POSTERIZED: James Michael McAdunk

B.I.A.H POSTERIZED has been dormant for a while, and we apologize sincerely for this. But we've seen outsiders try to usurp our reign as masters of the college dunk domain. Don't get it twisted. B.I.A.H is the only place you should ever go to view the best dunks in college basketball.

Now that we've gotten that out of the way, let's get back to the actual posterization. The Tournament has been relatively void of great dunkage, but UNC's James Michael McAdoo did his best to buck this trend.

At least the Catamounts got the memo ordering them to stay out of the lane.



McAdoo got the starting nod due to Jon Henson's wrist injury, and the freshman certainly showed why he he was so highly-touted as a recruit.

But was it as good as these?

Julian Boyd, Long Island vs. Robert Morris, 3/8
Andre Drummond, UConn vs. Syracuse, 3/8
C.J. Leslie, North Carolina State vs. Boston College, 3/8
Rondey Williams, Minnesota vs. Nebraska, 3/3
Isaiah Sykes, Central Florida vs. Memphis, 2/28
Brandon Mitchell, Arkansas vs. Ole Miss, 2/28
John Henson, North Carolina vs. Virginia, 2/25
C.J. Aiken, St. Joseph's vs. Temple, 2/25
Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and Anthony Davis, Kentucky vs. Vanderbilt, 2/25
Dion Waiters, Syracuse vs. UConn, 2/25
Weekend Recap, 2/18
Tony Wroten Jr./Aziz N'Diaye, Washington vs. Arizona, 2/18
Chris Czerapowicz, Davidson vs. Wichita State, 2/18
Darius Miller, Kentucky vs. Ole Miss, 2/18
Rodney Williams, Minnesota vs. Ohio State, 2/16
Darrion Pellom, Hampton vs. Maryland-Eastern Shore 2/15 (DotY Candidate)
Trency Jackson, Northwest Florida vs. Chipola, 2/15
Kwame Alexander, Cal St. San Bernadino, 2/12
Tahj Tate, Delaware State vs. Coppin State, 2/11
Weekend Recap, 2/10 - 2/12
Kyisean Reed, Utah State vs. Louisiana Tech, 2/9
Joshea Singleton, Bucknell vs. Colgate, 2/8
Kelsey Barlow, Purdue vs. Ohio State, 2/7
Markel Brown, Oklahoma State vs. Iowa State, 2/7
Roscoe Smith, UConn vs. Louisville, 2/7
Weekend Recap, 2/2 - 2/5
Jamaal Franklin, San Diego State vs. TCU, 2/4
Michael Carter-Williams, Syracuse vs. St. John's, 2/4
Kwame Alexander, Cal State-San Bernardino vs. Cal State-Dominguez Hills (D-II), 2/3
Bradley Beal, Florida vs. South Carolina, 2/2
Doug Anderson, Detroit vs. Valparaiso, 2/2
Thomas Robinson, Kansas vs. Oklahoma, 2/1
Markel Brown, Oklahoma state vs. Texas Tech, 1/31
Royce White, Iowa State vs. Kansas State, 1/31
Savalace Townsend, Arkansas-Pine Bluff vs. Grambling State, 1/28 (DotY Candidate)
Weekend Recap, 1/25 - 1/29
Tony Wroten Jr., Washington vs. Arizona State, 1/26 (DotY Candidate)
Ronald Roberts, St. Joseph's vs. Dayton, 1/25
Markel Brown, Oklahoma State vs. Missouri, 1/25 (DotY Candidate)
Larry Nance Jr., Wyoming vs. San Diego State, 1/24
Dion Dixon, Cincinnati vs. Syracuse, 1/23
Victor Rudd Jr., South Florida vs. St. John's, 1/17 (DotY Candidate)
C.J. Fair, Syracuse vs. Pittsburgh, 1/16
TrayVonn Wright, North Dakota State vs. South Dakota, 1/14
Bandja Sy, New Mexico State vs. Utah State, 1/12
Kenny Hall, Tennessee vs. Mississippi State, 1/12
Dezmine Wells, Xavier vs. Duquesne, 1/11
Kadeem Batts, Providence vs. Louisville, 1/10
Karam Mashour, UNLV vs. CS-Bakersfield, 1/6
Tony Snell, New Mexico vs. Houston Baptist, 1/3
Tony Mitchell, Alabama vs. Georgia Tech, 1/3
Trevis Simpson, UNC-Greensboro vs. Miami, 1/2
Orion Outerbridge, Rhode Island vs. Boston College, 1/2
Sam Thompson, Ohio State vs. Indiana, 12/31
DeShon Minnis, Texas Tech vs. Southeastern Louisiana, 12/30
Keith Gabriel, VMI vs. Old Dominion, 12/22
Eric Etherly, Loyola (Md.) vs. Kentucky, 12/22
Chris Evans, Kent State vs. Texas-Arlington, 12/21
P.J. Hairston, North Carolina vs. Texas, 12/21
Robbie Hummel, Purdue vs. IPFW, 12/20
Robert Brown, Virginia Tech vs. North Florida, 12/19
Tony Mitchell, Alabama vs. Kansas State, 12/17
Torye Pelham, Southern Mississippi vs. Ole Miss, 12/17
Quincy Diggs, Akron vs. Florida A&M, 12/17
Anthony Davis, Kentucky vs. Chattanooga, 12/17
Langston Galloway/C.J. Aiken/Ronald Roberts, St. Joseph's vs. Villanova, 12/17
Terrence Ross, Washington vs. UC-Santa Barbara, 12/16
Jared Cunningham, Oregon State vs. Howard, 12/15
Raheem Appleby, Louisiana Tech vs. McNeese State, 12/14
Tony Mitchell, Alabama vs. Detroit, 12/12
Vander Blue, Marquette vs. UW-Green Bay, 12/11
Ronald Roberts, St. Joseph's vs. Creighton, 12/10
Dion Waiters, Syracuse vs. George Washington, 12/10 (DotY Candidate)
Victor Oladipo, Indiana vs. Kentucky, 12/10
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Georgia vs. Georgia Tech, 12/10
Vander Blue, Marquette vs. Washington, 12/6
Terrence Ross, Washington vs. Marquette, 12/6
Deville Smith, Mississippi State vs. West Virginia, 12/3
Terrence Jones, Kentucky vs. North Carolina, 12/3
Tony Mitchell, Alabama vs. Georgetown, 12/1
Anthony Marshall, UNLV vs. UNC, 11/26
Michael Kidd-Glichrist, Kentucky vs. Portland, 11/26/11 (DotY Candidate)
Markel Brown, Oklahoma State vs. Virginia Tech, 11/25
Rodney Williams, Minnesota vs. DePaul, 11/24
Thomas Robinson, Kansas vs. Duke, 11/23
Stan Okoye, VMI vs. Ohio State, 11/23
Kyisean Reed, Utah State vs. Southern Utah, 11/19
Ra'Shad James, Iona vs. Western Michigan, 11/18
Alandise Harris, Houston vs. Arkansas, 11/18
Sam Thompson, Ohio State vs. Jackson State, 11/18
Tony Mitchell, Alabama vs. Wichita State, 11/18
Eric Griffin, Campbell vs. North Carolina A&T, 11/18 (DotY Candidate)
Olek Czyz, Nevada vs. Pacific, 11/17
Chris Watson, Pikeville vs. Mountain State, 11/16
Ray Willis, North Carolina Central vs. Wagner, 11/16
Mike James, Lamar vs. Ohio, 11/15 (DotY Candidate)
Quincy Acy, Baylor vs. San Diego State, 11/15
Deniz Kilicli, West Virginia vs. Kent State, 11/15
Chris Evans, Kent State vs. West Virginia, 11/15
Tony Mitchell, Alabama vs. Oakland, 11/14
Isaiah Brown, East Tennessee State vs. Virginia Tech, 11/12
Michael Lyons, Air Force vs. Army, 11/11
Dezmine Wells, Xavier vs. Morgan State, 11/11
Jeremy Lamb, UConn vs. Columbia, 11/11 (DotY Candidate)
Andre Drummond, UConn vs. CW Post, 11/4
Moe Harkless, St. John's vs. CW Post, 10/26

Continue reading...

