North Carolina’s season is closing toward what ordinarily would be considered a premature end, but increasingly UNC fans are counting down the days.
Based on the Tar Heels’ disastrous loss to Georgia Tech in Atlanta on Tuesday night, it appeared that some of the players may be beginning to check out as well.
Carolina’s first half yielded just 21 points and resulted in a 41-21 halftime deficit, the Heels’ most anemic scoring half since Roy Williams arrived in Chapel Hill. The Heels didn’t play much better in the second half, though they did obscure their total lack of preparedness by taking advantage of a Tech team that clearly was coasting.
The Heels shot a nearly unfathomable 32 percent from the field, including just 3-for-15 on threes and 10-for-24 from the foul line. They had as many turnovers as they did field goals (19), something that essentially no team can survive to win a game.
In truth, it would be difficult to conceive the Heels playing any worse offensively, even with the injuries that are sidelining Ed Davis, Tyler Zeller and Travis Wear.
At point guard, Larry Drew’s recent positive play reverted to January form. Drew committed six turnovers in the first half en route to eight for the game, and he shot just 2-for-8 from the field and doled out only three assists.
Marcus Ginyard played 17 minutes and contributed no points, one rebound and one assist, and Will Graves hit only 2-for-9 from the field.
Freshman John Henson struck the lone encouraging note. Henson recently and due largely to the club’s frontcourt injury situation moved from the wing forward spot to power forward, and he contributed 11 points and 10 rebounds along with four blocks. Additionally, he held his own physically on defense against Tech’s formidable duo of Derrick Favors and Gani Lawal.
Perhaps the most discouraging aspect of the game was that the Yellow Jackets actually did not play well. Tech shot less than 45 percent from the field and committed 20 turnovers, yet they still managed to blow Carolina out.
The Heels will travel to Boston College this weekend for a Saturday tilt against the Eagles. To see the UNC/Georgia Tech score, hide the young ones and click here.
