UNC Basketball

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North Carolina Tar Heels
2010-11: 29-8, (NCAA tournament - Elite Eight)

"It's a great day to be a Tar Heel."

The Carolina-faithful mantra usually rings true come spring, but this season, UNC fans are poised for a yearlong lovefest. Not only do the Heels return all five starters from last year's Elite Eight squad, but they also bring in the country's No. 4 recruiting class to bolster their experienced vets.

The 2010-11 season was a little rough for the highly-touted Heels and top frosh Harrison Barnes. After missing out on a 2009 tourney bid and losing two of its first three preseason games in Puerto Rico, Carolina slid from a preseason top-five standing all the way off the charts in the fall. Just as quickly, Barnes went from "the next big thing" to "the next big bust," and Roy's Boys stumbled into the new year with four losses.

Luckily, the conference season righted most wrongs. Barnes scored 40 points in the ACC tourney against Clemson and was the league's rookie of the year. Fellow frosh Kendall Marshall secured starting point guard duties just before Larry Drew II abruptly left Chapel Hill in January. Junior forward Tyler Zeller finally managed to stay healthy for a season and put up career numbers (15.2 ppg, 7.2 rpg). And sophomore John Henson was a monster on defense (10.1 rpg, 3.2 bpg). Things looked promising for the once-disappointing squad before the Heels ran into a boiling-hot Kentucky team in the Elite Eight.



Jay Bilas
In 2009, North Carolina had the best team from start to finish. There is reason to believe that the 2012 Heels can and will do the same. Roy Williams has everybody back from his Elite Eight team, and has added some truly outstanding newcomers to what is the deepest and most talented team in the country.
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Joe Lunardi
It might be time to give Roy Williams his due. North Carolina's prodigal son has won as many national titles in eight years in Chapel Hill (two) as his more famous mentor Dean Smith collected in 36. He has rounded out the rest of his Carolina tenure with a third Final Four appearance (2008) and four No. 1 seeds overall. Throw in four more Final Fours at Kansas along with five No. 1 seeds and it's hard to believe there was a time we thought 'Ol Roy "couldn't win the big one."
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Fran Fraschilla
The Tar Heels have most of the ingredients to win the National Championship. That much is obvious. But, if there is an area that must be addressed, it will be at the shooting guard position.
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But Carolina fans were under the impression the success couldn't last. Barnes, Zeller and Henson were on every analyst's lottery list. It seemed likely that at least one of the three would turn pro. But be it by luck, chance or fate, the three opted for another year in Chapel Hill. Now the returning talent will be joined by a number of stellar freshmen. The riches here? Embarrassing. And the national championship may be Carolina's to lose.

Welcome to Campus
James Michael McAdoo, 6-foot-8, PF
(No. 5 on ESPNU's top 100)

When a player like McAdoo looks to be a bench player, you know a team is stacked. The co-MVP of the Jordan All-American Classic will bolster the Heels' already deep frontcourt. McAdoo's pedigree is impressive -- his uncle Bob is a former Carolina standout and current Heat assistant, both parents played pro ball and his sister was a collegiate player at UNC-Charlotte. A rail of a man, McAdoo will need to bulk up to be an offensive threat in the ACC, but the block-and-board specialist should contribute immediately on defense.

P.J. Hairston, 6-5, SG/F
(No. 12 on ESPNU's top 100)
Hairston endeared himself to Carolina fans when he selected UNC over Duke because Blue Devil recruiters couldn't manage to spell his name correctly in correspondences. He'll become even more of a fan favorite when he pumps up 3-point shooting numbers on a team that shot a lackluster 32.8 percent last year. "He's an automatic boost from outside," said sophomore SG Reggie Bullock. "That was our one big weakness, and he fills that hole."

Desmond Hubert, 6-10, C
A Henson clone, Hubert runs the floor well for a guy his size. He'll likely benefit from training alongside his like-minded teammate. Rooming with Barnes, Marshall and Bullock this summer has helped Hubert feel at home in Chapel Hill, a far cry from his New Jersey home where he worked as a gas station attendant.

Hole To Fill: Point guard leadership
Here's the thing: The one thing the Heels may lack is a weakness. Part of that stems from the fact that UNC plugged its biggest hole, the point, last season. Marshall stepped up big time for Carolina in March, and proved he's the man to, well, man the point. But his on-court duties will only take his team so far.

A collection of talent this rich has its own set of obstacles to negotiate. Coach Roy Williams handled a plethora of draft-caliber players with his '05 team (Marvin Williams off the bench?), but there's no real playbook for that sort of thing. "We all recognize there's no room for a day off. With the talent we have, someone is always going to be there ready to take your spot," Bullock said. Williams claims the key to handling playing-time expectations is strong leadership. Enter Marshall. "He knows he's the floor general now," Bullock said. "but he's also realized it takes more to make sure we're on the same page."

New Role: Reggie Bullock
The sophomore suffered a season-ending meniscus tear in March that may have helped alter his collegiate career path. A shooting specialist in high school, Bullock shot a disappointing 6.1 ppg, 36.7 FG% in his 14-plus minutes of PT each game. So he's done an about face. While watching summer runs from the sidelines, Bullock has focused his attention on defense. "We have a lot of guys who can shoot the ball on this team," he said. "I realize that the best way to help my team might be on the other end." Bullock has paid close attention to the way top defenders slide their feet to get around screens better. "If I can improve on D, I'll get to play."

Summer School
One of the top perks of playing for Carolina is the guaranteed summer tutorials from NBA stars. Former Heels like Jawad Williams, Ray Felton, Jackie Manuel, David Noel, Rasheed Wallace, Tyler Hansbrough, Bobby Frasor and Marcus Ginyard, among others, have been rubbing elbows with the newcomers. "If you miss just one day, one practice, you're at a disadvantage," Bullock said. "We cannot afford to take any of these lessons for granted." But this team is embracing their personal time together, hitting up "Transformers 3," playing video games and scheduling team dinners throughout their offseason. "I love getting to know my teammates," Bullock said. "John Henson is always the clown, the crazy guy."

 

NBA stars????? LMAO

 

anything about FSU?

 

Nope, sorry. here is the schedule of similar articles for the following teams with date. let me know if you see a team you want me to relay on.

UConn Huskies
The post-Kemba era begins

Pittsburgh Panthers
Is this the year Pitt breaks through?

Syracuse Orange
Jardine, Joseph look to lead 'Cuse

St. John's Red Storm
Massive turnover defines Lavin's crew

Louisville Cardinals
Cards have talent to fill holes

North Carolina Tar Heels
Tar Heels prep for title run

Duke Blue Devils
Aug. 2
Michigan State Spartans
Aug. 3

Ohio State Buckeyes
Aug. 4

Indiana Hoosiers
Aug. 5

Kentucky Wildcats
Aug. 8

Vanderbilt Commodores
Aug. 9

Arkansas Razorbacks
Aug. 10

Tennessee Volunteers
Aug. 11

Mississippi State Bulldogs
Aug. 12

UCLA Bruins
Aug. 15

Arizona Wildcats
Aug. 16

Kansas Jayhawks
Aug. 17

Baylor Bears
Aug. 18

Texas Longhorns
Aug. 19

Butler Bulldogs
Aug. 22

UNLV Rebels
Aug. 23

Xavier Musketeers
Aug. 24

George Mason Patriots
Aug. 25

VCU Rams
Aug. 26

 

Weak

 

Yes, that list is weak

 

Sly, what's the deal with K and the NCAA?

 

No deal, Katz, Telep and numerous other coaches have said this is a non-issue.

 

Yep, it's a stupid rule, but nothing much will happen since it's coach K.