POSTERIZED: John Henson uses his length

They say that "You can't teach 'length'".

Next to Kentucky's Anthony Davis, UNC's John Henson is the longest player in the country. His limbs extend to infinity.

While that's saying is true, you can certainly draw up plays for 'length'.

And that's exactly what the Tar Heels did against Virginia on Saturday.



That's just too easy. Just get the ball near the rim, and if Henson is within the city-limits, he's going to dunk in home.

(H/T Tarheel Blog)

But was it as good as these?

C.J. Aiken, St. Joseph's vs. Temple, 2/25
Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and Anthony Davis, Kentucky vs. Vanderbilt, 2/25
Dion Waiters, Syracuse vs. UConn, 2/25
Weekend Recap, 2/18
Tony Wroten Jr./Aziz N'Diaye, Washington vs. Arizona, 2/18
Chris Czerapowicz, Davidson vs. Wichita State, 2/18
Darius Miller, Kentucky vs. Ole Miss, 2/18
Darrion Pellom, Hampton vs. Maryland-Eastern Shore 2/15 (DotY Candidate)
Trency Jackson, Northwest Florida vs. Chipola, 2/15
Kwame Alexander, Cal St. San Bernadino, 2/12
Weekend Recap, 2/10 - 2/12
Kyisean Reed, Utah State vs. Louisiana Tech, 2/9
Joshea Singleton, Bucknell vs. Colgate, 2/8
Kelsey Barlow, Purdue vs. Ohio State, 2/7
Markel Brown, Oklahoma State vs. Iowa State, 2/7
Roscoe Smith, UConn vs. Louisville, 2/7
Weekend Recap, 2/2 - 2/5
Jamaal Franklin, San Diego State vs. TCU, 2/4
Michael Carter-Williams, Syracuse vs. St. John's, 2/4
Kwame Alexander, Cal State-San Bernardino vs. Cal State-Dominguez Hills (D-II), 2/3
Bradley Beal, Florida vs. South Carolina, 2/2
Doug Anderson, Detroit vs. Valparaiso, 2/2
Thomas Robinson, Kansas vs. Oklahoma, 2/1
Markel Brown, Oklahoma state vs. Texas Tech, 1/31
Royce White, Iowa State vs. Kansas State, 1/31
Savalace Townsend, Arkansas-Pine Bluff vs. Grambling State, 1/28 (DotY Candidate)
Weekend Recap, 1/25 - 1/29
Tony Wroten Jr., Washington vs. Arizona State, 1/26 (DotY Candidate)
Ronald Roberts, St. Joseph's vs. Dayton, 1/25
Markel Brown, Oklahoma State vs. Missouri, 1/25 (DotY Candidate)
Larry Nance Jr., Wyoming vs. San Diego State, 1/24
Dion Dixon, Cincinnati vs. Syracuse, 1/23
Victor Rudd Jr., South Florida vs. St. John's, 1/17 (DotY Candidate)
C.J. Fair, Syracuse vs. Pittsburgh, 1/16
TrayVonn Wright, North Dakota State vs. South Dakota, 1/14
Bandja Sy, New Mexico State vs. Utah State, 1/12
Kenny Hall, Tennessee vs. Mississippi State, 1/12
Dezmine Wells, Xavier vs. Duquesne, 1/11
Kadeem Batts, Providence vs. Louisville, 1/10
Karam Mashour, UNLV vs. CS-Bakersfield, 1/6
Tony Snell, New Mexico vs. Houston Baptist, 1/3
Tony Mitchell, Alabama vs. Georgia Tech, 1/3
Trevis Simpson, UNC-Greensboro vs. Miami, 1/2
Orion Outerbridge, Rhode Island vs. Boston College, 1/2
Sam Thompson, Ohio State vs. Indiana, 12/31
DeShon Minnis, Texas Tech vs. Southeastern Louisiana, 12/30
Keith Gabriel, VMI vs. Old Dominion, 12/22
Eric Etherly, Loyola (Md.) vs. Kentucky, 12/22
Chris Evans, Kent State vs. Texas-Arlington, 12/21
P.J. Hairston, North Carolina vs. Texas, 12/21
Robbie Hummel, Purdue vs. IPFW, 12/20
Robert Brown, Virginia Tech vs. North Florida, 12/19
Tony Mitchell, Alabama vs. Kansas State, 12/17
Torye Pelham, Southern Mississippi vs. Ole Miss, 12/17
Quincy Diggs, Akron vs. Florida A&M, 12/17
Anthony Davis, Kentucky vs. Chattanooga, 12/17
Langston Galloway/C.J. Aiken/Ronald Roberts, St. Joseph's vs. Villanova, 12/17
Terrence Ross, Washington vs. UC-Santa Barbara, 12/16
Jared Cunningham, Oregon State vs. Howard, 12/15
Raheem Appleby, Louisiana Tech vs. McNeese State, 12/14
Tony Mitchell, Alabama vs. Detroit, 12/12
Vander Blue, Marquette vs. UW-Green Bay, 12/11
Ronald Roberts, St. Joseph's vs. Creighton, 12/10
Dion Waiters, Syracuse vs. George Washington, 12/10 (DotY Candidate)
Victor Oladipo, Indiana vs. Kentucky, 12/10
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Georgia vs. Georgia Tech, 12/10
Vander Blue, Marquette vs. Washington, 12/6
Terrence Ross, Washington vs. Marquette, 12/6
Deville Smith, Mississippi State vs. West Virginia, 12/3
Terrence Jones, Kentucky vs. North Carolina, 12/3
Tony Mitchell, Alabama vs. Georgetown, 12/1
Anthony Marshall, UNLV vs. UNC, 11/26
Michael Kidd-Glichrist, Kentucky vs. Portland, 11/26/11 (DotY Candidate)
Markel Brown, Oklahoma State vs. Virginia Tech, 11/25
Rodney Williams, Minnesota vs. DePaul, 11/24
Thomas Robinson, Kansas vs. Duke, 11/23
Stan Okoye, VMI vs. Ohio State, 11/23
Kyisean Reed, Utah State vs. Southern Utah, 11/19
Ra'Shad James, Iona vs. Western Michigan, 11/18
Alandise Harris, Houston vs. Arkansas, 11/18
Sam Thompson, Ohio State vs. Jackson State, 11/18
Tony Mitchell, Alabama vs. Wichita State, 11/18
Eric Griffin, Campbell vs. North Carolina A&T, 11/18 (DotY Candidate)
Olek Czyz, Nevada vs. Pacific, 11/17
Chris Watson, Pikeville vs. Mountain State, 11/16
Ray Willis, North Carolina Central vs. Wagner, 11/16
Mike James, Lamar vs. Ohio, 11/15 (DotY Candidate)
Quincy Acy, Baylor vs. San Diego State, 11/15
Deniz Kilicli, West Virginia vs. Kent State, 11/15
Chris Evans, Kent State vs. West Virginia, 11/15
Tony Mitchell, Alabama vs. Oakland, 11/14
Isaiah Brown, East Tennessee State vs. Virginia Tech, 11/12
Michael Lyons, Air Force vs. Army, 11/11
Dezmine Wells, Xavier vs. Morgan State, 11/11
Jeremy Lamb, UConn vs. Columbia, 11/11 (DotY Candidate)
Andre Drummond, UConn vs. CW Post, 11/4
Moe Harkless, St. John's vs. CW Post, 10/26 Continue reading...

