University of North Carolina Athletics
McAdoo Breaks Out
December 16, 2013 | Men's Basketball
By Emily Fedewa, GoHeels.com
CHAPEL HILL -- James Michael McAdoo knows how it feels to bear the full weight of an entire fan base's expectations on his shoulders; he knows how it feels to listen to people tear him down.
After an impressive performance in the 2012 NCAA tournament as a freshman and the loss of four starters from that team to the NBA Draft, many thought McAdoo was going to have a breakout season last year.
But the soft-spoken forward sometimes struggled to match those outside expectations in his sophomore campaign, drawing the criticism of those who doubted that he had what it took to be a star.
"I mean that's just a part of the game that I play. It's not something I enjoy, but it comes with the title," McAdoo said of the criticism he's received. "It's all good, though. It's just fuel to my fire."
Although the 2013-14 season seemed to start much the same way as last year, with some of the same offensive woes, McAdoo showed that fire in UNC's upset of Kentucky on Saturday.
Against UNCG, McAdoo broke a four game offensive cold spell—in which he shot just 29 percent from the field—with 13 points and seven rebounds to help lead his team to an easy home victory.
A week later, he showed that he could do the same things against a very good, top-rated team. He scored 20 points against then-No. 11 Kentucky and pulled in five rebounds.
It was clear that he was confident as he matched the physicality of the Kentucky bigs with seemingly little effort—and that showed in the Wildcats' foul trouble.
Twelve of McAdoo's 20 points came from foul shots, and he shot 63 percent from the line - something that has not been typical of the junior's game.
"I've been shooting so many free throws this season and my percentage has been horrible," he said. "So I think coming into this game, when I stepped up to the line I was just like 'It can't get any worse.'
"I know that's not a really great attitude to have, but I shot the ball with confidence, regardless. I didn't shoot 100 percent from the line but it felt good to be able to go up there and knock some key free throws in."
A lot of his free throws were key.
In a very tight game that was dominated by fouls and free throw shooting—combined, the two teams had 57 fouls and took 88 foul shots—McAdoo's 12 made and 19 attempted were both the most by anyone on either team.
"It's big having (McAdoo) scoring in the post, attacking the rim," sophomore J.P. Tokoto said. "I'm pretty sure he had 10+ free throws tonight, so just having a guy that can do that helps a lot because it takes guys from the other team out of the game."
The impact of those fouls was obvious as a quartet of Kentucky's starters had at least four fouls apiece, and two of the Wildcats fouled out in the second half.
Though his abilities to draw fouls and make free throws were huge factors in the 82-77 victory, McAdoo also scored eight points from the floor, battled top players
Julius Randle and Willie Cauley-Stein for five rebounds, and recorded a team-high four assists—the first time in his UNC career that he's led the team in assists.
"I wanted us to be aggressive, trying to get the ball to the basket on the break, those kinds of things, but then get good shots when you get there. And I think James Michael did that," head coach Roy Williams said.
Though he may still bear the weight of expectations and criticism, McAdoo has proven that he can make an impact offensively—as well as with little things like diving to the floor for a loose ball or fighting to tip out a missed free throw for second chance points—and the critics just drive him.
"I just tried to go out there and...play better—try to do something with the time I have out there. I haven't really been playing that well," McAdoo said. "I just try to keep working on my game. Games like (Saturday) are huge - it feels a lot better."
