Rutgers @ UNC|Dec. 28th|8:30pm

• hoops23

  

  Game will be on ESPN 2
  
  UNC comes in at 9-3 following a 98-61 win over Marshall on the 22nd.
  
  Rutgers is coming in at 9-2, though they haven't beaten anybody and have losses against Vermont and a 73-58 loss to Florida.
  
  Rutgers lost 97-75 last season at the Dean Dome and I expect the same kind of result this year.
  
  The one guy to look out for on Rutgers is Mike Rosario. He lit UNC up last season for 26 and is averaging around 17 per game this year.
  
  I'd like to see our post players continue to improve inside and also for our perimeter guys to get a little more consistent. This should be a semi-good test, so working on taking care of the ball could also be key.
  
  After this, we play Albany and Charleston, then the REAL games start up with a full board of ACC play. These are going to be essential tune ups to get everything clicking.
• swamisez

  

  i think Greg Echineque is out for Rutgers. Pretty big loss for the Scarlet Knights.
• ironman02

  Ginyard isn't playing for Carolina tonight...sprained ankle. Should see a lot of Drew II and Strickland in the back court, I would think.
  
  Hope to see a solid all-around effort from the Heels tonight. It's time to start building some nice momentum over the next couple weeks before ACC play begins.
• ironman02

  So this Independence Bowl isn't gonna be over at 8:30, which probably means we're gonna miss quite a bit of the first half unless they switch it over to another channel for a while.
  
  Georgia has put the game away, but it's still dragging on forever.
• wildcats20

  

  About 1 minute til tip and there is still 5+ minutes left in the bowl game.
• ironman02

  Texas A&M is determined to make this game last 4 hours.
• ironman02

  Finally! Get the game on, ESPN2!
• ironman02

  Carolina wearing the throwbacks tonight.
  
  I'm sure Rosario will go off tonight...that's the way it works.
• reclegend22

  

  Hey Makhtar with the dunk!
  
  I wondered where he went.
• ironman02

  Ugh, this is disgusting. So sloppy.
  
  Makhtar made an appearance at last year's Final Four...
  
  
  
  
  I couldn't resist the opportunity.
• ironman02

  Great pass by Strickland and Davis blows the lay-up.
  
  Too many dumb turnovers. This first half is making me wonder if this team is ever going get their act together.
• ironman02

  Heels lead 39-33 at the half. Ugly.
• reclegend22

  

  LOL. That's pretty funny, iron. Gotta give credit where it's due.
  
  Carolina in control, unfortunately. Baby Mak turned out to be a let down.
• wildcats20

  

  Rec...what game are you watching? lol Carolina is doing everything they can to let Rutgers stay in this. Making me sick.
• reclegend22

  

  Makhtar!
  
  (reverse psych, iron) !
• ironman02

  Rec is probably trying the reverse mojo approach, and it seems to be working.
  
  What an awful half of basketball, and really, the entire game has been pretty terrible to watch. When you get a 16 point lead against Rutgers, you should put the game away.
  
  Edit: He already admitted it. lol
• ironman02

  Roy is PISSED. He actually called a timeout!
• wildcats20

  

  This is a terrible display of basketball from Carolina. With that being said, Rutgers is really playing well right now.
• ironman02

  Thank goodness that Dexter came to play tonight!!!
• ironman02

  In true Makhtar fashion, Ndiaye fouls out. lol
• reclegend22

  

  ironman02 wrote:Rec is probably trying the reverse mojo approach, and it seems to be working.
  
  What an awful half of basketball, and really, the entire game has been pretty terrible to watch. When you get a 16 point lead against Rutgers, you should put the game away.
  
  [Edit: He already admitted it. lol

  
  
  LOL!
  
  Well, it was working. But that was a huge three ball by Strick.
• wildcats20

  

  Gonna squeak this one out. Nice to see 6 guys with 10+, but this effort won't get it done come ACC play,
• ironman02

  Well, that got way too interesting in the second half, but a win is a win.
  
  This team has a long way to go before they're going to be a title contender in the ACC, but the potential is there. The bright spot for tonight was certainly Dexter Strickland. He's really coming along as of late, and Drew II better get it together or he's gonna be watching Dex run the team.
  
  Albany is next, but Ginyard will apparently be out again. That "shouldn't" matter, but we'll see. Marcus needs to get healthy for ACC play.
• ironman02

  Some stats from tonight's game...
  
  Strickland - 18 points, 4 assists, 2 steals
  Davis - 11 points, 15 rebounds
  Thompson - 14 points, 5 rebounds
  Graves - 10 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists
  Drew II - 10 points, 5 assists
  Zeller - 10 points, 6 rebounds
  
  Great offensive balance from Carolina, as wildcats20 mentioned. Still 16 turnovers and quite a few other mistakes that definitely need to be avoided in the future. If I'm not mistaken, Drew II was leading all ACC players in assists going into this game, but he still doesn't look comfortable to me. He's not making the best decisions and it seems as though the offensive flow just isn't there when he's running the point. He has definitely improved since last year, and I think he'll have a good season, but something just hasn't quite clicked yet.
• wildcats20

  

  If we can get 10 and 5+ out of Larry every night I will take it. Dexter's line is nice as well. Ed needs to be more offensive minded, demand the ball in the post and go to work. I thought Graves played very well in the first half, but then kind of went to sleep in the 2nd. Typical Zeller and Deon night.