North Carolina Tar Heels: Are They Dangerous Tournament Contenders?
Out of all the competitive sports within our nation, college basketball is one most intriguing and ever-changing competitive sports that has ever been popularized. Captivating rivalries come and go, Cinderella stories find a way to flourish, and the team with the most heart always finds a way to win. Although there are still a few more weeks before the highly anticipated March Madness tournament gets under way, one team has been playing with the immense gusto and passion of a team that has already battled their way to the Final Four. While the Carolina Tar Heels have been a temperamental competitor throughout the majority of the season, in their last eight games, the Tar Heels have emerged as one of the most dangerous collegiate programs. Although they won’t wow die hard fans with their lights out shooting capabilities, this Tar Heels team has found a new way to dominate their opposition; relentless defense.
While it may be easy to deem the Tar Heels as a streaky squad of emotionally charged athletes, their perseverance against top tier opponent is what makes their recent triumphs all the more legitimate. Against ranked opponents, the Tar Heels have won an astonishing four out of five games (three of those wins were against top five opponents). Although the Tar Heels were at home when they won three out of the four games against ranked juggernauts, it doesn’t really make much of difference in the grand scheme of things as the Tar Heels have had their fair share of embarrassing home meltdowns as well (see loss to Belmont). Even though it may be hard to ignore the Tar Heels demise to unranked opponents such as UAB and Belmont, this team has long since abandoned that lackluster persona and has instead transformed into a physically driven defensive competitor that will fight through any apparent type of adversity for 40 minutes straight.
What makes this Tar Heel team so deadly is their unwavering determination to garner contested rebounds that allows to execute swift fast break plays which either results in a flashy lay up or a well deserved trip to the charity strike (41.2 RPG, 8th in NCAA). By far, the Tar Heels greatest defensive asset is junior forward James Michael McAdoo who has been both a clutch scorer (14.5 PPG) and a tenacious rebounder (7.1 RPG). Although McAdoo struggles to shoot from the free throw line (as does the majority of the Tar heels of team), he is able to make up for this statistical shortcoming by being a solid shooter from the field (shoots 47.6% from the field) as well as a respected leader who can inspire his team to over come seemingly any type of point deficit (Tar Heels were down by as many as 11 to Duke before eventually coming back to win).
Although the Tar Heels get sensational production from their gifted forwards, their reliable guards also contribute valuable minutes when it’s their time to shine on the court. As a sophomore, Marcus Paige has made drastic improvements to both his shooting game (scores 17 PPG) and his coveted capabilities as the Tar Heels go to free throw shooter (shoots 89.6% from the free throw line). Aside from the magnificent statistical accolades, Paige has stepped up as the Tar Heels versatile ball facilitator as he can contribute unselfishly by wisely dumping of a ball to an open teammate while attempting a few three pointers if the defense plays him too loosely.
However, with that being said, the Tar Heels have been able to excel so consistently because of their undying commitment to play top-notch defense. No matter how intimidating the situation or how dominant their opponent may be offensively, the Tar Heels have stayed committed to what works for them and that’s finding a way to get the ball out of the oppositions possession while wearing them down with their oppressive physicality underneath the glass. It may not always be pretty, but the Tar Heels have proven they can endure and overcome nearly any type counterattack their overzealous opponent may throw at them.
In the end, the Tar Heels have proven that for the first time in recent memory that they are a team can consistently get by with simply playing hard nosed defense while wearing down their oppositions morale by playing with a united energy that is currently unprecedented in college basketball. Although it may be excessive to say that the Tar Heels are capable of winning it all, their recent eight game winning streak along with their well-deserved victories over ranked opponents can’t be denied. If the Tar Heels can continue to play with this type of spirited determination and passion come the NCAA tournament, they could be one of the most dangerous post-season opponents when all is said and done.