POSTERIZED: P.J. Hairston is a bad, bad man (w/ bonus dunk)

If you are reading this, it's very likely that you aren't watching the North Carolina vs. Texas game on ESPN. And since you're probably not watching the game, you probably didn't get to see P.J. Hairston's spectacu-large poster-dunk on Julian Lewis.

But thanks to B.I.A.H. POSTERIZED, you'll be able to see this monster jam well before the 11PM SportsCenter puts it in "Top Plays".



The post-dunk freeze frame that Hairston does it equally impressive. That right there is one of the best moments in college hoops. When others would strut, scream, and get loud, Hairston just takes it all in, like a cold-blooded assassin.

And as if things weren't good enough for Julian Lewis, he's currently 0-5 from the field and has two fouls.


As usual, @Bubbaprog is the first on the scene with an epic .gif of the encounter.

Yowsers!

(H/T MockSession)

But wait, there's more!!!

Dexter Strickland had a filthy dunk even before Hairston took flight.



Yeah, it was pretty nasty too.

But was it as good as these?

Robbie Hummel, Purdue vs. IPFW, 12/20
Robert Brown, Virginia Tech vs. North Florida, 12/19
Tony Mitchell, Alabama vs. Kansas State, 12/17
Quincy Diggs, Akron vs. Florida A&M, 12/17
Anthony Davis, Kentucky vs. Chattanooga, 12/17
Langston Galloway/C.J. Aiken/Ronald Roberts, St. Joseph's vs. Villanova, 12/17
Terrence Ross, Washington vs. UC-Santa Barbara, 12/16
Jared Cunningham, Oregon State vs. Howard, 12/15
Raheem Appleby, Louisiana Tech vs. McNeese State, 12/14
Tony Mitchell, Alabama vs. Detroit, 12/12
Vander Blue, Marquette vs. UW-Green Bay, 12/11
Ronald Roberts, St. Joseph's vs. Creighton, 12/10
Dion Waiters, Syracuse vs. George Washington, 12/10 (DotY Candidate)
Victor Oladipo, Indiana vs. Kentucky, 12/10
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Georgia vs. Georgia Tech, 12/10
Vander Blue, Marquette vs. Washington, 12/6
Terrence Ross, Washington vs. Marquette, 12/6
Deville Smith, Mississippi State vs. West Virginia, 12/3
Terrence Jones, Kentucky vs. North Carolina, 12/3
Tony Mitchell, Alabama vs. Georgetown, 12/1
Anthony Marshall, UNLV vs. UNC, 11/26
Michael Kidd-Glichrist, Kentucky vs. Portland, 11/26/11 (DotY Candidate)
Markel Brown, Oklahoma State vs. Virginia Tech, 11/25
Rodney Williams, Minnesota vs. DePaul, 11/24
Thomas Robinson, Kansas vs. Duke, 11/23
Stan Okoye, VMI vs. Ohio State, 11/23
Kyisean Reed, Utah State vs. Southern Utah, 11/19
Ra'Shad James, Iona vs. Western Michigan, 11/18
Alandise Harris, Houston vs. Arkansas, 11/18
Sam Thompson, Ohio State vs. Jackson State, 11/18
Tony Mitchell, Alabama vs. Wichita State, 11/18
Eric Griffin, Campbell vs. North Carolina A&T, 11/18 (DotY Candidate)
Olek Czyz, Nevada vs. Pacific, 11/17
Chris Watson, Pikeville vs. Mountain State, 11/16
Ray Willis, North Carolina Central vs. Wagner, 11/16
Mike James, Lamar vs. Ohio, 11/15 (DotY Candidate)
Quincy Acy, Baylor vs. San Diego State, 11/15
Deniz Kilicli, West Virginia vs. Kent State, 11/15
Chris Evans, Kent State vs. West Virginia, 11/15
Tony Mitchell, Alabama vs. Oakland, 11/14
Isaiah Brown, East Tennessee State vs. Virginia Tech, 11/12
Michael Lyons, Air Force vs. Army, 11/11
Dezmine Wells, Xavier vs. Morgan State, 11/11
Jeremy Lamb, UConn vs. Columbia, 11/11 (DotY Candidate)
Andre Drummond, UConn vs. CW Post, 11/4
Moe Harkless, St. John's vs. CW Post, 10/26

Continue reading...

Kentucky outlasts UNC, the Game of the Year lives up to the hype

I want more.

Seriously, let's run that back. I'm sure I'm not the only one that feels that way. We can do it right now. I don't think any of the fans in attendance would mind. Its still early in the afternoon, Jim Nantz and Clark Kellogg have nothing else to do today. As we speak, CBS is airing a preview of "A Game of Honor". I'm pretty sure they can push that back.

More than anyone, I think No. 5 North Carolina wants a second shot against No. 1 Kentucky after losing to the Wildcats 73-72 at Rupp Arena on Saturday afternoon. After Marquis Teague missed the front end of a 1-and-1 with 21 seconds left, UNC took possession of the ball with a chance to steal a win in Rupp. The Heels dumped the ball into Tyler Zeller, who promptly had it knocked out of his hands. The ball happened to bounce right to a seemingly wide-open John Henson, but Henson -- who has probably never had a jump shot blocked in his career -- had a 12-footer blocked by Anthony Davis, who came out of nowhere to make a game-saving defensive play.

But where the real bitterness for UNC isn't a result of the block, its the result of what happened after the block.

The shot left Henson's hand with about six seconds left on the clock, but instead of fouling Davis, who came down with the loose ball, Henson backed away. As Henson's teammates ran at the UK freshman, he threw the ball to Marquis Teague, who dribbled the final few ticks away.

If Henson has the awareness to foul Davis, he sends a freshman big man that is a 53% free throw shooter to the line with enough time to go to the length of the court for the tie or the win:



This had been the most highly-anticipated matchup of the college basketball season, and there isn't even a close second. The two most talented teams in the country. The two favorites to win the national title. A half-dozen lottery picks and a dozen potential pros on the court. John Calipari and Roy Williams.

