UNC is just too much for Marshall

Since I do not get Fox Sports South (thanks to cable provider/plan I have that don’t get it for me) I was unable to see the game. So my way of following this game was to read three different Carolina web boards as well as ESPN.com with its live updates. In the end it was a blow out, with tenth ranked North Carolina (9-3) taking control of the game and defeating Marshall (9-2) by the final of 98 to 61. In my preview I had the Heels winning it and going in triple digits, so I was pretty close on that call. However in that same preview I thought that UNC needed to put Marshall away quickly, but with the score being 44 to 35 at the half we can all see that this didn’t happen.

Head coach Roy Williams changed up the line up in this game, taking out Will Graves (who had a good game with a double double, 13 points/10 rebounds) and putting David Wear in his place. A move that a lot of people on the net were talking about (pulling Graves), but were thinking it would be someone else (Strickland) taking his place. I wanted to see players like Marcus Ginyard and Deon Thompson (being the seniors) stepping it up in this one. I think they did as both scored 14 points, combining on 10 rebounds. The guard play might have not been as good as I liked, with Larry Drew and Dexter Strickland getting just six points and 10 assists (to 5 turnovers). That might be ok against Marshall, won’t be against many ACC opponents in my opinion.

Two of the big men that should be talked about are Ed Davis, who got a double double with 19 points and 10 rebounds, and Tyler Zeller, who had 18 points. There is no denying that this squad has the pieces up front to compete against anyone in the country. They need to a bit tougher and learn to be themselves while playing as a team and the six players on the Heels’ roster that are 6′9″ or taller can all be a force to be reckon with.

What I do like is that Will Graves came off the bench and some people/recaps are saying that he was a spark for the Tar Heels. When I think of that I think of Danny Green of a couple years ago when he would come off the bench (for Ginyard) and would hit a couple of shots to give that extra spark to that team. Could Graves do the same for this version of UNC basketball? I think he could and could also help the rest of the bench players as they won’t have as much pressure to score all the time. What made the national championship team special was due to the fact that there were so many weapons. Will Graves could be just that, another weapon, coming in when the opposing squad has settled into their scheme, to hit them up for a couple of quick buckets.

In the end this game is not what is going to make the Heels. But it was one of those games that this young team needed to play in order to see for themselves what they are all about. After a loss changing the line up could have made more problems for the squad, but it didn’t, and in the end Carolina showed that it has the talent and it just needs more time to become fully gelled. For now I am glad that the players will enjoy their short Christmas break knowing that they a win to celebrate.