Texas 103, UNC 90

Before the season, I was really excited about the opportunity this team would have to play several big-time games. At Kentucky, against Texas in Cowboys Stadium, Ohio State and Syracuse in MSG, Michigan State at home. Those are high-quality and high-buzz games, and it's always fun to watch your team play in that as opposed to taking on Penn or Cleveland State or Gardner Webb.

But right now, it's just frustrating. Because for 85% of the games against Kentucky and Texas, the Heels played at least as well as the 'Cats or 'Horns. But just as Carolina did against Kentucky when John Wall led the Cats to an early 30-11 lead, there was one 5-minute period in this game- the end of the 1st half- where the Heels' youth destroyed all the good things they had done and would do in this game. They struggled to dig in defensively, took bad shots, and didn't rebound the Texas misses with any kind of aggressiveness. And I know it's youth and I know I shouldn't be surprised but it still almost make me break my remote in 2 watching this game.

I don't think it's any one phase of this team that needs to get better. I've actually been pleasantly surprised by the Heels' backcourt play, and 16 turnovers, though Dan Shulman was harping on it for about 70% of the broadcast, isn't actually that terrible given the pace this game was played at and the number of possessions each team had. I don't think that's where this team's Achilles heel lies. I think that this team's major weakness is the ability to maintain focus on both ends of the floor for 40 minutes, for all players involved. There were just too many mental lapses this afternoon and against Kentucky to hope to beat these kinds of teams.

Look at it this way- Texas ended the first half with a 23-7 run over 5:40. For the other 34:20, Carolina won, 83-80. Unbelievable. Roy needs to get this team to understand what it takes to play a basketball game for 40 minutes against a team like Texas. Because clearly the talent level is there- we wouldn't be able to hang with this kind of team for 34 minutes if it wasn't. We're just young and inexperienced a little bit sloppy for periods during each game. Hopefully, playing such a difficult nonconference schedule will allow this young team to learn lessons like this before getting into the more important ACC road games. And I think there is something to be said for that. Games lost in December don't make me very upset if they will lead to more important wins down the road that help build toward the goal of a conference championship.