It had everything you could ask for, and that's why every college hoops fan -- not just Big Blue Nation or the folks on Tobacco Road -- had been salivating over this game ever since Coach Cal had reeled in yet another loaded recruiting class and Ol' Roy got confirmation that his trio of talented front court players would be back for another year in Chapel Hill.

And up until that final possession, this game had completely lived up to the hype.

UNC used some hot-shooting from beyond the arc -- they were 6-9 from long range in the half -- to build up a lead and could have taken complete control in the first half had they been able to keep Kentucky off of the offensive glass. The Wildcats grabbed 12 offensive rebounds in the first half and had 16 second-chance points.

While the first half brought us end-to-end action, like two feather-weight fighters catching each other with jab after jab, the second half was a heavyweight brawl, as the UNC and Kentucky traded haymakers.

Every time the Wildcats would put together a spurt to get back into the game, UNC had the answer. Kentucky scored seven of the first nine points in the second half, tying the game at 45, but back-to-back threes from Kendall Marshall pushed the lead back to six. Michael Gilchrist -- who had game-highs of 17 points and 11 boards -- scored seven straight points to give Kentucky a 52-51 lead, their first lead since the score was 11-9. But the Heels again answered, with a deep PJ Hairston three and a short jumper from Marshall.

It wasn't until the eight minute mark that Kentucky finally took control. Down 60-56, Darius Miller used a three-point play to spark a 13-4 run that was capped by back-to-back threes from Doron Lamb, putting UK up 69-64 with 3:49 left. Harrison Barnes and Reggie Bullock both hit tough, clutch threes down the stretch to set up the underwhelming finish.

If the anti-climatic ending did anything, it created a national desire to see a rematch.

And if the NCAA Tournament wasn't exciting enough already, we will now all be able to root for the same thing come March: running back the Game of the Century in New Orleans.


What We Learned

Kentucky:

- Michael Kidd-Gilchrist is the truth, and this game was his coming out party. He's a terrific athlete and relentless attacking the rim, whether its off the bounce or on the offensive glass. He defends and he can create off the dribble. He is going to be sucha weapon for UK this year.

- Just as important was the play of Darius Miller, who finished with 12 points in 23 minutes off the bench. He made a number of big plays in the second half.

- Terrence Jones still doesn't understand quite how to use his physical tools. With his combination of perimeter ability and physical strength, he's an impossible matchup at the college level. He took advantage of that early in the game, as he was aggressive getting to the rim. But he spent the second half floating around the perimeter. That has to change for him to live up to his potential.

- Anthony Davis needs to get stronger. But he's as young and as raw as any prospect we've seen this decade. Three plays stood out to me: the lob he caught midway through the second half against Zeller, the rebound he grabbed -- stretch-armstrong style -- with four minutes left and, of course, the block to seal the win.

- I get on Marquis Teague as much as anyone does, but he deserves some credit here. While he struggled shooting the ball (3-11 from the floor for just seven points), he only turned the ball over once while adding four assists and controlling the pace down the stretch. The reason UK won this game was that they turned the final eight minutes into a half-court game. That credit goes to Teague.

North Carolina:

- The Heels are still getting beat up inside. The biggest issue I have is that John Henson and Tyler Zeller go to the defensive glass like they do the offensive glass. They aren't able to use their body to box out on the defensive glass.

- UNC was better in the half court tonight, especially on the offensive end of the floor, but they still run into trouble when teams are able to execute their sets offensively. They simply have too many defensive question marks. Looking at you, Kendall Marshall and Harrison Barnes.

- The one question mark that has been answered is UNC's perimeter shooting. PJ Hairston and Reggie Bullock knocked down some big threes in this game.

- The question that a lot of people were asking during the game was whether Harrison Barnes or Michael Kidd-Gilchrist is a better NBA prospect. I think, without question, the answer is Kidd-Gilchrist, simply because his all-around game is so much better. But anyone that says that Barnes isn't a terrific prospect in his own right is out of their mind. The kid is a terrific shooter that thrives in the clutch. He may not be the second-coming of Kevin Durant -- hell, he may not ever be an all-star in the NBA -- but he is going to score a lot of points for a very long time at the next level.

- UNC now has two losses in their last three games. Losing to UNLV was an issue, but don't read too much into this loss. Kentucky is absurdly talented and was playing in an unreal environment at Rupp. This team will be right there at the end of the season.
Continue reading...

John Henson's Carrier Classic jersey on sale on EBay

The Carrier Classic was a great event not just because it was a game played in a unique setting between two powerhouse college basketball programs.

What made it so special was that the game's purpose was to honor the our nation's true heroes on Veteran's Day. After the game, Tar Heels power forward John Henson gave his jersey to a wounded veteran on the ship. This wasn't just any jersey, mind you. This was a specially designed uniform, one that was talked about for weeks leading up to the game.

And what did that veteran do with the Jersey?

He sold it on eBay.

Or at least he attempted too. Right before halftime of the West Virginia-Kent State game -- which would put the time at approximately 10:50 am ET -- John Henson tweeted out a link to the page where the jersey was being sold. The asking price? $1,525.

"Whoever is selling my jersey I gave to a wounded veteran from the ship is not cool at all... smh.." Henson tweeted. "Hopefully he is selling it for a good cause."

By 11:05 am on Monday morning, the item was taken down and the profile -- ratboi39 -- was deleted. Luckily, I grabbed a screen shot. (How awesome am I?):


I'm in the middle of the Hoops Marathon Live-Blog, but I feel like it goes without saying -- we don't pay these athletes and we don't allow them to profit off their likeness, but would that jersey be worth $1,525 if Henson hadn't played in it?
Continue reading...

Thoughts on UNC, Michigan State and the Carrier Classic

There is plenty to take out of North Carolina's 67-55 win over Michigan State on Friday night.

But the details of the game come secondary to the experience of the event. And I was a good 3,000 miles away from the USS Carl Vinson, watching the game couchside in my drafty apartment instead of courtside in the Coronado, California.

I mean, we got President Obama to come to a mid-November basketball game that included an unranked team! Granted, it took playing the game outdoors on an aircraft carrier to commemorate Veteran's Day, but the setting just made the game that much more incredible. There was legitimate concern about the game being rained out. Harrison Barnes voiced concern over the sun being in his eyes while he played. The court became slippery when the sun went down and the temperature dropped because of the condensation that formed.


And of course, there was the wind. Because, as Sidney Dean so memorably told us, out there on a boat, the wind can push the ball to the left or the right 6-8 inches.

Everything about the game and the setting was so perfect and so cool and tastefully done. The focus, of course, eventually ended up on the game, but the fact that ESPN was willing to broadcast 40 minutes worth of pregame ceremonies -- which included a speech from Obama and a delay in the first half for the Retiring of the Evening Colors -- was a nice touch that ensured there was plenty of emphasis on the real stars of the night: our veterans.

But there was an actual basketball game played, and seeing as this is a college basketball blog, it would probably make some sense to discuss it.

