The North Carolina Tarheels beat the Tulane Green Wave last night in their first basketball game of the season last night 95-75 and it was your typical first game. Justin Jackson and Joel Berry II had career highs in points, 27 and 23 points respectively, and Kennedy Meeks had a career high in rebounds with 15.
Ten Players for the North Carolina Tarheels got at least ten minutes of playing time. Three of those players were freshmen- Tony Bradley, Brandon Robinson, and Seventh Woods. Tony Bradley got the most playing time of the with 17 minutes and he scored in double figures with 10 points but he also picked up four fouls in those minutes.
Head Coach Roy Williams place an emphasis on assists to made field goals and North Carolina was much better in the first half (14-17) than they were the second half (9-17) and 23-34 for the game. I do not know what Roy Williams considers an acceptable percentage but I don not think it is 67.7%. The Tarheels were also -1 in turnovers.
Showing posts with label Justin Jackson. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Justin Jackson. Show all posts
Saturday, November 12, 2016
Thursday, February 25, 2016
Nervous
As a North Carolina Tarheels fan, playing the North Carolina State Wolpack last night made me nervous. Cat Barber is the best pure scorer in the ACC and State has some serious size in the middle with BeeJay Anya and Abdul-Malik Abu and a three point threat in Maverick Rowan. It is usually combinations like this that give the North Carolina Tarheels fits. Cat Barber did his part by scoring a game high 32 points and he scored 16 of their first 27 and NC State raced out to a 23-10 lead.
Luckily for North Carolina, Justin Jackson has rediscovered his game and his scoring touch that has been missing for the better part of the season. He scored 17 points on a variety of jump shots and drives to the basket. Brice Johnson had his standard double-double with 22 points and 11 rebounds and North Carolina pulled away at the end to win 80-68. State's inside duo of Anya and Abu only combined for 17 points and Maverick Rowan went 2 for 12 from the field and was held to eight points. State has had a tough season but they are very capable of putting it all together for an ACC tournament run.
Luckily for North Carolina, Justin Jackson has rediscovered his game and his scoring touch that has been missing for the better part of the season. He scored 17 points on a variety of jump shots and drives to the basket. Brice Johnson had his standard double-double with 22 points and 11 rebounds and North Carolina pulled away at the end to win 80-68. State's inside duo of Anya and Abu only combined for 17 points and Maverick Rowan went 2 for 12 from the field and was held to eight points. State has had a tough season but they are very capable of putting it all together for an ACC tournament run.
Wednesday, February 10, 2016
Taking A Powder At BC
A trip to Boston College was should have been just what the doctor ordered to cure the North Carolina Tarheels basketball team's road ills. The trip ended in a victory but seems to have made the Tarheels even sicker especially head coach Roy Williams. Williams had to leave the court with just under 15 minutes to go in the game due to an attack of vertigo. Assistant coach Steve Robinson, a long time Williams assistant and former head coach at Florida State, took over.
The Tarheels overcame a nine point deficit with 10 minutes to play for a 68-65 win over Boston College who came into the game 0-10 in ACC play. This is the same Boston College team that the Tarheels beat by 27 points in a lackluster effort a little over a week ago. Justin Jackson had his most impressive game since Thanksgiving with 20 points and even nailed a couple of three pointers for good measure. That was the Tarheels 20th victory on the season but it was not a strong showing against the worst team in the ACC.
The Tarheels overcame a nine point deficit with 10 minutes to play for a 68-65 win over Boston College who came into the game 0-10 in ACC play. This is the same Boston College team that the Tarheels beat by 27 points in a lackluster effort a little over a week ago. Justin Jackson had his most impressive game since Thanksgiving with 20 points and even nailed a couple of three pointers for good measure. That was the Tarheels 20th victory on the season but it was not a strong showing against the worst team in the ACC.
Tuesday, December 22, 2015
Bringing Down The Mountaineers
North Carolina played my alma mater Appalachian State and won fairly easily 94-70. This was one of those games that probably never should have been scheduled but they play anyway but as a fan, I really never come out of these games with a good feeling. The Tarheels won by 24 points but it feels like they should have won by 40. The Tarheels ended up being two starters short because Kennedy Meeks is still out and Marcus Paige tweaked his ankle and missed almost the entire second half.
Brice Johnson led the way with 22 points but it seemed like he could have scored 40 if the Tarheels would have force fed it to him inside. Justin Jackson had a double-double as did Joel Berry II. Luke Maye got some valuable playing time off the bench and he has been doing some nice things on the offensive boards. Maye turned that effort into a career high seven points against Appalachian State to go along with five rebounds. As Tarheel alum Rasheed Wallace kept imploring the Tarheel big men from behind the bench last night to "finish at the rim."
