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? Senditkeepingitheel@gmail.com
UNC Basketball: Tar Heels Drop Georgia Tech 79-63, Improve To 3-2 In ACC
The Tar Heels faced off against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in the Dean Dome looking to break .500 and improve their conference record to 3-2 before Saturdays showdown with NC State. (KIH)
Rashad McCants Holds Court
Rashad McCants stepped onto the Smith Center court once again on Tuesday, this time for a game of King of the Court that wouldn’t end well for the current North Carolina team. “He’s still got it,” sophomore guard P.J. Hairston told InsideCarolina.com following Wednesday’s 79-63 win over Georgia Tech, “because I think I had five points and he had 21 in about five minutes.” (Inside Carolina)
Lucas: Home Again
I don’t pretend to know everything about Rashad McCants. But I know the current players were in awe of his talent, and I know he seemed genuinely pleased to have connected with them. I know he bristled when it was mentioned that his commitment to Carolina has sometimes been questioned. “I chose to come to Carolina, it wasn’t the other way around,” he said. “This place has always been in my heart.” (GoHeels.com)
Realignment looming? Big 12 ADs to discuss expansion
If schools such as Florida State, Clemson, Georgia Tech and Virginia Tech could be persuaded to join the Big 12 while having each other as regional partners, the league would be at 14. At that point, the ACC would be completely destabilized and a school such as North Carolina, where Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany received his undergraduate and law degrees, might consider jumping to the Big Ten, sources speculated. (Orangebloods.com)
Desmond Hubert gives Tar Heels a lift
North Carolina is no longer reeling. After dropping its first two ACC games, UNC has won three straight, gradually improving like a young team should. Following the 79-63 home victory against Georgia Tech on Wednesday, coach Roy Williams offered this relatively optimistic critique. “The best news is, and I hope it’s in my lifetime, we can get a lot better,” he said. (Fayetteville Observer)
UNC-Georgia Tech Postgame Quotes
Roy Williams: “We feel good. We played in spurts, that’s about the best part of it. We got off to a good start offensively moving and running the ball. Then we got stagnant and didn’t, but Georgia Tech – I feel for them. They’ve really gotten better and it’s just they’ve had a tough, tough opening part of the conference play.” (GoHeels.com)
Tar Heels pull away from Yellow Jackets
North Carolina played the role of favorite to perfection against Georgia Tech on Wednesday night, racing out to the lead and never letting the Yellow Jackets get within striking distance in the second half en route to a comfortable 79-63 win at the Smith Center. (Durham Herald-Sun)
UNC fans chant ‘Go to hell Duke’ during Georgia Tech rout
While No. 1 Duke was in Miami getting obliterated by the Hurricane for Wednesday night’s ACC action, fans back in North Carolina took joy in the Blue Devils’ painful-to-watch night. The UNC faithful savored the loss by chanting “Go to hell, Duke!” when the final score of 90-63 was posted on the video board in Chapel Hill. (USA Today)
Tar Heels Handle Yellow Jackets
Shortly after Miami did its thing against the Blue Devils, the Tar Heels went out and took care of Georgia Tech, claiming a 79-63 victory that improved UNC to 3-2 in league play heading into Saturday night’s rivalry clash with N.C. State in Raleigh. UNC’s third straight win and ninth victory in ten games this season in the Smith Center came on the strength of strong defense and quality shooting. (Tar Heel Illustrated)
Rapid Reaction: UNC 79, Georgia Tech 63
North Carolina is now above .500 in ACC play (3-2) for the first time this season. Georgia Tech (0-5) is still searching for its first league win. Reggie Bullock led the Tar Heels with 17 points, while reserve P.J. Hairston — just 1-for-8 in his last game — added 15. Forward James Michael McAdoo chipped in 14 points and 10 rebounds. (ESPN.com)