It would be silly to read too much into the results of Friday night. Not only was this the first game of the season, but it played on an outdoor court in front of the smallest, but easily the most important, crowd that either team will face this season. As such, I think we can reserve judgement on the shooting troubles -- particularly Michigan State's -- and the turnover issues that both teams had.

That said, there are a couple of things that we can take away from this game:


- North Carolina needs to find a way to get tougher inside. John Henson and Tyler Zeller can both do a lot of different things on a basketball court, but those two are approaching 14 feet of front court player and combined, may not crack 450 lb. It showed against Michigan State. While Henson managed to chalk up nine blocked shots, he finished with just seven boards in 31 minutes. Zeller only had six. In the meantime, the Spartans grabbed 24 offensive rebounds (48% OR) and, at times, physically overwhelmed UNC inside. If the Spartans didn't shoot so horribly, the Tar Heels would have been in some trouble. James McAdoo may eventually be the answer for UNC, as he's built like a tight end, but he's clearly still learning how to put his physical tools to use.

- Kendall Marshall threw some absolutely gorgeous passes tonight, and not all of them led to an assist. There are not many players in the country that are as good as he is as taking an outlet pass and, without using a dribble, passing ahead and hitting a streaking wing in stride. Some of the passes he threw were strikes, fitting the ball in an impossible window. The problem with taking some risks like that, however, is that those passes aren't always successful. Marshall finished the game with five turnovers. As much as I love when the difficult pass is thrown perfectly, the easy pass is usually the right pass.

- Michigan State is going to be just fine this season. While there is not the level on talent on this roster that there has been in recent years, this group is perfect for Tom Izzo. I've been saying it all preseason. They are physical defensively and they attack the glass on both ends of the floor. Yes, they had their issues offensively, but with so many new players this year -- and with so many returners playing new roles -- its understandable they would struggle. Keith Appling is in his first season as the starting point guard. Brandon Wood is playing his first season in the Big Ten. Adreian Payne and Derrick Nix are no longer part-time role players. Playing the No. 1 team on national television in front of the President is not exactly a pressure-free start to the year.

- I expect more out of Draymond Green. While the work he did on the back boards was thorough and he played admirably on the defensive end against a bigger and more athletic front line, his decision making offensively was fairly questionable. And I'm not just talking about late in the game, when he had to force things as the Spartans scrambled to try and mount a comeback. Even early in the game, there were times he forced the issue, took ill-advised shots (did he really think he could get off a turnaround jumper against John Henson on the block?) and turned the ball over. Again, tough conditions so I'll reserve judgement, but that will be something to keep an eye on. If Green is the star and the go-to player on this team, is he still going to be able to play within himself?
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2011-2012 Top 50 Countdown: No. 1 North Carolina Tar Heels

Over the coming weeks, we will be counting down our Top 50 teams in the country. Teams 26-50 will be posted in groups of five, while we will count backwards from No. 25 to the No. 1 team in the country. You can find a complete schedule of our 2011-2012 Season Preview coverage here. To browse through the rest of the Top 50, click here.

Last Season: 29-8, 14-2 (1st ACC), lost to Kentucky in the Elite 8

Head Coach: Roy Williams

Key Losses: Justin Knox, Larry Drew

Newcomers: James Michael McAdoo, PJ Hairston, Desmond Hubert,

Projected Lineup:

- G: Kendall Marshall, So.
- G: Dexter Strickland, Jr.
- F: Harrison Barnes, So.
- F: John Henson, Jr.
- C: Tyler Zeller, Sr.
- Bench: PJ Hairston, Fr.; James Michael McAdoo, Fr.; Reggie Bullock, So.; Desmond Hubert, Fr.; Justin Watts, Sr.


Outlook: The Tar Heels went through a fairly incredible transition last season. After struggling to find any kind of rhythm through the first two months of the season -- and seeing their freshman all-american play like a senior reserve -- UNC became a different team when Larry Drew left the program. Roy Williams turned the keys over to Kendall Marshall, and the Heels went changed from a Pinto into a Porsche. All of a sudden, the UNC fast break was thriving and Barnes was playing to a level that supported all of the hype that he entered the program with. And thanks to a dominating victory at home over Duke on the last day of the regular season, the Tar Heels are, surprisingly, the reigning ACC regular season champions.

What makes that fact all the more terrifying is that UNC brings back just about everyone from that team, with the exception being that they added all-americans as their first two bodies off the bench. Think about this: there are four first-round picks on this roster, and that's not counting PJ Hairston, Reggie Bullock or Kendall Marshall. Ol' Roy may have won two titles since he's been in Chapel Hill, but there is an argument to be made that this is his most talented team to date.

We'll start with their best player -- Harrison Barnes. There's not much to say about this young man that hasn't already been written to death. A smooth, 6'8" scorer, Barnes is at his best when he's not settling for tough jumpers. He's got an excellent mid-range game and proved to be an above-average three-point shooter once Marshall was feeding him the rock and he had his confidence. He's the most talented perimeter player in the country and he should be an 18-20 ppg scorer this season. I say should because there is no guarantee that Barnes will be the player that he was at the end of last season. What happens if the timid, unassertive Barnes that we all saw for the first 15 or so games last year reappears? I don't think it will, but can we be sure?

Joining Barnes in the Carolina front court will be a trio of future first rounders in John Henson, Tyler Zeller and James Michael McAdoo. Zeller, in my opinion, will be the most important player of this group. UNC's offense relies on the fast break, but the key component is their secondary break. It essentially becomes a four-around-one set with Zeller inside. His ability to score on the block and is a key for opening things up for the rest of that offense, just like Tyler Hansbrough and Sean May were crucial in keeping defenses honest on the 2005 and 2009 title teams.


Henson will be the shot-blocker and the rebounder. His offensive game is no where near as refined as Zeller's -- he's mostly a catch-and-dunk player right now -- but his length and athleticism make him a terrific shot blocker and one of the best rebounders in the country despite his slender build. McAdoo will be their physicality this season. He's a much better scorer in the post than he will have the opportunity to consistently show this season simply because he isn't going to get a ton of opportunities. Freshman Desmond Hubert will also see minutes.

The shooting guard spot will be the most interesting to keep an eye on this year. Junior Dexter Strickland will be the starter. He's the best perimeter defender they have on their roster, but he's also enough of an offensive threat to keep defenses honest. He's not a great spot-up shooter, but he can create off the dribble better than either of UNC's other options. Freshman PJ Hairston and sophomore Reggie Bullock, who, at 6'7", will also be the guy that spells Barnes at the three, will have to take over the role of shooter. Hairston is a big-time scorer that will have to make the most of his opportunities this year. Bullock came into UNC last season with the reputation of being a shooter, but he struggled through the season with a lack of confidence and a bum knee.

The most important player on this team will be Kendall Marshall. He's a different kind of point guard than Ty Lawson or Ray Felton. He's not the kind of player with amazing speed that will beat every down the floor in transition. He's not a great scorer either; he had the same number of points as he did assists as a freshman. But he is a sensational passer. He has the kind of vision that will get his teammates the ball in a position to score before they even know that they are open. With the weapons that UNC has on their roster, they don't need a point guard that has to score to be effective. There is a reason that UNC was so much better with him in the lineup than Larry Drew.

