MBB: North Carolina 72, Florida State 70

[oldnavy]

Is there anything funnier than watching John Henson talk smack? He really tries hard to pull off the tough guy persona...

If there ever was a LESS imposing big man, I cannot remember... granted he is playing well, but scary he is not unless you think he would stab you with an elbow.

Anyway, UNC looks like they will take this one on the road...

[OldPhiKap]

Yeah, but Henson is looking pretty good tonight.

Interesting how the announcers are calling Marshall out for not shooting. Sounds like a strategy . . . .

[Vincetaylor]

Shot clock violation? Wow. Horrific call. Good thing they made the 3.

[YourLandlord]

Lets go fsu!

[sporthenry]

And with Singleton, have to think this is a different game. No way HB has such an efficient game.

[sporthenry]

Left a lot of time on the clock. Hopefully we can see HB's confidence drop with a missed game winner.

[timmy c]

comes down to FSU's calling card - defense.

[YourLandlord]

Left a lot of time on the clock. Hopefully we can see HB's confidence drop with a missed game winner.

well...

[Vincetaylor]

Barnes is a stud. He has done that so many times this year.

[kong123]

Barnes is a stud. He has done that so many times this year.

boom goes the dynamite

[DevilHorns]

Wow that was ice cold.

I wouldn't call Harrison Barnes a stud (yet), but that was plain nasty.

[sporthenry]

I never want to see a game come down to an HB shot. He doesn't seem to miss when it matters. But hopefully those scouts are watching and he never visits Durham again.

[ThaHusk]

i like how marshall got away with a carry before the shot even happened

[timmy c]

Barnes is a stud. He has done that so many times this year.

He showed stone cold nerves to pull it out for UNC.

[Teton Jack]

I hate'em, hate'em, hate'em

[Philadukie]

I agree with Jay Williams. As much as it pains me, they look like a final four team. Barnes is coming on. Marshall is sick -- no way around it. Their front court is awesome. They have all the pieces and are peaking at the right time.

Hopefully we can put a stop to their momentum.

Edit: admittedly overly emotional reaction to watching that UNC win. Ok, maybe not Final Four, but they do look quite good, and it kills me!

[sporthenry]

The worst thing about this UNC team too is how underrated they are in the national scene. So Duke beats them and gets no credit b/c UNC has been grossly overrated to start the last 2 years that the polls seem afraid to buy back in. At least Duke will avoid some of the most dangerous teams this tournament in K-state or UNC.

[Vincetaylor]

However, UNC loses and Barnes doesn't get that shot off with Singleton in the lineup.

[DevilHorns]

I agree with Jay Williams. As much as it pains me, they look like a final four team. Barnes is coming on. Marshall is sick -- no way around it. They're front court is awesome. They have all the pieces and are peaking at the right time.

Let's not get ahead of ourselves. They beat a good unranked team without their best player.

[Sgt. Dingleberry]

Is there anything funnier than watching John Henson talk smack? He really tries hard to pull off the tough guy persona...

If there ever was a LESS imposing big man, I cannot remember... granted he is playing well, but scary he is not unless you think he would stab you with an elbow.

Anyway, UNC looks like they will take this one on the road...

Usually the heels are full of guys I can't stand. Not this year, though. All of them, except one, come across as likable kids. Hensons trash talking when he blocks a shot of a six footer is comical. Yeah, Jon, good job. Can't wait to see the kid gain some humility in the nba.

[Son of Mojo]

Ideally harry wouldn't have had an opportunity at that shot had Marshall been called with the carry OR the push-off he gave to free up the shot that was blocked out of bounds..........

[ChicagoHeel]

Wow, just wow. Texas, VaTech, Miami, Clemson X 2, and now FSU. Barnes has hit a big shot in almost every close game we have played.

[timmy c]

Let's not get ahead of ourselves. They beat a good unranked team without their best player.

agreed. This team will struggle to score at times and looks horrible from the freethrow line.

[kong123]

agreed. This team will struggle to score at times and looks horrible from the freethrow line.

14 for 18 is horrible

Henson made 5 of 6 and has been shooting it better in recent games

[_Gary]

14 for 18 is horrible

Henson made 5 of 6 and has been shooting it better in recent games

Kong, as much as it pains me to say it, your team is peaking at the right time and are playing fantastic basketball. Congrats on that thrilling win.

Having said that, I do hope you realize we'd be undefeated had the best freshman in the country not gone down with an injury back in December. :p

[timmy c]

14 for 18 is horrible

Henson made 5 of 6 and has been shooting it better in recent games

I doubt that one game trend continues for long.

[UrinalCake]

If there ever was a LESS imposing big man, I cannot remember...

Maybe so, but late in the game you could see FSU's inside guys were afraid to shoot when he was defending them. They'd pump fake and then throw it back out or turn it over. He disrupts your offense even when he doesn't block the ball.

[moonpie23]

tuned in just in time to see HWNSNBM show everyone why Duke wanted him so badly too......


gonna be a serious ball game saturday night...

[dukelifer]

I agree with Jay Williams. As much as it pains me, they look like a final four team. Barnes is coming on. Marshall is sick -- no way around it. Their front court is awesome. They have all the pieces and are peaking at the right time.

