[IMGl]http://www.gastongazette.com/portal/Sports/Events/ACC_Tournament/2002/images/UNC_LOGO2.jpg[/IMGl] <font size="3"><font color="DeepSkyBlue">UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA SEASON PREVIEW</font></font> by S. Livingston Point Guard- This is one of the deepest teams in the NCAA at the floor general spot. They have arguably the best PG in the league in Raymond Felton(11.5 ppg., 4 rpg., 7.1 apg.). They also have added depth to that position. By making in coming freshman Quentin Thomas( a top 100 recruit) who played the shooting guard position, and a little of the point guard position throughout high school, try his hand at the 1 spot. They also have guys like Wes Miller and Jesse Holley(.7 ppg., 1.4 rpg., .2 apg.) to help them out in injury situations Shooting Guard- Many analysts pre-season pick to lead the ACC in scoring and win the ACC MVP award is Rashad McCants the deadly sniper for the Heels. He was the team leader in scoring averaging 20 points a clip. He also grabbed 4.6 rpg., and threw down 2.2 dimes a game. The Heels are possibly the deepest team in the nation, at the shooting guard spot. Melvin Scot a starter last year will be the first man coming off the bench. He averaged just a shade under 10 points a contest, to go along with 3 rebounds, and 2.7 assist a game. Also they have one of the most expandable players in the ACC coming in at SG every once in a while, in Jackie Manuel. Manuel averaged 6.5 ppg., 3.3 rpg., 1.8 apg. Also Reyshawn Terry, Quentin Thomas, Jesse Holley, and CJ Hooker will all try there hand at the SG position. Small Forward- Senior Jawad Williams will be the starter for this years team, and the only senior starter. Last year Williams averaged 12.6 ppg. Which isn?t bad considering he was the 4th option in the starting lineup. He also pitched in 5.4 rebounds a night. David Noel will help out on the bench(5.4 ppg., 4.9 rpg.). Also Reyshawn Terry will spend a large amount of his time coming off the bench at the SF position(1.6 ppg., .8 rpg.). The small forward position is probably the weakest of all the spots for the Heels. If they have one weakness it?s for quick forwards. Power Forward- Top 10 recruit Marvin Williams will likely get the nod to start at Power Forward. He will get some help from David Noel, and Byron Sanders. Byron averaged around a point and a rebound a game, playing very limited minutes. The power forward spot may not be the weakest but it is definitely one of the thinnest second too center, look for teams to try and force UNC power forwards into foul trouble. Center- Returning big man Sean May went on a vigorous off-season training program. He shed 11 much needed pounds , and plans on boosting his minutes per game. I predict he?ll play an extra 4 or 5 minutes a game. May was the top rebounding man in the ACC last season, averaging 9.8 rebounds. He averaged just shy of a double-double. Putting in 15.2 points per game, as the teams second leading scorer. Easily the thinnest position the Heels have, seven footer , Damion Grant will be the main backup sharing time with Byron Sanders. Damion Grant only appeared in three contests last year, due to injury. Strengths: This team is a great shooting team(shot 45.8 percent from the field last season). Also this years team isn?t looked at as the team full of under classmen this season, with only one starter an underclassmen(Marvin Williams). The team has a legitimate scorer(Rashad McCants), and rebounder(Sean May). They also have one of the best floor leaders in the nation(Ray Felton). Weaknesses: The Heels are considered one of the softer teams in the ACC. With the whining of Rashad McCants and Sean May. They?ll need to tough it out if they want to make it out of the ACC alive. They have dominant inside presence starters but no one really to fall back on. Sean May lost 11 pounds but it still remains to be seen if he will be able to stay in long enough to the point where UNC doesn?t have to worry about their thin bench. They have continued to make improvements every year, but will this be the year. Depth Chart: C-Sean May PF-Marvin Williams SF-Jawad Williams SG-Rashad McCants PG-Ray Felton Bench: PG/SG-Melvin Scott G/F-Jackie Manuel F/C-David Noel F-Byron Sanders G/F-Reyshawn Terry PG/SG-Quentin Thomas PG/SG-Jesse Holley C-Damion Grant PG/SG-CJ Hooker PG-Wes Miller Arriving Players: Marvin Williams: freshman Quentin Thomas: freshman Departed Players: Justin Bohlander Damien Price Jonathan Miller Phillip McLamb Projected Stats C- Sean May 15.4 ppg. 10.0 rpg. 2.2 apg. 1.1 bpg. PF- Marvin Williams 13.6 ppg. 8.2 rpg. 2.1 apg. 1.3 bpg. SF- Jawad Williams 14.1 ppg. 7.4 rpg. 2.5 apg. 1.4 bpg. SG- Rashad McCants 20.2 ppg. 4.8 rpg. 2.7 apg. 1.3 spg. PG- Ray Felton 11.8 ppg. 4.1 rpg. 8.5 apg. 2.1 spg. Prediction: The Heels will squeak by with the ACC regular season crown, but not the tournament title. I predict they will go 23-6 in the regular season, and then lose in the ACC final. They will continue to play well throughout the NCAA tournament, and will make the Final 4, and win the National championship, and Roy will finally get to cut down the nets. .
MArv is probably going to be a little lower, but for the most part yes. They won't use their backups very much.
Great preview, Livingston. UNC is going to be a real powerhouse this season... I'm ready for December 4th when my Cats head to Chapel Hill! Should be a barn burner...
It doesn't look like Roy is going to go with that lineup. Against Santa Clara he had Quentin Thomas (which will be Felton), Rashad McCants, Jackie Manuel, Jawad Williams and Sean May. I really like UNC's depth this year. With Scott, Marvin, Noel, and Quentin Thomas coming off the bench, that gives them a much better team than last year. Weakness : Defense, defense, defense. This team cannot defend. I can't even count the times that UNC had a huge lead first half, but couldn't hold it. To run with teams like Ga. Tech, Wake, Duke, NC State etc. they have to defend first. Quote from SI's College Hoops Preview : <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">WHEN JUNIOR point guard Raymond Felton walked into a practice at the Dean Dome last month, he couldn't help but do a double take. None of the backboards had rims on them. This wasn't some prank; the coaching staff had taken the baskets down for a reason. "We played defense the entire practice," Felton says, "just to emphasize that we don't need to score all the time to win the game." </div>
Nice preview S.Livingston, I agree with most of it but I think senior Jawad Williams's numbers will be down a little with Marvin Williams. Hope everything in your preview comes true! :thumbsup:
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting petitt33:</div><div class="quote_post">Great preview, Livingston. UNC is going to be a real powerhouse this season..</div> yeah,for sure. Just ask Santa Clara.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting S.Livingston14:</div><div class="quote_post">^HeHe, that's real funny, I thought you were a Tar Heel faithful yourself.</div> I'm not really sure if he is, but you've got to have a good humor about your team and be able to acknowledge it's weaknesses. The worst thing is when fans do nothing but make excuses for their team's shortcomings instead of just admitting their team's weakness.
After watchoing Carolina last night,you all should know that this team is a real powerhouse. They just sucked it up bad against Santa Clara, so we'll have to wait December 4th when they play Kentucky to see if this team is for real or not.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting S.Livingston14:</div><div class="quote_post">^HeHe, that's real funny, I thought you were a Tar Heel faithful yourself.</div> I'm an ACC fan...having grown up watchiing Duke/UNC/Wake/NC St and going to many,many games I like alot of the teams in the ACC...that being said UNC is behaving like a Roy Williams team,lose to the teams you are supposed to beat and win the games you are supposed to lose. At any rate,I find it funny that ALL of the Heels fans looked past Santa Clara and subsequently got punched in the teeth. I find it funny myself.