Brice Johnson led the way with 22 points but it seemed like he could have scored 40 if the Tarheels would have force fed it to him inside. Justin Jackson had a double-double as did Joel Berry II. Luke Maye got some valuable playing time off the bench and he has been doing some nice things on the offensive boards. Maye turned that effort into a career high seven points against Appalachian State to go along with five rebounds. As Tarheel alum Rasheed Wallace kept imploring the Tarheel big men from behind the bench last night to "finish at the rim."
Thursday, December 17, 2015
Not Going Meekly
With the news that Kennedy Meeks would miss at least two weeks with a bone bruise that he has been suffering from for quite a while now, the guessing game has begun as to what combination the Tarheels will use to take up Meeks' minutes on the court. Go small with a three guard offense or use Justin Jackson at the four position and slide Brice Johnson to the five or use a combination of Joel James and Isaiah Hicks to man five. James got the start against Tulane and had four points and seven rebounds and Hicks came in and scored a quick eight points in the first half and finished with eleven.
Where does Theo Pinson fit into the mix? After starting in Marcus Paige's place the first six games of the season, he has gotten lost in the shuffle in the past three games. He scored ten points against Tulane including two three pointers but I believe the strength of his game is attacking the basket.
Freshman Lucas Maye got some important minutes off the bench against Tulane and he had one point, five rebounds, two assists, and one blocked shot. Maye looked pretty good rebounding and passing the ball but he needs to work on finishing on the offensive end.
Where does Theo Pinson fit into the mix? After starting in Marcus Paige's place the first six games of the season, he has gotten lost in the shuffle in the past three games. He scored ten points against Tulane including two three pointers but I believe the strength of his game is attacking the basket.
Freshman Lucas Maye got some important minutes off the bench against Tulane and he had one point, five rebounds, two assists, and one blocked shot. Maye looked pretty good rebounding and passing the ball but he needs to work on finishing on the offensive end.
Tuesday, November 24, 2015
A Bounce Back Win
North Carolina's 71-67 loss to Northern Iowa dropped them from #1 to #9 in the polls. It is hard for me to believe that a loss to a good Northern Iowa team could drop the Tarheels that far but that is just proof that early season polls mean absolutely nothing.
Sophomore Justin Jackson broke out of his early season slump in the loss to Northern Iowa with 25 points and he proved that wasn't a fluke by putting up 21 points and 13 rebounds in an 80-69 win against a Chris Collins coached Northwestern team. Chris Collins is a Coack K protégé and I guess they are finally starting to leave the nest. I did not care much for Collins as a player and I doubt that it is going to change now that he is a head coach.
Brice Johnson had another double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds and Theo Pinson continued his all around, stat stuffing play with 10 points and 8 assists. Pinson has shown great court awareness so far this season and an improved three point shot. He made the extra pass last night and continually found Kennedy Meeks and Justin Jackson for layups.
Sophomore Justin Jackson broke out of his early season slump in the loss to Northern Iowa with 25 points and he proved that wasn't a fluke by putting up 21 points and 13 rebounds in an 80-69 win against a Chris Collins coached Northwestern team. Chris Collins is a Coack K protégé and I guess they are finally starting to leave the nest. I did not care much for Collins as a player and I doubt that it is going to change now that he is a head coach.
Brice Johnson had another double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds and Theo Pinson continued his all around, stat stuffing play with 10 points and 8 assists. Pinson has shown great court awareness so far this season and an improved three point shot. He made the extra pass last night and continually found Kennedy Meeks and Justin Jackson for layups.
Friday, November 13, 2015
Isaiah Hicks
Usually there is at least one name that generates buzz coming out of North Carolina's fall practices for being much improved or they put in some serious work over the summer and it shows in their game. This year it is junior big man Isaiah Hicks. I have been expecting big things from Hicks since he set foot in the Dean Dome as a freshman but the transition from high school to college is a bigger leap for some players than it is for others. Hicks caught my attention when he had 34 points and 30 rebounds in the state high school championship game as a senior in high school. I don't care who you are playing against, those are some eye popping numbers.
Hicks may not even start at the beginning of this season. He is primed and ready for his breakout season and he could be on the floor at the same time as Kennedy Meeks, Brice Johnson, Justin Jackson, Isaiah Hicks, and Marcus Paige on the floor at the same time. Size and athleticism. We wouldn't need to shoot three's but Paige could if he had to.
Hicks may not even start at the beginning of this season. He is primed and ready for his breakout season and he could be on the floor at the same time as Kennedy Meeks, Brice Johnson, Justin Jackson, Isaiah Hicks, and Marcus Paige on the floor at the same time. Size and athleticism. We wouldn't need to shoot three's but Paige could if he had to.
Saturday, March 21, 2015
Survive And Advance
I never thought that I would be celebrating a two point win over Harvard but there I was high fiving my roommate after North Carolina squeezed out a 67-65 win over the #13 seed. The key to any NCAA Tournament is survive and advance. I remember win North Carolina won the 1982 National Championship their first game in that tournament was a 52-50 win over James Madison.
