Morning Heel: UNC Tar Heels Daily News Links

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? Senditkeepingitheel@gmail.com



Banged-up UNC looks to heal, improve
Leslie McDonald has missed the last two games for the Tar Heels, after he reinjured the knee that made him miss all of last season. McDonald tore his MCL and ACL in the summer of 2011, which allowed him to redshirt last year. (Tar Heel Illustrated)

Roy Williams Radio Show Quotes
Do you have an update on the injury status of Leslie McDonald and Luke Davis? “Luke is in a boot right now and will not practice all week and will 99.9 percent chance not play on Saturday. Leslie, we did some restrictive things with him during practice today. And so now we have to see how he responds to the work.” (Inside Carolina)

Roy Williams radio show notes: Hairston, injuries, suits
P.J. Hairston has been invaluable to UNC this season. He’s averaging 12.3 points and 4.4 rebounds; he’s expanded his offensive game; he’s improved his defense; he plays the “4” when the Tar Heels go to a smaller lineup; and he scored a career-high 23 points to help his team win at Florida State last Saturday. And it sounds like he’ll continue to do all of those things in a reserve role. (ESPN.com)

Soccer America Names Crystal Dunn Player of Year
North Carolina junior midfielder Crystal Dunn and junior forward Kealia Ohai were named first-team All-Americas Tuesday by Soccer America Magazine while Dunn captured Soccer America Player of the Year honors from the magazine, the 11th different player to do so. Altogether, UNC has won 13 Soccer America player of the year awards since it was first awarded in 1985. (GoHeels.com)

Black Falcon Sightings
Warriors small forward and first-round draft pick Harrison Barnes has made quite a name for himself when you consider he’s the 13th youngest player in the league to step foot on a court this season. And while Harrison certainly has a nice ring to it, that’s not the name I’m referring to. Nope, that would be the Black Falcon. (NBA.com)

Court of Appeals ends case by former football player against UNC
The North Carolina Court of Appeals on Monday ruled that Michael McAdoo had no standing to sue the University of North Carolina and the NCAA over his dismissal in 2010 from the Tar Heel football team. McAdoo’s lawyers argued that, by ruling him ineligible to play, the university and NCAA had caused his drop in the NFL draft and cost him money. (WRAL Sports Fan)

The Rap On Roy
A great recruiter, yes. An innovator, most certainly no. He admits to being stubborn as all get-out, and some of the things his Tar Heels do on the court, they have been doing for much of the last 50 years, beginning with Dean Smith’s own ascension to royalty. But with more underclassmen leaving early, and some unexpectedly, for the NBA, the game is changing for Roy Williams. (Chapelboro.com)

Inside the Boxscore: UNC 77, FSU 72
UNC had 19 offensive rebounds. Their offensive rebound % was 59.4% (!) which was their highest of the year. It was the 12th highest OR% vs any Division I team this year in all of college basketball (out of roughly 3,000 games). UNC hasn’t done that well on the offensive glass since grabbing 61% of their misses against Gardner Webb in November, 1996. (Run the Floor)

Three To Look Back At/Three To Look Forward To, Jan. 15
Maryland at North Carolina, Saturday, 12:00 p.m.: The Tar Heels will have a week off before hosting Maryland, a team many thought could contend for the regular-season title. But at one point in the preseason, some still thought North Carolina would contend for the regular-season title. What about now? (ACC Sports Journal)