Greg’s Five Lessons From UNC’s Victory Against Miami
Greg Barnes, an Inside Carolina contributor, spoke with host Tommy Ashley on The Postgame show about North Carolina’s victory over Miami, 75–72. These are his top five observations from the match:
PRIMARY LESSONS FROM THE VICTORY OVER MIAMI
“This team’s performance isn’t what it was a month ago. After the Kentucky game, they really turned it on, going on a really good run that made them appear like one of the top teams in the nation. Their performance has declined. Did they reach their zenith too soon? That has not yet been decided. The fact that they’re not concluding games is concerning. Overall, poor performance in late-game scenarios. Carolina deserves praise for finishing one. They got away. Although Carolina played a little carelessly in the end, the most crucial thing is that Carolina won.”
BRAVO TO NORTH CAROLINA FOR STRIPPING UP SO WELL!
“For the first five minutes against Clemson, Carolina slept walked. When Carolina emerged, they were prepared for the Miami challenge. Carolina was able to take an early lead, and in the end, that contributed to their victory. Give Carolina credit for coming back from their loss to Clemson, for realizing what was going to happen with Miami, and for being prepared to play right away. That was actually one of the game’s deciding factors.”
For Elliott Cadeau’s confidence, his big day behind the ARC was monumental.
“He has shown reluctance to accept the shots. In the ACC, it’s challenging to make a lot of free throws as a rookie guard. It has been difficult to take those shots because of the hesitation. There was no hesitation in opposing Miami. That constituted development. You begin to feel comfortable enough to take the shots, and you soon begin to make some. RJ and Elliot are launching an assault. Those two guys aren’t particularly big. That’s a valid worry. The rim is seeing a lot of action. That is really great. North Carolina won this game for that reason. Carolina won this game because of those two guys.”
For Armando Baco, Hubert Davis needs to create a better game plan.
Miami basketball was the match that Miami participated in this year. All year, they have only one top-50 victory. They’re headed to NIT. They get a lot of open looks thanks to their offense. They missed a great deal of open looks that they received. Norchad Omier is not a big supporter of theirs. They lose when he commits foul play. Bacot is a big guy, so why not make a plan to get him the ball on the block frequently during the first half?
Bacot made just three shots in the first half, two of which came off pick-and-rolls in which he crashed into the hoop. The other shot came off an offensive rebound. He frequently isn’t even attempting to post up, if you observe how the plays are set up. He’s preparing to move in and install a screen. It wasn’t his fault that he didn’t really do anything in the first half.”
The tar heels are beginning to suffer from a lack of depth.
Hubert played a lot of guys early in the year to see who could assist him. We didn’t witness that during his first two years. Hubert has grown in that regard, but as the season has progressed, the bench minutes have gradually decreased. Carolina’s bench minutes percentage ranks No. 320. Hubert jumbled up the roster this time.
off-peak time. Even so, the bench play still has a few obvious shortcomings. Seth Trimble is an excellent athlete. Clearly, he’s your number six man. And who is your No. 7 after that? They really must have Seth back, and soon. You’re scratching your head right now, wondering who they’re going to have to rely on after Trimble.”
