Morning Heel: UNC Tar Heels Daily News Links
By Matt Hamm
Welcome to another edition of the Morning Heel, a daily feature here at Keeping It Heel. Along with The Hub we want to bring you not only our original content but a collection of all the best UNC news. Have a link to suggest? Send it keepingitheel@gmail.com
ACC Freshman Watch, Dec. 18
7. Marcus Paige, North Carolina (7.11 ppg, 3.78 apg): It can’t be easy being the guy who has to take over for Kendall Marshall, but Marcus Paige has been an adequate replacement, especially considering the high expectations. Touted as a scoring point guard, Paige hasn’t yet found his groove shooting-wise, but he seems to be acclimating well to coach Roy William’s fast-break offense. (ACC Sports Journal)
Roy Williams Radio Show Recap: Scheduling news, team practice, point guard discussion
Roy Williams referenced the game against Kentucky next season, and he also said the Tar Heels will play against Wes Miller and UNC-Greensboro next season. There’s also “probably a chance we’ll play Wilmington,” Williams said of UNC-Wilmington, where Buzz Peterson, the former UNC player who roomed with Michael Jordan, is the coach. (Raleigh News & Observer)
Why We Watch: Jerry Stackhouse, Who Remembers
There have been other Jerry Stackhouses. One of these scored more points than any other player in the NBA, in 2000-01. Another was one of the best high school players of his generation during Bill Clinton’s first term in office. All of these players are alive in the Stackhouse who is—astonishingly—still playing in the NBA. If he is inevitably not quite any of those other Jerry Stackhouses any longer, he is still recognizably himself. (The Classical)
ACC Basketball Capsules
North Carolina (8-2) at Texas (6-4): Rick Barnes’ team has struggled more than was expected. The Longhorns have lost to Chaminade and USC in Maui, but also to Georgetown and UCLA, which also hasn’t played well. UNC may have point guard issues, but it still leads the nation in assists and is fourth in scoring. The Tar Heels will lose this game if they don’t match Texas’ physical play. Otherwise, Carolina should win. Pick: UNC, 74-66. (Fox Sports Carolinas)
UNC basketball troubled by continuous problems
What transpired during the final minutes wasn’t so much the result of ECU making plays. It was more the result of North Carolina giving things away. There were turnovers. A missed free throw. An inability to defend perimeter shooters. Add it all up, and UNC coach Roy Williams and his players sounded afterward more like they’d lost than they’d won. (Raleigh News & Observer)
Tar Heels In the NBA Update
Harrison Barnes, Golden State Warriors: The rookie forward was in the zone offensively as the Warriors took down the Atlanta Hawks, 115-93. Barnes totaled 19 points, shooting 3-of-4 from beyond the arc. Earlier last week, Barnes saw fewer minutes but still managed eight points and three rebounds against the Miami Heat. (GoHeels.com)
UNC ranked 23/19 in new polls
North Carolina (8-2) on Monday dropped two spots to No. 23 in the Associated Press poll, and one spot, to a tie at No. 19, in the USA Today Coaches’ poll. Around the ACC, Duke moved up to No. 1 in both polls after previously-top-ranked Indiana lost to Butler over the weekend. NC State is at No. 25 in the AP poll (Butler replaced the Wolfpack at No. 25 in the Coaches’ poll). (ESPN.com)
2012 top Coastal Division assistants
North Carolina: Chris Kapilovic, offensive line. Kapilovic had plenty of talent to work with, but remember that the Tar Heels implemented a completely different offensive style and blocking scheme, and the offensive line had to learn just as quickly as the skill players. So to see North Carolina only gave up 11 sacks all season — on 441 pass attempts — shows just how well this group played as a unit. (ESPN.com)