The Tarheels played well in spurts. They racesd out to a 13 point lead in the first half and a 14 point lead early in the second, but if you keep letting a lower seed hang around, they start gaining confidence. Harvard got back in it and had a chance to win it at the buzzer.
Harvard Head Coach Tommie Anaker knows North Carolina. The Tarheels have glaring defensive weaknesses like not being able to stop anyone off the dribble and the standard North Carolina "help" defense has been helpless. I think they need to completely scrap this defense in favor of another defensive philosophy.
The Tarheels offense is based on their size, their ability to rebound, and their ability to run. They have only one feared outside shooter and that is Marcus Paige. Joel Berry II and Justin Jackson have stepped up their three point games but still not enough to be feared as a consistent threat.
None of that really matters. All you have to do is survive and advance no matter what you have to do.
The Tarheels played well in spurts. They racesd out to a 13 point lead in the first half and a 14 point lead early in the second, but if you keep letting a lower seed hang around, they start gaining confidence. Harvard got back in it and had a chance to win it at the buzzer.
Harvard Head Coach Tommie Anaker knows North Carolina. The Tarheels have glaring defensive weaknesses like not being able to stop anyone off the dribble and the standard North Carolina "help" defense has been helpless. I think they need to completely scrap this defense in favor of another defensive philosophy.
The Tarheels offense is based on their size, their ability to rebound, and their ability to run. They have only one feared outside shooter and that is Marcus Paige. Joel Berry II and Justin Jackson have stepped up their three point games but still not enough to be feared as a consistent threat.
None of that really matters. All you have to do is survive and advance no matter what you have to do.
Saturday, March 14, 2015
Back To The Finals
North Carolina returns to the Finals of the ACC Tournament thanks to a 71-67 victory over Top-seeded Virginia last night. North Carolina built up a 13 point lead in the second half and held on.
I said before the game that it is much easier to hold a double digit lead over Virginia than it is to come back from a double digit deficit against their defense. The Tarheels ballhandling left a lot to be desired as they ended up with 18 turnovers in the game and the 'Heels defense was shredded in the last ten minutes as Virginia repeatedly drove to the basket and they ended up with with either layups or trips to the foul line.
Freshman Justin Jackson finally had the "breakout" game that all Tarheel fans had been expecting all season long with 22 points with four three-pointers in five attempts. This helped the Tarheels shoot almost 55% in the game, a season high for opponents against Virginia.
I don't believe any of the so called experts expected the North Carolina Tarheels to make it to the ACC Finals. The experts point to so called missing or injured players from both Louisville and Virginia but UNC has not been at full squad strength in about two months. The Tarheels are doing what they have to do and that is win one game at a time.
I said before the game that it is much easier to hold a double digit lead over Virginia than it is to come back from a double digit deficit against their defense. The Tarheels ballhandling left a lot to be desired as they ended up with 18 turnovers in the game and the 'Heels defense was shredded in the last ten minutes as Virginia repeatedly drove to the basket and they ended up with with either layups or trips to the foul line.
Freshman Justin Jackson finally had the "breakout" game that all Tarheel fans had been expecting all season long with 22 points with four three-pointers in five attempts. This helped the Tarheels shoot almost 55% in the game, a season high for opponents against Virginia.
I don't believe any of the so called experts expected the North Carolina Tarheels to make it to the ACC Finals. The experts point to so called missing or injured players from both Louisville and Virginia but UNC has not been at full squad strength in about two months. The Tarheels are doing what they have to do and that is win one game at a time.
Wednesday, March 4, 2015
A Freshman Steps Up
The North Carolina Tarheels crushed Georgia Tech again last night for the second time in two weeks, this time on the road by the score of 81-49. The Tarheels only had two players in double figures, Joel Berry II with 15 and Justin Jackson with 13.
The play of the Tarheel Freshmen has been inconsistent this season as it is with most Freshmen. Joel Berry II has earned more playing time over the past couple of weeks and his play has been much improved. He has battled illness and injury the majority of the season but his 15 points included 3 of 5 from beyond the arc and the Tarheels need to add another consistent outside scoring threat. His improved play has bumped him ahead of Nate Britt on the depth chart.
The Tarheels bench is also finally getting healthy as Freshman Theo Pinson saw action for the first time in 12 games. He only played 3 minutes but scored 5 points and it was more important for him to see some court time. The Tarheels also got some playing time in for backup Point Guards Stillman White and Luke Davis and it is good to get the starters a little bit of rest and the players on the bench a little bit of playing time.
