University of North Carolina Athletics
Brownlow: Win Is Costly For Tar Heels
November 17, 2007 | Women's Basketball
Nov. 17, 2007
By Lauren Brownlow
A little over midway through the first half, Carolina held a ten-point lead on Coppin State and had allowed the Eagles to shoot 56.2% from the field and make 3-of-4 three-pointers. As she brought the ball up the court, Alex Miller sped past her defender who was trying desperately to match Miller's speed and keep up.
So the savvy senior point guard stopped abruptly and let Sesalie Johnson collide with her, drawing a foul. Knowledgeable Carolina basketball fans in the audience gave Miller a standing ovation when she went out a few plays later.
Miller has always been Carolina's defensive guru, but defending Coppin State's guard duo of Rashida Suber and Shalamar Oakley (who combined for 41 of the Eagles' 63 points, with Suber netting 30) was not a one-person job. The rest of Carolina's regulars seemed lost defensively early on and the team came out flat on that end, allowing 41 points and 54.8% shooting.
"The first half, I was embarrassed by our intensity level. The biggest things were they were out-rebounding us at halftime 20-17. We only had 17 rebounds at halftime. Out of 21 misses we only got six offensive rebounds. We were just missing easy shots, the concentration level on the foul line - we were 11 for 23 (6-of-13 in the first half), and that's just unacceptable," Coach Hatchell said. "So I just challenged them at halftime, especially defensively to keep them in front of you and stop jumping around so much and turning sideways and letting them drive to the basket and playing more straight up."
It took a few minutes, but they got the message and Carolina ended up allowing just 22 second-half points and 37% shooting, taking the Eagles out of their offensive sets. Alex Miller, as always, was a big part of that, seemingly involved in countless deflections and near-steals - the kind of plays that don't show up in box scores but do in floor burns. Then with 7:27 to go, the hot Oakley got the ball in transition and Miller stepped in front, absorbing the contact and drawing Oakley's fifth foul.
But nearly 90 seconds later, Miller's knee buckled as she went up for a transition lay-up. As she lay crumpled beneath the Carolina basket, her sobs were audible only because Carmichael Auditorium fell silent. Carolina's training staff and Erlana Larkins carried her into the locker room, and that face normally contorted with intensity now was twisted in pain. We're going to have to talk to the doctors, but it's not good," Coach Hatchell said. "She'll probably miss the season.
So now it's up to the freshmen to pick up the slack left behind by Miller - no easy task, especially on the defensive end of the floor, where the freshmen are still playing catch-up. But this was probably the most advanced game that the freshmen have played offensively against a quality opponent - looking to go inside first, moving the ball around well, taking open shots (and making quite a few).
Rather than forcing it, Cetera DeGraffenreid would penetrate and find an open teammate, dishing out seven assists after she had just six in Carolina's first three games. Rebecca Gray had hit just 2-of-8 three's going into the game, but hit 3-of-6 tonight. Italee Lucas added five assists of her own and hit a three-pointer after she had hit just one coming into the game.
"Those freshmen are going to be really good. Still, we've thrown a lot at them. It just takes them some time to learn, and I know that. But we're going to keep pushing them and encouraging them and they're just going to get better and better. Now that Alex's situation is what it is, it's even more important for them to (do) extra film sessions, listening to the upperclassmen, and all that. But they'll be fine, because T (DeGraffenreid), Italee and B (Rebecca Gray) - they're fierce competitors and they'll be ready to go to battle," Coach Hatchell said.
Carolina already has some veterans that are fierce competitors besides Miller. Jessica Breland had a career-high 19 points on 8-of-12 shooting in just 21 minutes, going out early after taking a shot to the face barely three minutes after Miller's injury. Rashanda McCants set her newest career high with nine rebounds and was faced with the task of shutting down the hot Suber, whom she held to 13 points by at least making her shots difficult. LaToya Pringle had three blocks and added 15 points, including 5-of-7 free throws on a night when Carolina couldn't buy one at the charity stripe.
After the game, McCants and Pringle were asked how they felt about the freshmen's ability to take up the slack of Miller. McCants sighed and put her head in her hands. It wasn't directed at the freshmen; it just shows the respect that her teammates have for Miller. Like the rest of us, McCants has seen Miller persevere through injuries and playing in the shadow of Ivory Latta. This was supposed to be the year for all of those talented veterans to have their chances to shine. Now Miller may not get that chance. So Pringle took the question instead.
"They (the freshmen) may feel some pressure right now because we really don't know the circumstances of Alex's injury. But just sitting down and talking to them and letting them know, `Just go out there and play your normal game as you would always do.' We know Alex is gone and we're going to miss her leadership, especially with her being one of the only returning point guards. But I think they'll adjust fine," Pringle said.
With Miller's example that she has left behind, they certainly have a much better chance.
Lauren Brownlow is the managing editor of Tar Heel Monthly.