UNC, along with Kentucky, is the most talented team in the country. They get the nod over the Wildcats simply due to their experience; they have freshmen playing roles, not being relied upon to be stars. I don't think anyone would complain if their December 3rd matchup at Rupp was a preview of the national title game.
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North Carolina can withstand McDonald's injury

By now, you've likely heard that UNC guard Leslie McDonald, a rising junior, suffered a torn acl over the weekend playing in the NC Pro-Am.

I feel for McDonald. No one -- not even Duke fans, I'd hope -- wants to see a kid suffer an injury like this. Making it all the more heart-breaking is that McDonald was set to play a large role on a team that will be battling with Kentucky for the label of National Title favorites all season long.

"Not good. Basketball is very important to him, but I told him his whole life isn’t basketball and he’s going to be OK," McDonald's father told Gary Parrish when asked how Leslie was handling the injury.


North Carolina should be able the whether this blow, however. Forget the fact that this team will have a front line chock-full of future draft picks -- Tyler Zeller, John Henson, James Michael McAdoo -- and forget that the most important back court player on the team is point guard Kendall Marshall, the Heels are as deep as any team in the country on the perimeter.

Harrison Barnes will be a first-team all-american on every preseason team worth paying attention to. Dexter Strickland started over McDonald last season and was second on the team in assists. Reggie Bullock, a five-star recruit in the class of 2010, has been cleared after offseason surgery to repair a torn meniscus that bothered him during the season. And incoming freshman PJ Hairston has reportedly been tearing up the very same summer league that McDonald was injured in.

You ever hear of the saying too many cooks in the kitchen?

This may be a blessing in disguise for McDonald. If he does miss the season, he'll be granted an extra year of eligibility where he will be able to get more minutes and more shot opportunities. He'll have two years left to play on a team that will could send as many as five players to the first round of the 2012 draft.

I also want to address something I saw quite a bit on twitter after McDonald's injury.

UNC fans were upset that McDonald suffered the injury playing in a summer league. Frankly, its an idiotic notion. These guys have to play during the summer. Simply working out -- getting up jumpers, perfecting ball-handling, developing new moves, lifting weights -- is not enough if you don't have the chance to learn how to use those new skills in a game-setting against quality competition.

There isn't a place to play during the summer where you will get competition much better than the NC Pro-Am, a league that features the best high school and college players in North Carolina that also gets a number of professionals returning.

And the way that McDonald injured his knee -- having it buckle when he was trying to take a step-back jumper -- could have happened anytime.

Its a freak injury. But don't blame it on a kid trying to get better during the summer. That's exactly what you want him to be doing as a fan.
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LJ Rose misses out on his dream school

On Wednesday afternoon, Mike DeCourcy of the Sporting News filed an interesting column on LJ Rose, a talented Class of 2012 point guard out of Texas.

You see, Rose, despite growing up in the Lone Star State, is a UNC Tar Heels fan. He's dreamed of leading the break in the Dean Dome since he was a kid, and unlike most youngsters fantasizing of sports stardom, Rose actually is good enough to play for one of the nation's premiere programs.


The problem?

They don't have any space:

North Carolina needed one point guard for its 2012 recruiting class, and Marcus Paige of Marion, Iowa, made up his mind and grabbed that available scholarship before Rose was comfortable making a decision.

"At first, it was real hard. I wanted to go there," Rose told Sporting News. "I had second thoughts about not committing right away. Now, looking back at it, I think it was a blessing in disguise.

"I'm enjoying the experience more, and maybe I'll have a better fit somewhere else."

Its a part of recruiting that isn't widely talked about.

Basketball teams are only allowed 13 scholarships, which means that the number of players that a coach can bring into a program at a certain position are limited. With Kendall Marshall, Dexter Strickland, and Leslie McDonald already in the program and PJ Hairston coming in next season, Roy Williams only had room for one more point guard. Paige bit first, meaning that Rose will be forced to play somewhere other than his dream school when he suits up next season.

Rose, who is ranked 60th in our consensus recruiting rankings, will still have the opportunity to play big-time college hoops. He lists schools in the Big East, the ACC, and the Big 12 that are still recruiting him.

But its interesting to think about when you look at lists of schools your team is recruiting and where a player lists as their top five.

Its also something to keep in mind when you see players transfer early in their college career.

Did that player commit because he truly wanted to attend that school, or did he make a decision because he was afraid that another player would scoop up that scholarship offer before he had a chance to bite? Continue reading...

Harrison Barnes plays wheelchair basketball for charity

Harrison Barnes is a unique individual, and I'm not just referring to the fact that he is a 6'8" small forward with a perimeter game that is smooth enough to garner him consideration for a top five pick whenever he decides to enter the draft.

As you all should know by now, Barnes made the decision to return to school next season, making North Carolina the early favorite to win the 2012 national title. Barnes said that part of the reason he made the decision to return to school was to "I'm here to experience college life and grow as a person".

I think his actions on Wednesday would qualify.

Barnes participated in a charity wheelchair basketball to support Pi Kappa Phi fraternity and Push America, an organization dedicated to enhancing the life of people with disabilities. Kendall Marshall, Reggie Bullock, and Justin Knox were also in attendance, although they could not participate in the game due to study hall obligations.


Combine that with the fact that the Barnes and the Tar Heels seem to be a genuinely likeable group of kids that also play pick-up games with students at UNC, and I challenge any and all Duke fans to tell me how anyone can root against this team for reasons other than the shade of blue they chose to wear.
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Harrison Barnes returning to North Carolina for his sophomore season

Following in the footsteps of Perry Jones and Jared Sullinger before him, Harrison Barnes announced on Monday morning that he would be returning to school for his sophomore season.

Barnes, who was the first freshman ever to be named preseason first team all-america, struggled early in the year, but with Kendall Marshall's promotion to starter and Larry Drew's decision to leave the team, the 6'8" small forward known as the Black Falcon finally found his stroke. He scored over 16 points just twice in his first 19 games, but did it 16 of the final 18 games of the season.

All that hype Barnes had? The smooth slasher with three point range, the athleticism to dunk on the entire defense, and a killer mid-range game? That is the guy that showed up for the last three months of the season. That is the guy that was in the running to be the No. 1 overall pick. And now, that is the guy that will be a favorite for National Player of the Year next season playing on the most talented team in the country.


"I look forward to meeting the challenging journey in the NBA, but my decision on November 13, 2009, still holds true," Barnes said in a statement. "I'm focused on being a student-athlete. And my decision is to continue this part of my journey at the University of North Carolina."

"As a team, we're preparing for a special season. My off-season plans are to diligently work on honing my basketball skills in all areas with one team-goal in mind -- to bring the 2012 national championship home to UNC."

With Tyler Zeller and John Henson returning to school earlier this month, the return of Barnes means that North Carolina will bring back their top seven players from last season. The only member of their rotation that they will lose is senior Justin Knox, a physical inside presence that averaged 4.6 ppg and 3.2 rpg in his only season in Chapel Hill. UNC also adds five star recruits James McAdoo, a 6'8" power forward, and PJ Hairston, an athletic, 6'5" wing scorer. Throw in Desmond Hubert and Jackson Simmons, a couple of three-star big men, and Roy Williams is going to have as deep and as talented of a roster as you will find in the country.