The play of the Tarheel Freshmen has been inconsistent this season as it is with most Freshmen. Joel Berry II has earned more playing time over the past couple of weeks and his play has been much improved. He has battled illness and injury the majority of the season but his 15 points included 3 of 5 from beyond the arc and the Tarheels need to add another consistent outside scoring threat. His improved play has bumped him ahead of Nate Britt on the depth chart.
The Tarheels bench is also finally getting healthy as Freshman Theo Pinson saw action for the first time in 12 games. He only played 3 minutes but scored 5 points and it was more important for him to see some court time. The Tarheels also got some playing time in for backup Point Guards Stillman White and Luke Davis and it is good to get the starters a little bit of rest and the players on the bench a little bit of playing time.
Sunday, January 11, 2015
Paige To The Rescue
The North Carolina Tarheels followed a formula yesterday against the Louisville Cardinals that they have used all season. Out rebound their opponents (40-30), play solid perimeter defense (31.6% from the three point line), and win the battle in the paint. It did not work against Notre Dame but worked against Louisville.
Marcus Paige was the go to guy against Louisville at the end of the game. That is what the Tarheels have been searching for all year long. A collective sigh of relief went up from all Tarheel fans when Paige's floater from the left of the basket dropped from high off the backboard and went through the net with 8.5 seconds left to give North Carolina a 72-71 lead.
Paige ended tangled up in the row of photographers that sit underneath the basket and out of the play after he scored. Louisville quickly got the ball in bounds and had a 5 on 4 and got off an open three pointer and a follow shot but missed. Freshman Justin Jackson followed the ball and knocked the ball into the stands after Louisville's final attempt.
Marcus Paige was the go to guy against Louisville at the end of the game. That is what the Tarheels have been searching for all year long. A collective sigh of relief went up from all Tarheel fans when Paige's floater from the left of the basket dropped from high off the backboard and went through the net with 8.5 seconds left to give North Carolina a 72-71 lead.
Paige ended tangled up in the row of photographers that sit underneath the basket and out of the play after he scored. Louisville quickly got the ball in bounds and had a 5 on 4 and got off an open three pointer and a follow shot but missed. Freshman Justin Jackson followed the ball and knocked the ball into the stands after Louisville's final attempt.
Sunday, January 4, 2015
Clemson Is Ice Cold
The North Carolina Tarheels won their ACC conference opener yesterday over Clemson 74-50 in a game that was pretty much over by halftime. Clemson only scored 17 points in the first half on 5 for 28 shooting (17.9%) and was only 28.3% for the game. The Tarheels defense had something to do with it but Clemson is not a good shooting team.
Justin Jackson led the way for North Carolina with 13 points, Kennedy Meeks had 12 points and 12 rebounds despite battling a stomach bug, and three other players were in double figures.
Marcus Paige had 11 points on 3 for 4 from the three point line and is showing signs of coming out of his season long shooting slump. The thing I like the most about Paige's game is that he is not forcing his shot. He is letting the game come to him.
Justin Jackson led the way for North Carolina with 13 points, Kennedy Meeks had 12 points and 12 rebounds despite battling a stomach bug, and three other players were in double figures.
Marcus Paige had 11 points on 3 for 4 from the three point line and is showing signs of coming out of his season long shooting slump. The thing I like the most about Paige's game is that he is not forcing his shot. He is letting the game come to him.
Wednesday, December 24, 2014
The Tarheels In The House That Jordan Built
The Tarheels played Ohio State last Saturday in Chicago and came away with a big victory over #12 Ohio State, 82-74. Ohio State employed a zone almost the entire game and North Carolina took it to Ohio State. With Kennedy Meeks on the high post and Brice Johnson manning the baseline, the Tarheels dismantled the zone without having to resort to firing up three pointer after three pointer.
Brice Johnson led the way with 18 points and Marcus Paige added 16. Freshman Justin Jackson was the only other double figure scorer with 11.
The Tarheels played a solid overall game. They outrebounded Ohio State 53-40 and held them to 35% shooting. Ohio State was 3rd in the nation in Field Goal Percentage coming into the game.
The Tarheels did, however, struggle down the stretch at the free throw line as the Tarheels only went 5 for 12 in the last three minutes of the game. Watching them at the free throw line made me pace the floor and my dog Molly hide under the bed but the Tarheel defense did not allow Ohio State to capitalize.
Brice Johnson led the way with 18 points and Marcus Paige added 16. Freshman Justin Jackson was the only other double figure scorer with 11.
The Tarheels played a solid overall game. They outrebounded Ohio State 53-40 and held them to 35% shooting. Ohio State was 3rd in the nation in Field Goal Percentage coming into the game.
The Tarheels did, however, struggle down the stretch at the free throw line as the Tarheels only went 5 for 12 in the last three minutes of the game. Watching them at the free throw line made me pace the floor and my dog Molly hide under the bed but the Tarheel defense did not allow Ohio State to capitalize.
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