No Defense In Chapel Hill




Don't let the blocks fool you. 

In the past moth, I pumped up the North Carolina Tar Heels like a promoter for Wrestlemania.  I liked the Tar Heels' chances to go deep in the NCAA Tournament, but after this weekend games, I am starting to have second thoughts. No, it's not because they are playing my team, but it has to do with their lack of defense.  They allowed a ton of points against LIU and gave up 83 in a victory against Washington. I am starting to wonder if the Tar Heels have some sizable holes on defense.

People make a big deal about John Henson's defensive presence. I understand this guy has a sick wingspan (7'4) and Henson makes a difference inside versus teams because he can block virtually anything.  He reminds me a bit of Hakim Warrick at Syracuse. But explain to me why Washington grabbed 13 offensive rebounds and outrebounded the Tar Heels as a whole?  I have an answer for you... Tyler Zeller. He refuses to take charges, something Henson is not great at either. He always goes for the flashy play, which sometimes works but can also burn a team. Zeller also will not get physical like his counterpart Henson does each time down the court. Zeller getting exposed as a defensive liability sometime during the NCAA Tournament is something to watch for in the coming weeks. The other thing about the Henson-Zeller duo is they both lack any girth, both very skinny. I could blow on both of them and they would fall down.

Both teams played no defense whatsoever, and it basically became a scoring contest. The Tar Heels definitely have the skills to score 80 a game with the ability to score at all five positions. But at some point, teams who put all their eggs in their offensive basket run out of luck.  There is not one guy on Carolina, I would call a defensive stopper. Not even Mr. Henson. The Heels want a track meet every time, and if teams buy into that pace, no one will beat them. But if a squad slows them down, the Tar Heels' year is over.

-Charlie.