Heels Want Toughness in Atlanta

I think you can pretty much imagine the word to describe what’s going on this week with the UNC basketball program. That word would be intense. 24-5 looks good, but means nothing.

Why else would veteran players question the focus and toughness of this years young but oh-so-talented team? You don’t talk out of turn at North Carolina.

Coach Roy Williams knows what it takes to win. He's not happy and he’s making sure that his players know this in no uncertain terms.

Sophomore Marcus Ginyard, whom I really think wants to take the leadership mantle, says that last year's overachieving team -- which went 12-4 in the ACC -- would beat this year’s team. He says that the UNC attitude and drive and competitiveness was on another level a year ago.

Sophomore Bobby Frasor, who’s missed a lot of time with injuries, says this more-talented team has the ability to punish other teams if they played with the intensity of last year’s team.

The message that Williams hopes is being made to this tantalizingly talented team is to play like they want it, and play like it means something. Play with toughness and passion and play smart.

Williams very much wants to win. He wants his team to play as hard as they can. He wants this team that goes 12-deep with so much talent to play to its potential. He doesn’t think they have been doing that so far.

It’s deep in the season and he’s tired of mental mistakes. He knows that Maryland beating them on the boards by 13 was a matter of desire. He know Maryland came back from 12 points to pull the 89-87 upset on Sunday was all about Maryland wanting the basketball game more.

Williams can take defeat, but only if he thinks his team gave it its best. He didn’t think that happened at Maryland.

I will readily admit that I thought that entering this final week of the ACC regular season that North Carolina would have already clinched the championship. I though they were that talented. At least I can say I wasn’t alone in this.

Something funny has happened on the way to the coronation. Other teams realized that if you stand up to Carolina they might back down. Williams can’t stand this and he won’t put up with it.

Entering Thursday night, North Carolina is 10-4 in the ACC and is in a three-way tie for the league's lead with Virginia and Virginia Tech. Who would have thought that in October?

North Carolina will not have it easy in Atlanta against a Georgia Tech team that is young with talent but often frustrating in its own right.

The Jackets are on the NCAA bubble. A win over Carolina might take them off of that. They will be ready and fired up. Hotlanta it will be.

But deep down, Roy Williams believes that his team will match that. He wants this team to play like overachievers. Scratch and claw because nobody will give it to them.

March begins on Thursday. Only teams that play smart and with heart and desire do well. It’s about much more than just talent.

Roy Williams is challenging his team.

Play like you want it. Be tough enough to fight back.