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
Talking points: NC State dominates early, snaps streak
NC State had the talent advantage, an incredible home-court atmosphere thanks to ESPN College Gameday bringing their circus tent to PNC Arena and something to prove following an ugly loss to Wake Forest. It wasn’t a “must win” for the Wolfpack from any logical point of view, but they needed to get over what seemed like a permanent roadblock provided by North Carolina. (WRAL Sports Fan)
Butts Buzzer-Beater Lifts UNC Women Over Miami
Danielle Butts hit a buzzer-beating jumper as time expired to lead No. 11 North Carolina to an improbable 64-62 win over Miami Sunday at BankUnited Center. UNC trailed by five points with 32 seconds left but a Tierra Ruffin-Pratt steal and two free throws tied it before Butts’ game-winner. Ruffin-Pratt had 19 points to improve the Tar Heels to 19-2 and 7-1 in ACC play. (GoHeels.com)
No moral victories for Tar Heels after N.C. State ‘butt kicking’
North Carolina coach Roy Williams was in no mood to talk about comebacks, character or any other positive aspect of his team’s performance in the aftermath of Saturday’s 91-83 loss at N.C. State. As far as he was concerned, the only thing that mattered is that the Tar Heels got beat at their own game by a team they have owned throughout the 10 seasons he has been back at his alma mater. (Wilmington Star News)
UNC’s Strickland reluctantly acknowledges State is ‘a good team’
The N.C. State basketball team didn’t just beat rival North Carolina for the first time in 14 tries Saturday. In the process, the Wolfpack finally got the attention of the Tar Heels’ Dexter Strickland. The senior guard made headlines last fall by saying that the preseason ACC favorite Wolfpack was “the least of our worries” because of its lack of head-to-head success against UNC. (Wilmington Star News)
Wolfpack runs Tar Heels ragged
The two rivals took turns running at each other for 80 possessions at PNC Arena on Saturday night and, as might be expected, the more experienced, more talented Wolfpack ran more efficiently than the team on the other side of the court. N.C. State outscored UNC by 20 points on the fast break in its 91-83 win, one that snapped a 13-game losing streak to the Tar Heels. (Greensboro News & Record)
Wolfpack finally gets UNC monkey off its back
There was more a sense of relief than exhilaration at PNC Arena once the clock finally hit zeroes on N.C. State’s 13-game, nearly six-year losing streak to rival North Carolina on Saturday. That’s what happens when a seemingly insurmountable 28-point lead shrinks down to a precious two possessions during the final few minutes. (Wilmington Star News)
Lorenzo Brown Leads N.C. State Past UNC
State ended almost six years of deep frustration Saturday night by building a big lead and then holding on in a frantic finish to outlast North Carolina 91-83 at PNC Arena. The Wolfpack surged to a 28-point lead seven minutes into the second half, but P.J. Hairston’s 3-point shooting helped the Tar Heels close to 85-80 with 30 seconds left. (Winston-Salem Journal)
UNC Basketball: Readdressing The Rotations
I’m getting pretty sick and tired of writing these articles Tar Heel Nation. If I’ve said it once I’ve said it 1,000 times, I am a huge fan and supporter of UNC head coach Roy Williams. At the beginning of the season it’s understandable to tinker with your rotations, play guys because you want to develop them, experiment and see what different combinations get you. But this is getting ridiculous folks. Roy Williams is not putting his best starting lineup on the floor and he’s not playing his best players nearly enough minutes while showing way too much favoritism towards others who are not performing. With Saturdays loss to NC State, UNC is now 13-6 overall and 3-3 in the conference, time for things to change and change now. (Keeping It Heel)