UNC-Nevada: Not a Great Showing...Jet Lag?

I had the pleasure of attending the UNC-Nevada game on Dec. 31. My wife and I drove 10 hours from Idaho to Nevada so I could realize a life-long sports dream of seeing a UNC team play in person. I couldn't have picked a better year to finally do it, with UNC 12-0 and beating opponents by an average of 20 points per game.

We arrived early to watch warmups and I got to take pictures of the players warming up an hour before the game, except for Ty Lawson, who was the only player to not come out.

I watched Hansbrough get the superstar treatment and a trainer loosened him up for 10 minutes before he shot around. Ty Zeller looked good in a suit and tie, rebounding and passing the ball out to teammates but would have looked better in uniform. I got pictures of Danny Green, Ty Ellington, Ed Davis, Deon Thompson, and Bobby Frasor shooting around. 

UNC players were loose and looked ready to have another blowout game. The other UNC fans, my wife and myself, were in awe and we all talked about the team and season like family even though we were from different parts of the country. I settled in and at tip-off was into the game.

Unfortunately, UNC started out like they did against Kansas, falling behind and playing with no intensity. Hansbrough was continually being beaten by Nevada's star freshman Luke Babbitt off the dribble and from the outside. Lawson played no defense and only Deon Thompson inside and Danny Green outside kept UNC close the first five plus minutes. 

UNC only showed defensive tenacity in spurts and looked like the No. 1 team in the nation when they felt like it. I have read in some articles that UNC's defense was very good, which it was at times, but Nevada missed a lot of easy inside shots and open jumpers on their own that could have kept them closer in the first half and attributed to their low shooting percentage.

I know I am sounding negative regarding UNC's performance, yet I am being honest in my evaluations. If this was an ACC game and UNC played the same way they did against Nevada, they would have lost...badly.

Don't know if it was the long trip out west or something else, but even though I enjoyed the atmosphere, the company of fellow diehard UNC fans, the company of my wife and a win, I was disappointed with the lack of intensity and casual play of the team for most of the game. 

If I had not watched the game and I was told UNC won by 23 points, I would have expected them to have played like they did in some of their previous wins. Don't get me wrong. I am a life-long, loyal, diehard UNC basketball fan, but I am also realistic when it comes to how they play and am not blinded by fan loyalty. I am going to give you some of my positives and negatives regarding the game and also postgame.

Positives

Ed Davis: Played tough on the inside altering and blocking shots plus rebounding very well. He took some good shots and almost got a double-double.

Wayne Ellington: Finally started taking the ball strong to the hoop getting fouled and opening up his outside shot opportunities. Played some solid defense on the perimeter fighting through screens and sticking with his man. His three pointer at the end of the first half was a thing of beauty.

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