This is the second time in four years that the Heels have reaped the benefits of a players returning to school. Back in the spring of 2008, Tyler Hansbrough, Ty Lawson, Danny Green, and Wayne Ellington all pulled out of the draft and returned to school. They proceeded to lead UNC to the 2009 national title.

Once again, UNC will be the preseason No. 1 team in most preseason polls.

Can Barnes and company follow in the footsteps of the 2009 team?

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Here is Barnes' full statement: "As an 18-year old, I'm in the early stages of my life journey. I'm honored and blessed for the chance to play in the NBA. And because of my family, teachers, passion, and work, I have the ultimate dream of one day playing and experiencing a fulfilling career in the NBA.

"Opportunities, both beneficial and life changing, can seem to make the next phase of my journey an easy decision. But I am a student-athlete at the University of North Carolina. I'm here to experience college life, grow as a person, receive a quality education, and be part of the greatest basketball family in college sports.

"The experiences I've enjoyed on and off the court will be invaluable. These experiences will help fuel my journey in the NBA and beyond.

"I look forward to meeting the challenging journey in the NBA, but my decision on November 13, 2009, still holds true. I'm focused on being a student-athlete. And my decision is to continue this part of my journey at the University of North Carolina.

"As a team, we're preparing for a special season. My off-season plans are to diligently work on honing my basketball skills in all areas with one team-goal in mind -- to bring the 2012 national championship home to UNC."

And here is Roy Williams' statement: "I am of course excited to have Harrison back on our team next year. It has been a true pleasure to coach him and I look forward to coaching him again next season. He had a difficult decision to make. He really had no wrong decision to choose, but I believe he is coming back to school because he enjoys college basketball, he enjoys the University of North Carolina and he enjoys his teammates. If he had decided to leave for the NBA, that would have been okay, too, because he will always be a Tar Heel. But it will certainly be a lot of fun to coach him again."
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North Carolina scrimmages with students

This is a bit off-topic given that I am still in Houston, but sometimes a video gets posted that is just too awesome for me not to post:



Yup, that is the North Carolina basketball team, some of whom will be drafted on June 23rd and all of whom are fresh off of a trip to the Elite 8, playing hoops with a group of UNC students.

(h/t Dan Wiederer)
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The ending was a disappointment, but this was still a great season for UNC

This post can also be found at Beyond the Arc.

The season may have come to a disappointing end, losing to Kentucky 76-69 in the East Regional final, but this was not a disappointing year for North Carolina.

In fact, if I had told you on January 17th -- the day after North Carolina lost to Georgia Tech by 20 points -- that the Tar Heels would win the ACC regular season title and make it to the Elite 8, I think that every single Carolina Blue clad fan would have been ecstatic.

Last season, North Carolina skidded their way to a .500 season, finishing 5-11 in ACC play and ending up in the NIT. In the offseason, they lost Ed Davis to early entry, the Wear twins to a transfer, and Will Graves to a violation of team rules. Despite all of that drama, there was still plenty of talent of the roster. And as a stockpile of McDonald's all-americans tends to do, the expectations for this team built.


The Heels were considered one of the top 15 teams in the country in the preseason. They were thought to be Duke's one true contender for an ACC title. But, once again, North Carolina fizzled at the start of the season. A 12-5 start combined with a couple of underwhelming wins against overmatched opponents dropped the Heels all the way out of the top 25.

It looked like North Carolina was once again going to be headed to a disappointing finish to the season.

But thanks to a midseason switch at the point, from Larry Drew to Kendall Marshall, the Heels suddenly were a power house. Their fast break was clicking. Tyler Zeller and John Henson became a formidable front line. And Harrison Barnes finally found the rhythm that had all the analysts predicting he would be an all-american during the preseason.

I'm not big on moral victories, especially when dealing with a program like North Carolina, whose blue-blooded pedigree and endless recruiting budget puts them at an advantage over just about every one of the 345 other D-I programs.

That said, disappointed and frustrated Tar Heel fans need to remember where this team was two months ago.

North Carolina had a fantastic finish to the season. In a year full of disappointing finishes and underperforming powerhouses, the Tar Heels were a bright spot. Two freshmen injected life into this team midway through the season and made North Carolina relevant in the national title picture.

Carolina fans have a right to be disappointed. You should never be happy with a loss.

But when those kids arrived back in Chapel Hill tonight, I hope that they got a heroes welcome. They gave you something to cheer about until late March. There are a lot of teams that wish they could say that.

And hey, you still made it farther than Duke. That counts for something, right?
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Elite 8 Preview: No. 2 North Carolina vs. No. 8 Kentucky

When: Sunday, 5:05 pm EST, CBS

The Details: In an NCAA Tournament that has been all about the underdog and the cinderella story, a matchup of Kentucky and North Carolina gives the traditional college hoops fan their dose of blueblood.

The Wildcats and the Tar Heels have already played once this season. UNC won at home, beating Kentucky by two points on a night that Terrence Jones shot 3-17. North Carolina is a very different team than the one that played that night, thanks in large part to the play of Kendall Marshall. But Kentucky is a different team as well. Instead of relying entirely on their talented freshmen to carry them, John Calipari's team has gotten tremendous play and leadership out of the trio of upperclassmen that see playing time.


Key Matchups: Big men in transition

Tyler Zeller has developed into a very good low post scorer. He has a nice little jump hook that he's put some range on, he's a decent face-up shooter, and he can score on the offensive glass. But where Zeller has become the most dangerous is in transition.

I cannot remember the last big man that I've seen run the floor as well as Zeller. He routinely beats slower footed post players to the rim, getting easy dunks off of makes and misses. It helps that Kendall Marshall is like a quarterback running the show, throwing sensational outlet passes. John Henson can get out and run the floor as well.

That's going to be an issue for Kentucky. Josh Harrellson is not the most fleet afoot. He can get beat down the floor. The lack of depth that Kentucky has in their front court won't help Harrellson stay fresh, either.


Key Stats: Terrence Jones scoring

Jones has not shown up for the NCAA Tournament. He has 30 points and 20 rebounds in three games. He's taken all of 23 shots in those three games, has grabbed just three offensive boards, and taken just 10 free throws.

Keep in mind, this is the Terrence Jones that some thought had an outside shot at winning national player of the year early in the season. He's a muscular, 6'9" lefty with the ability to score in the post, off the dribble, or on the perimeter. The issue with Jones has been that he tends to be a ball hog, and Kentucky certainly does not need him to become a black hole on offense. But they will need him to become a scoring threat.


X-factors: DeAndre Liggins vs. Harrison Barnes

Slowly but surely, DeAndre Liggins has become one of the most important glue guys in the country. On the one hand, he is a terrific defender. He's got length, he's got size, and he moves his feet well. He'll have his work cut out for him against Barnes, who is one of the most talented offensive players in the country. There isn't much that Barnes cannot do on the offensive end of a basketball court, and he's played his best basketball of the season down the stretch.


Liggins has also become a valued weapon offensively this year. He's knocking down threes. He's putting the ball on the floor and getting to the rim. He's finding assists. Coach Cal has shown that he trusts Liggins quite a it late in the season.


