety that even Felton would have been proud to claim.
The game turned into such a highlight-fest that when Justin Bohlander pickpocketed the ball near midcourt, you half expected him to finish the play with a statue of liberty dunk, or perhaps a double-pump reverse jam.
That might have been what you expected. But it wasn't what you got. Bohlander, who thankfully has a sense of humor about these things, appeared to lose the ball on the way up and had to complete the breakaway attempt with a snowbird bank shot that looked like something you might have seen during one of the numerous contests held during timeouts.
"I'd give it about a zero point nothing," said resident dunk judge Noel. "Well, it went in. So I'll give him a five. But that's the bottom."
That's the kind of good-natured locker room the Heels needed going into a place, Rupp Arena, that was extremely inhospitable on their last visit (a 79-59 defeat during the 2001-02 season). It's a place where every play will be critical--both on and off the stat sheet.
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.
