University of North Carolina Athletics
Lucas: Rapid Reactions
January 16, 2016 | Men's Basketball
By Adam Lucas
1. What a luxury it is to have a team where it's a different standout on every night. Last week, Brice Johnson did a little bit of everything. This week, it was Kennedy Meeks with a 10-of-16, 23-point and six rebound (five offensive) performance. Meeks played 30 strong minutes and although he and the Tar Heel big men gave up too many offensive boards, Meeks put in an equal amount of effort on Carolina's offensive glass. Even though it seemed like NCSU was scoring on second chances virtually every possession, the Tar Heels actually held a 24-23 lead in second chance points.
2. Tremendous job by Nate Britt and Joel Berry defending the ACC's leading scorer, Cat Barber. Barber did not make a field goal in the second half and finished 4-for-11 for the game for nine points, and also had four turnovers against three assists. Barber was visibly frustrated with both the flow of the game and his teammates midway through the second half, and he had essentially checked out by the end of the game. Berry and Britt have had some good defensive games lately--this was another one.
3. The Tar Heels looked like they were going for a blowout instead of just a win in the first half. Twice, overeager players could not convert 2-on-1 or 3-on-2 fast break opportunities, including once when Joel Berry tried to go for a high-risk lob to Justin Jackson instead of just making an easy bounce pass for a layup. Berry, of course, quickly found a spot on the bench and some pointed instruction from Roy Williams.
4. Jackson looks like his perimeter shooting struggles may be making him a little hesitant on the offensive end. One of those unconverted fast breaks was when Jackson tried to pass through two defenders rather than just taking the ball straight at the undersized Cat Barber.
5. Great response from a boisterous Tar Heel crowd to the halftime recognition of UNC's Coastal Division champion football team. And, as always, when you give Larry Fedora a microphone in front of a rowdy crowd, you're going to get plenty of emotion.
6. As is becoming his trademark, Britt made a couple of momentum-changing plays in the first half defensively. Britt's steal from Caleb Martin that turned into a fast break dunk for Brice Johnson was the highlight of the first 20 minutes, and he also harrassed Barber into 4-of-8 shooting with two turnovers in the first half.
7. What exactly is going on with Marcus Paige? The senior shot 1-of-9 from the field after going 1-for-8 at Syracuse. Paige made some uncharacteristic plays against the Wolfpack, including chasing and diving after a ball in the final two minutes that he didn't need to dive for, creating a turnover that would have been Carolina's possession.
The good news about any Paige slump: that means an explosion is coming. And remember the days when the Tar Heels needed miraculous heroics from Paige just to beat NC State? Saturday, they found enough offense to do it without him.
8. Carolina needs to shoot the ball better from the three-point line as they approach the meat of the ACC schedule. The Tar Heels were 5-of-20 from three and are now hitting just 26.9% from the three-point line in five league games. Of course, they're also 5-0, but they will need a more balanced offense against the conference's better teams.