Hopefully we can put a stop to their momentum.

Edit: admittedly overly emotional reaction to watching that UNC win. Ok, maybe not Final Four, but they do look quite good, and it kills me!

The whole NCAAT is wide open. UNC could win it all and could flame out. UNC's biggest issue will be depth. This is a tough time of the year and can wear young teams out.

[soccerstud2210]

tuned in just in time to see HWNSNBM show everyone why Duke wanted him so badly too......


gonna be a serious ball game saturday night...

i hope you are right. from today's game against clemson, I don't really see it being close. I am being pessimistic and trying to prepare myself, but I just don't see us waltzing into CH and beating them.

[Bluedog]

i hope you are right. from today's game against clemson, I don't really see it being close. I am being pessimistic and trying to prepare myself, but I just don't see us waltzing into CH and beating them.

And UNC impressed you by beating an FSU team without its best player with a buzzer beater? While I agree we'll have to play well to beat the Tar Heels, it's not like UNC has been on fire either. They've squeaked out A LOT of close games this season. We've been the far more dominant team at least if you go by margin of victory. We just need to play disciplined basketball and not get beat up on the boards. Just like we did in the second half against them the first time around. :)

[juise]

Put it all over SportsCenter. Re-build the hype. I want Barnes and Henson in the draft this year. I like the odds. :cool:

[SoCalDukeFan]

is very talented

and very young.

and not deep.

My guess is Elite 8.

SoCal

[soccerstud2210]

And UNC impressed you by beating an FSU team without its best player with a buzzer beater? While I agree we'll have to play well to beat the Tar Heels, it's not like UNC has been on fire either. They've squeaked out A LOT of close games this season. We've been the far more dominant team at least if you go by margin of victory. We just need to play disciplined basketball and not get beat up on the boards. Just like we did in the second half against them the first time around. :)

that's the problem. when is the last time we played two good halves in a game?

it took 1 good half to beat them at OUR place.

it's going to take more than one good half to beat them at THEIR place.

hey. I'll cheer my heart out, but I'm just trying to prepare myself :)

[-bdbd]

is very talented

and very young.

and not deep.

My guess is Elite 8.

SoCal

I'd buy that (though maybe I'd say "Sweet Sixteen", but certainly with a high degree of variability). As someone indicated before, I wouldn't be shocked to see these guys go down anywhere from round-1 through to the Final-4. This isn't their year to win it yet, given the depth and youth issues. But a remarkable improvement over the last 4-6 weeks, nonetheless. Daggumit! ;)

But it is true that they've won about half of their ACC wins in the final seconds. Better to be lucky than good! (and better still to be both!!!) I think you'll see a Vegas line pretty even over the next few days, maybe even slightly leaning towards Duke.

[oldnavy]

Maybe so, but late in the game you could see FSU's inside guys were afraid to shoot when he was defending them. They'd pump fake and then throw it back out or turn it over. He disrupts your offense even when he doesn't block the ball.

NO, NO, I am not saying that he isn't a very good player that influences the game and blocks shots as well as anyone in the country. It is when he bows up and starts to talk trash and intimidate the other players that cracks me up. He should just let his performance talk for itself, but lately he has been posturing and such like he is a Darrell Dawkins or someone HUGE physically imposing big man that is going to "scare" the other players with his physique. Truth is he is a baby faced stick man who would get snapped by just about anyone else on the court should a fight break out.

That is what I find funny. He looks silly when he does that. The kid is GOOD, really GOOD, but he is not an intimidator by any means. He just isn't a scary dude. In fact he is more cuddly than frightening.

UNC is playing pretty good ball, but I really am not over impressed. They are winning and that is what it is all about, but most of the wins are very close and against middle of the pack teams. Yes FSU on the road is a game that they very easily could have lost, but without Singleton, FSU is a different animal.

Test will be Saturday. I have a gut feeling we win that game. I just think that as aweful as we played in the first half at CIS and that we still came away with a win speaks volumes. I do not foresee us playing that badly again, so we should be able to keep it close and pull away towards the end of the game.... I am not betting any money on it, and we could get blown out, but I just do not think so.

[UrinalCake]

It seems as good a time as any to repost this

[oldnavy]

It seems as good a time as any to repost this

See, cuddly!! Now that is something he can crow about!!

[UrinalCake]

My guess is Elite 8.

We'll have to see where they get seeded. If they lose to us and then lose in the first round of the ACCT, they could be a #4 or #5. If they win out, they could be a 2. That makes a big difference in how far you can reasonably expect to go.

[Duke79UNLV77]

was 9 for his previous 37 3-pointers until swishing that game-winner.

He's been like a .250 hitter who hits .400 in late-inning clutch situations this year. Hopefully, he and Henson will be gone next year.

[hq2]

Test will be Saturday. I have a gut feeling we win that game. I just think that as aweful as we played in the first half at CIS and that we still came away with a win speaks volumes. I do not foresee us playing that badly again, so we should be able to keep it close and pull away towards the end of the game.... I am not betting any money on it, and we could get blown out, but I just do not think so.

Hard to say. Won't be easy, that's for sure. If we lose, though, it means we just about have to win the ACC tournament to get a #1 seed. Makes things a bit tougher.