nick stevens: blog 
nick stevens' golo sports blog
carolina is extremely vulnerable
Published Feb. 10, 2008
North Carolina showed just how vulnerable they are yet again on Sunday night, stealing another game from the Clemson Tigers.
The Tar Heels didn't get their first lead until overtime, and Clemson had control of the game almost from the start. The Tigers played defense, executed on offense, but more importantly, they hit the offensive glass.
I haven't seen a team play as good on the boards against the Tar Heels as Clemson did in Chapel Hill.
I'll tell you this. If I'm Oliver Purnell, I'm spending every practice from now until my next game doing nothing but free throws. If Clemson had even been a DECENT free throw shooting team, they probably would have gotten their first win at the Dean Dome in school history.
Should've, could've, would've.
Give the Heels credit. They stole another one, and if you watched Roy Williams' lips when he shook hands with Purnell, he said, "Coach, we stole one again."
We're going to hear a lot about Hansbrough's 39-points and 12-rebounds, but that isn't what stood out to me on Sunday night. What stood out to me were the flashes of good defense from Hansbrough. If "Psycho-T" can start playing defense the way he plays offense, he's going to become a much more complete player. Granted, those flashes of defense came in the last few minutes of regulation and in overtime, that is when it mattered the most.
UNC fans - please do not use the Ty Lawson excuse. Sure, missing Lawson at the point impacts Carolina, but it's not like the Heels are starting a true third-string point guard when Quentin Thomas steps out onto the court.
You're going to see Thomas' skills improve a lot over the course of this season as well. Why? Because Lawson suffered a high ankle sprain, and I can tell you from experience that those can take months to heal completely. That means Lawson will not be 100-percent for the rest of the season; especially since he cannot rest it until the season is over.
That game will show up as an "L" on Clemson's official schedule, but in the eyes of the NCAA Selection Committee the game was a win. Now, I’m not one to talk about moral victories because I think losses are always bad, but losing to UNC on a three-point buzzer-beater at home, then taking them into double-overtime in the Smith Center scores any team points with the Committee.
Carolina is hoping they will be like the New York Giants. They don’t want to play at home, they’d rather play on the road. That’s how the Football Giants were this past season, and they ended up winning the big one.
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GOLO member since July 2, 2007
February 11, 2008 6:49 p.m.
February 11, 2008 2:08 p.m.
I think he's out indefinitely. It's not often someone can come back and play basketball after tearing an ACL in the same season.
GOLO member since July 2, 2007
February 11, 2008 1:47 p.m.
GOLO member since January 21, 2008
February 11, 2008 1:46 p.m.
GOLO member since September 19, 2007
February 11, 2008 7:58 a.m.
GOLO member since November 27, 2007
February 11, 2008 2:34 a.m.
GOLO member since November 8, 2007
February 10, 2008 11:38 p.m.
If I was where you are, I would be dead. Below 70 and I require a jacket. Below 50, it's a winter coat. I live for the 90s.
GOLO member since July 2, 2007
February 10, 2008 11:33 p.m.
By the way. I have a cousin who grew up here in Raleigh and was just a few weeks older than I am. We grew up together doing everything with one another. My aunt & uncle both went to NCSU, and she started at Carolina in the fall - so they have had some major adjusting to do.
GOLO member since July 2, 2007
February 10, 2008 11:31 p.m.
GOLO member since November 7, 2007
February 10, 2008 11:30 p.m.
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