Tar Heels Make Sweet 16

(Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)

Three straight seasons in the Sweet 16. Not bad for a typical Division 1 program. For North Carolina the expectations are higher. Coming off a Final Four appearance and a disappointing loss to Kansas, the Heels wanted more.

Hansbrough, Lawson, Green and company didn't come back to make the Final Four, they came back to win it all. The season started off perfect until Tyler Zeller and Marcus Ginyard were hurt. Zeller has come back after a broken wrist suffered in the second game of the year against Kentucky and Ginyard for the most part has missed the entire season due to a leg injury. Then in the ACC tournament Ty Lawson and the toe injury. Lawson missed three games including the first round game of the NCAA tournament. Question is which Heels team will we see from here on out.

In the wins the Tar Heels have been dominate, in their wins as they won the regular season ACC title. The losses well that's where the problems begin. All four losses the Heels have failed to pound the ball inside therefore the decreased touches and production of Tyler Hansbrough. One game in particular was the Maryland game at College Park. 12 attempts 11 pts.

So far in the NCAA tournament especially in the second rd game against LSU, North Carolina had the perfect mix of inside and outside play. The Heels will need this starting Friday night against Gonzaga in Memphis. Yes the Heels like to push the tempo and the Zags also like to go up and down but they will have a decisive advantage in the paint therefore I would like to see the playing time increased for Davis and Zeller.

Zeller in his first game scored 18 pts then got hurt. Davis on the other hand and has proved all year he can play and compliment Hansbrough if not take the load off of Hansbrough. In two NCAA tournament games Ed Davis is averaging 12 pts and 6 rebs a game.

Also that would mean Danny Green being more effective coming off the bench which was the plan from the start of the season. Also Deon Thompson being more effective. The Heels will need this if they get Oklahoma, Syracuse, Villanova, Pitt, Louisville and Memphis if they move on if they get past Gonzaga. Also this will help Lawson as well.

Clearly the Tar Heels are the favorite to go to the Final Four but now are slowly not the favorites to win the National title. However if the Heels want to win the national title the willingness to pound the ball inside and use not only Hansbrough but start to increase the minutes of Davis and Zeller and Thompson will not only help them but will give Ellington, Green, and Lawson easier looks and penetration but will solidify the Heels as the team to beat and prove that they are the No. 1 team that everyone raved about before the season started and full fill the void in Tyler Hansbrough's resume and why he came back to begin with.

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