North Carolina basketball is taking an attack from the talking heads from CBS and the rest of the NCAA Tournament Network, as they ask how they can give up so many points to people the likes of Long Beach. One talking head understands though, Charles Barkley understands that “Carolina is comfortable giving up 80-85 points a game.” Some detractors of Carolina want to say they do not play good defense, but I would argue them wrong. Roy Williams wants 90-110 possessions a game. They are going to shoot more than anyone else and so their opponents are going to have the ball and shoot more as well. This isn’t bad defense this is good ball control offense.
Most people think ball control is to take time off of the clock, but ball control is to not turn it over. This all goes back to when Roy Williams was taking Iowa’s best players when he was at Kansas, charming young men from small towns like Iowa Falls and Monona. Now he has Iowa’s most recent greatest Harrison Barnes playing for him in Carolina.
Maybe what is most remarkable is North Carolina does not have a first team ACC player on his team. How often do you think Williams uses that as cannon fire in his practice or pregame conversation? Yes Barnes was named newcomer of the year in the conference, but Roy has delivered them again to the Sweet Sixteen. Now I understand Carolina is probably one of the five easiest places in the country to recruit to, but he still has to recruit and he is getting it done.
I think the early round cast off Pitino, is jealous of my boy Roy.
Here is the wonderful Charlie Daniels Song "Carlolina"
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