Home
Up

UNC @ MD

2/2/06

By Chris B.

You may ask why Jon Bon Jovi finds his mug on the recap of UNC and Maryland.  Well it really is two fold.  Our boy John F. (not Jovi) figured it would be a good idea to skip out on the Terps game and go see JBJ in concert.  Had we won I would be all over him.  Seeing how we lost, you made a good decision.  The other reason you see his mug is, our tourney hopes are indeed "Living on a Prayer".  I know it is early but this team needs some big wins, actually any wins right now would do!

This game was a big game for both teams.  The Terps came in to it with a chance to go 5-2 in the conference, and this would be a good game to put on the tourney resume.  See Temple recap, same theme.  A loss and the teams psyche may begin to falter a bit.  It seems so fragile as it is, take out McCray, and we are walking on egg shells.  The game started very choppy with no flow.  DJ had a nice start to the game, and was scoring inside, outside, and had 14 at the half.  He did have a missed dunk/lay up that lead wont help his grade, but none the less he was playing well.  At one point I was thinking to myself, I can't wait for Hayes to get here so DJ can play his real position.  He was in the lane getting loose balls, getting shots up on the glass in traffic and keeping the Terps in it while Noel was on fire for the heels.  We had a chance early to put UNC in a hole when they turned it over 15 times in the first half.  Of course we let them hang around and took a two point lead into the half.  We kept Hansborough in check and still we couldn't get a bigger lead.

The second half was brutal.  Shooting went even colder, passing was an adventure, shot selection was horrendous.  How many times did a big man get the ball down low, or an offensive rebound only to "shoot" the ball across the rim throwing brick after brick off the glass.  It is like watching tennis. This is getting worse.  Anyways we cut the lead to 3 with about 5 minutes or so to go and low and behold we turn it over and they score on the fast break.  This game again puts gets DJ to the line for a one and one.  Brick, next possession Mike Jones to the line for another one and one.  Brick.  Once again 3 points there would have kept us in striking distance.  I really can't recall one highlight from the half.  I really wish Parish Brown would get some burn, because Sterbo struggles getting us moving in the half court.  Yet he gets zero minutes.  Try something when the offense gets stagnant Gary!  Well I just saw the boxscore.  26% shooting in the second half.  That wouldn't win you an intramural game.

D7 MVP-  This is a tough one, and not for a good reason.  NCM's streak will come to an end tonight.  By default I guess I am going to go with DJ.  14 points 5 boards, 2 assist, 3 steals.  All 14 points in the first half. 
 

Random Thought of the Day-  Gary Williams is still looking to pass Lefty as the schools all time win leader.  I believe he got is 500th career win at NCST.  Maybe he can get another personal milestone at the RBC Center.

It could be worse:  Wake is 1-7 in conference, even with Gray and Williams.

It is worse section:  Three of our conference wins are against the 3 last place teams, and we travel to play the #2 team Sunday.

Factoid Alert:  I have done the last two recaps, and they were loses, next.

Standings