Okay, given it was a 25 point win it is strange that it was also a little ugly.
Part of the ugliness could be found in the fact William & Mary players could not hold onto the basketball if their lives depended on it. The Tribe had a TO rate of 28.1% and was mostly inept on offense. Now, folks will get hung up on the fact a 6 ppg player in Kyle Gallard go off for 25 points or 5 ppg scorer Brandon Britt scoring 15 points, though it was on 4-12 shooting. However, leading scorer Quinn McDowell was 2-10 with six points and the only other player average in double figures for W&M, Marcus Kitts was 2-6 with four points. Yes, there were lapses on backdoor cuts and on the defensive boards but apparently they keyed on The Tribe’s two best players and kept them in check. That tends to open it up for others and it did.
The offense was a little rough around the edges. Dexter Strickland scored in double figures for the third straight game leading the team wiht 19 points. Strickland was aggressive, hit outside shots and generally looked like a legitimate two guard in Roy’s offense. Harrison Barnes played like crap in the first half and was very good in the 2nd. Barnes was 0-3 from the floor and 0-2 from the line in the first half. The 2nd half saw Barnes go 5-9 with a made three for 13 points. Sooner or later, Barnes is going to put a complete game together instead of doing it a half at a time. Tyler Zeller had 14 points and nine rebounds in only 20 minutes. Should he had been more dominant given the competition? Maybe but Zeller has been consistent all season and this was more of the game. I liked what I saw from Leslie McDonald. Someone wake me up when he does it versus a serious team. Reggie Bullock also had a nice game and played 20 minutes.
Overall, the team was a little out of focus. Since everyone is leaving to spend time with their family, it is not unlike most of us when we are about to go on vacation. Not an excuse but the reality of what happens with young players. The rest will hopefully do everyone good, especially John Henson who jammed his thumb again and was held out. UNC might want to consider some serious time off for Henson, maybe not vs Rutgers but certainly afterward vs St. Francis. When the Heels take the floor again next Tuesday, we hope to see a refocused team.
Oh, one more thing. Here are the stat lines for Kendall Marshall and Larry Drew.
Marshall: 16 mins, 0 pts, 8 assists, 2 steals, 0 turnovers
Drew: 16 mins, 0 pts , 6 assists, 2 steals, 3 turnovers
And with that, I will step out and watch ya’ll go at it.
Do me a favor and try not to burn the place down.
