My first thought after realizing UNC would probably break back into the ranking was:
Oh good, just in time to go lose at Boston College then drop a game at home to FSU!
Needless to say the scars of 2010 still breed much trepidation and pessimism.
At any rate, the AP poll brings UNC in at #23 tied with Vanderbilt(the Heels are 26th in the coaches poll voting.) In relation to other schools that have beaten UNC, Minnesota is 18th. Illinois has now exited the poll stage right joining Georgia Tech in the land of the unranked. Texas is now 3rd which does nothing but bug me that UNC was “this close” to beating them. Now that the Heels are ranked team in the AP poll, let’s see if they can play like one and hold onto it. It was roughly around this point in the 2006 season that team quietly began making noise. Will the same be true here?
It will be if we see Harrison Barnes named ACC Rookie of the Week more often. After Reggie Bullock received the honor last week, Barnes joined his classmate by leading the Heels in scoring versus Miami and NC State. In Coral Gables, Barnes was clutch scoring the final five points for UNC. In the game against NC State, it was simply great play not to mention the effort and intensity. Seeing this kind of basketball from Barnes through the final ten games of the regular season will be instrumental in lifting UNC to the top of the ACC and a high seed in the NCAA Tournament.
![[Bloglines]](../../../wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/bloglines.png)
![[del.icio.us]](../../../wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/delicious.png)
![[Digg]](../../../wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/digg.png)
![[Facebook]](../../../wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/facebook.png)
![[MySpace]](../../../wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/myspace.png)
![[Technorati]](../../../wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/technorati.png)
![[Windows Live]](../../../wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/windowslive.png)
![[Yahoo!]](../../../wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/yahoo.png)
![[Email]](../../../wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/email.png)
I just hope we make the NCAAT. With 11 games certainly left (10 ACC and at least 1 ACCT), we probably need to go 6-5 to get in. Playing FSU, Dook, and BC twice each down the stretch. We should be able to do it, but it won’t be easy.
Even though we’re 15th in the RPI we’re projected to lose 3 out of our next 4 games. This is going to be a key stretch.
Duke has fallen to 12th in the RPI and we’re actually projected to beat them at home now.
Remember last year how we were all certain UNC would make the tourney, even into mid-January, and then we had to hold our breath just to make the NIT?
I think we are a sure thing to make the NIT this year, so no having to wait on pins and needles for the NIT selection special.
OK, that leaves one more UNC freshman to go. …Here’s for KButta as the next ACC Rookie of the Week! It’s time for a few breakout games in the heart of the conference schedule, Kendall. …and THEN we can start talking seriously about the tournament.
I was certain at this time last year we would NOT make the tournament.
^ I second that chapelhillfan, after that clemson game, and Marcus Ginyard hook shot pass, i was like no way this team is going to the tourney….
PS we have matched last yrs ACC win total in 6 games. Thats an improvement
Agreed. There are still major flaws with this team, but it has created a level of excitement and optimism that last year’s team could only hope to create.
I’m not really going to pay attention to projections or rankings anymore. Like last year, there’s no truly dominant team in the nation, and you could see another team like Butler make a deep run or even score a major upset title victory.
UNC can be one of those teams. Of course we have flaws. So does Dook. So does Ohio State (175th, yes 175th in rebounding) and we hung with Texas until the last second.
With ten games remaining, I think UNC will be in good shape going .500 in those last ten to make the tournament.
This team has shown that while it often plays down to its competition, it finds ways to win games. I am nervous about the BC game but I think if the Heels can pull this off, 10-6 is easily in reach.
“My first thought after realizing UNC would probably break back into the ranking was: Oh good, just in time to go lose at Boston College then drop a game at home to FSU!”
This is exactly what I thought THF. I was hoping we could hold off on entering the poles another week (after we win two more games this week - I guess that was kind of two wishes).
Yet I feel like I can finally say (regardless of what happens here on out) this team is NOT last year’s team. Who knows where we end up, but if we think real hard about last year (or watch some video), this year’s bad is definitely not as bad as last year’s bad….which ws REALLY bad.
Clearly, we are going to lose a few more. But, I don’t see 17-13. On the other hand, I am a little worried that we can meet Pomeroy’s prediction of 21-9.
God does being a tarheel fan consist of becoming bitter why cant we be happy about the progress our team is making and the bight future we have ahead of us just saying. I was happy we hit 5 ACC wins in 6 games when did we hit 5 last season? Positive things happen to positive people.
“Positive things happen to positive people”?
^ The end is near! (…reverse psychology on the basketball gods)
What I like is that this team has followed up each of it’s last 4 losses by winning, at the least, its next 2 games. If they can continue that trend, then they will end up have having a pretty nice season.