Box score from Inside Carolina
Well, I was wrong. I thought tonight's game would be the first since December 4th (Kentucky) that the Heels would win by less than twenty. Alas, it was not to be. The Tar Heels outplayed the 8th-ranked Yellow Jackets, winning 91-69. As this is the only regular season matchup between the two teams, it was important to win, because the head to head will count in the final ACC standings.
With each game I am more impressed with how this year's Tar Heels are playing like a team, something we haven't seen a whole lot of since 1999-2000. Five players in double figures, for example, and 24 assists on 28 field goals. Rashad McCants got into foul trouble early in the second half, yet contributed a career-high 4 blocks, with a huge one coming after he had 4 fouls. Sean May kept his head after getting frustrated early, and finished with a double-double. The Tar Heels have 3 big men that were able to bang with Schenscher and Muhammad, and were able to put Tech in foul trouble. Marvin Williams is a force. A force that I hope will be with us for three more seasons. Dunking, taking charges, and altering shots. He's a force. And that other Williams? He's not too bad. Jawad Williams, the quiet storm. I think that's my new nickname for him.
Raymond Felton makes this team go, and the Heels' opponents realize that. The opposing guards are going after him: slapping, grabbing, holding, anything they can do to get in his head. But Raymond is unflappable (a word I never foresaw using when HeelsBlog began). Jackie Manuel did a terrific job on Will Bynum, and David Noel hit some big shots and is a solid presence for the Heels off the bench. Also, Melvin Scott had one of his best games defensively. Melvin's three-point shot at the half buzzer ensured that the Heels took the game's momentum into the locker room.
Jarrett Jack is a great basketball player, and Georgia Tech is a very good team. Will Bynum is dynamite, and this Yellow Jackets team will be heard from in March. I'm well aware that they missed B.J. Elder, but I don't think anyone can argue that he would have won this game for them.
The officials missed calls both ways, and I didn't think they were very consistent. But again, they didn't win the game for the Heels or lose it for the Jackets. I still don't know why Paul Hewitt got a technical foul, but according to Woody and Mick, he was hounding the officials all game long. On the other hand, both teams displayed terrific sportsmanship. Seeing a player from one team help an opponent off the floor is as exciting to me as an alley-oop. Okay, maybe not quite as exciting, but it is great to see.
Final thoughts: Did Rashad have on different shoes tonight?
Jesse Holley, #0, had 3 points, 1 assist, and 1 steal in 1 minute. Why isn't he playing more? He's on track for 120 points, 40 assists, and 40 steals in a 40 minute game.
C.J. Hooker is a good player (and I've played pickup against him), and Woody referred to a player named Charlie Frederick tonight.
This was just one game, but it is a great win over a great team.
