Carolina is literally running behind in important statistics.
Over the years, from Dean Smith to Roy Williams, the Tar Heels have had success shooting a high percentage from the floor, dominating the backboards and getting fast break baskets.
The Heels of the last two seasons have continued to be among the better, if not the best, rebounding teams in college basketball. But shooting for a high percentage and generating easy offense through transition have fallen way behind the norm.
If you can’t shoot the ball well and your defense isn’t forcing a lot of turnovers, it gets hard to score. And that’s why Carolina is having trouble beating good opponents so far.
Fast break buckets come several ways off the transition game. And Carolina needs to get back to being a lethal running team off the defensive glass, off turnovers and even jumping out of bounds on made baskets to get a quick and dirty one on the other end.
In the one-point win over Notre Dame Saturday, the Tar Heels had exactly two fast-break points. They did get 14 off turnovers by the Fighting Irish, but their most consistent offense continues to be pounding the offensive glass for second chance points.
In the loss at Georgia Tech last week, there were only eight fast-break points and 10 total off Yellow Jacket turnovers. That’s not enough to supplement an offense that was outscored 19-6 over the last seven minutes and lost the game by five.
But getting run-outs off rebounds or turnovers are no guarantee of victory. The two games with the most fast-break baskets were both losses, at Iowa and N.C. State, largely because the defense was so bad. Where UNC shot decent percentages, got at least 10 points off turnovers and limited the opponents’ fast break buckets and points off Tar Heel turnovers were wins over Stanford and Kentucky.
In short, if you regularly get outscored from the 3-point line and don’t come up with more possessions, a lot more shots and more easy baskets, that is far more a recipe for defeat than victory.
(featured photo via the CBS Sports Classic)
Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees. You can support local journalism and our mission to serve the community. Contribute today – every single dollar matters.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: RSS