And the winner is?: North Carolina

I picked Kentucky in my bracket (so please don't kill me, Big Blue Nation), but the more I think about it the more I like this matchup for the Tar Heels. I don't think that Jones and Harrellson are going to be able to stay with UNC's bigs in transition.
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UNC and Kansas win in blowouts.

North Carolina beat down Marquette.

There really is no other way to describe it.

The Golden Eagles took a 10-8 lead with into the under 12 timeout. When Buzz Williams was forced to call a timeout with 18:55 left in the second half, the score was 46-15. The Tar Heels had gone on a 38-5 run in the span of 12:25.

By the time Marquette finally came alive, it was too late. The Tar Heels cruised to an 81-63 win.

My task here is to find deeper meaning in this game and to provide it to you in the form of a blog post. And sometimes, there just isn't anything deep.

North Carolina is a better basketball team than Marquette. For a 12:25 stretch, Carolina absolutely caught fire while Marquette completely disintegrated. The Tar Heels were jumping passing lanes and forcing turnovers -- Marquette coughed the ball up 14 times before their first assist. North Carolina was getting up and down the floor as well as they have all season, and the Golden Eagles were completely unable to get back on defense. UNC got to the offense glass at will. Tyler Zeller, Harrison Barnes, and John Henson dominated the interior.

It was an overwhelming performance by North Carolina, one that came on a night when Marquette played about as poorly as they are physically capable of.

These things happen.

But if you dig through the rubble, you'll see some interesting results.

Marquette's most effective player tonight was Davante Gardner. He's a 6'9" freshman that is likely sitting on the wrong side of 275 lb. He's a big boy, he eats up space, and he pushed around Henson and Zeller on the block, finishing with 16 points and six boards (four offensive) on 6-9 shooting. He's also half the player that Jared Sullinger is, which is concerning for Tar Heel fans should Ohio State pull out the win tonight.

The inverse of that?

Zeller beat Marquette down the floor on seemingly every transition bucket. He finished with 27 points, 15 boards (nine offensive), four assists, three steals, and at least four transition dunks that I can think of off the top of my head. That right there is our Sullinger-counter measure.

North Carolina is a very good basketball team.

We knew that before they played Marquette. How much can we learn from a blow out win over the 11th place team from a conference that has sent just 6.1% of their league members to the Elite 8?

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I'm not going to spend many words on Kansas here.

Like UNC, they won their Sweet 16 game in dominating fashion, 77-57 over Richmond.

That alone is impressive -- Richmond may be from the A-10, but they were a senior laden team with two potential NBA players on the roster. Making it all the more impressive? Kansas did it with The Morrii combined for just 18 points and 13 boards (although, nine of those were on the offensive end of the floor).

Kansas looked impressive.

And only solidified the fact that they better make the Final Four to avoid being called a disappointment this season.
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POSTERIZED: Dexter Strickland owns real estate on Tobacco Road

North Carolina's Dexter Strickland has thrown down two nasty dunks this season.

Just so happens that both of them were against Duke.

Two weeks ago Strickland gave one of the Plumlee brothers a personalized posterization which helped the Tar Heels win the ACC regular season championship.

In the ACC tournament finals, the guard posterized-the-hell-outta Kyle Singler.



This dunk marks the end of the 2011 regular season for B.I.A.H POSTERIZED. We have documented roughly 94 poster-worthy dunks this season, and have had a blast doing so.

Hopefully March Madness will provide us with some monster-jams to drool over, and if that happens, you can guarantee we will be here to document it.

Be on the look out for the first annual B.I.A.H POSTERIZED Awards, featuring "Dunk of the Year", "Dunker of the Year" "Poster of the Year", "Tip-Jam of the Year", "Alley-oop of the Year" "Play-by-Play Call of the Year" and many more!

But was it as good as one of these?:
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Previewing the Madness: The ACC

The unlikeliest conference finish of the season belongs to the ACC, where North Carolina, the team that everyone had left for dead heading into conference play, is champ.

Duke was the favorite coming into the season. Not the favorite to win just win the ACC, but to win everything. Hell, if was just three months ago that we were talking about the possibility of the Blue Devils going undefeated. Seems like a long time ago, doesn't it?

The rest of the ACC has been mired in mediocrity all season long, with teams like Florida State and Virginia Tech going from ranked in the top 25 to the bubble conversation. And while that mediocrity has made for, at times, some ugly basketball, it hasn't caused a like of excitement or intrigue heading into the league tournament.

With three teams -- Boston College, Virginia Tech, and Clemson -- sitting on the bubble's cut line and a fourth -- Maryland -- a run to the final away from a bid, there will be plenty decided over the next four days in Greensboro Coliseum.

Where: Greensboro, NC

When: March 10th-13th

Final: March 13th, 1:00 pm, ESPN


Favorite: Duke Blue Devils

I know, I know, I know. North Carolina just ran Duke off of the court in the regular season finale, locking up the regular season title in the process. And while North Carolina is currently the hottest team in the conference, if not the country, I am not yet ready to hand over the title of tournament favorite just yet. Duke is experienced. They've won titles before, including last year's national title. For my money, the national player of the year is on Duke's roster in the form of Nolan Smith. Seth Curry is turning into a dangerous complimentary scorer. And Kyle Singler? Well, if you remember, last year's Final Four most outstanding player had a relatively ho-hum regular season in 2009-2010 as well.

• Other Contenders: Having said all that about the Dukies, if they are the favorite, then North Carolina is the favorite with an asterisk. Since Larry Drew was benched in favor on Kendall Marshall, the Tar Heels are one bad half away from winning out. Harrison Barnes is finally living up to the hype he had coming into the season. John Henson and Tyler Zeller are playing as well as they have in their entire careers. But winning under pressure is a learned skill. North Carolina has a young roster that hasn't experienced much success in their careers. I may end up looking foolish here, but I am not ready to hand over the title of tournament favorite just yet.
  

Sleeper: Virginia Tech Hokies

Ugh. I hate putting any kind of faith in Seth Greenberg's teams late in the season. But at some point, they have to come away with some big wins, right? Outside of Duke and UNC, the Hokies are probably the most talented team in the conference with Malcolm Delaney and Jeff Allen on their roster. They also knocked off Duke two weekends ago, which gives me some faith that this team can still wake up before the season is over.

• Deeper Sleepers: Can I call Florida State a sleeper? Even if Chris Singleton comes back for the tournament? He's been participating in some non-contact drills, so may his foot heels up in time. Regardless, this team has been better on the offensive end of the floor without Singleton and they still have size inside and some good defenders on the perimeter. Boston College's Reggie Jackson could very well be the best player in the ACC not named Nolan Smith, and when he gets help in the form of Joe Trapani, Corey Raji, and Biko Paris, the Eagles are a tough out.
  

Players to Watch:

• Jordan Williams, Maryland: Williams may very well be the best big man in the ACC. He's physical on the block, he can create position, and he is an excellent rebounder. When he is finishing inside and hitting his free throws, Williams is a legitimate 20-10 guy.
• Reggie Jackson, Boston College: I'm not talking about Mr. October. Jackson is an excellent scorer with range that can create for his teammates as well. He is also a tremendous leaper that has his share of poster dunks in his career.

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