2009-10 Result: 20-17 (5-11 in the ACC) lost to Dayton 79-68 in the NIT final.
Coach: Roy Williams 615-155 in 22 years of coaching (196-54 in seven season with the Tar Heels).
Seventy-five Tar Heels have laced them up in the National Basketball Association including current players Vince Carter, Wayne Ellington, Raymond Felton, Tyler Hansbrough, Brendan Haywood, Antawn Jamison, Ty Lawson, Jerry Stackhouse, Jawad Williams, Marvin Williams and Brandan Wright.
The Tar Heels have been invited to The Dance 41 times winning national titles in ’57, ’82, ’93, ’05 and ’09. UNC finished as the runner-up in ’46, ’68, ’77 and ’81 along with another eight Final Four appearances.
Notable Non-Conference Tilts: 11/18-11/21 Puerto Rico Tip-Off Hofstra, Minnesota, Western Kentucky, Davidson, West Virginia, Nebraska, and/or Vanderbilt, 11/30 at Illinois, 12/4 vs. Kentucky, 12/11 vs. Long Beach State, 12/18 vs. Texas, 12/28 vs. Rutgers.
Key Returners:
Larry Drew II 28.8 mpg, 8.5 ppg, 5.9 apg
Tyler Zeller 17.4 mpg, 9.3 ppg, 4.6 rpg
John Henson 15.8 mpg, 5.7 ppg
Dexter Strickland 17.3 mpg, 5.4 ppg
By Paul Casey Gotham
It would take quite a spin doctor to make last season look good. The Tar Heels scored 74.5 points per game – lowest in the time Roy Williams has been on the bench. In doing so, UNC shot a tad over 44 percent – again a nadir with Williams at the helm. The 32.9 percent from long range also sits at the bottom of the list. To make matters worse, the Heels hit free throws at a rate of 65.3 percent rate. That’s the lowest for a UNC team since 1954.
U-G-L-Y, there is no alibi. That’s ugly.
That was last year.
Williams has recruited like only UNC and Williams can recruit. This class might remind some of the Ty Lawson, Ty Hansbrough, Danny Green and Wayne Ellington group. They will make an impression this year, but this group will be measured by what happens in coming years.
UNC’s most recent championships came as the result of great shooting. That was the end result of great full-court play. The Heels played stingy defense and nobody in the country could keep up with them in transition.
Harrison Barnes will bring speed back to the UNC attack. Add Kendall Marshall and Reggie Bullock to the equation and the Heels look that much better.
But to make it all work, Larry Drew II will need to take better care of the ball. Drew’s per minute turnover rate was among the worst in the ACC among regulars. Printing it might cause discomfort for those with a weak heart or stomach. So, out of appreciation for our readers, we will spare the gory details.
Tyler Zeller will bring experience to the Tar Heel front court.
Two losses already for the Heels. From the little time I’ve seen Harrison Barnes in Carolina blue, he looks like a watered down version of Chris Bosh right now. A 6’8″ jump shooter. Why was everyone crowning him as the next best thing?
I have always scratched my head about the rush to baptize the next great basketball player coming out of HIGH SCHOOL.