New Year Doesn’t Bring New Luck to Seminoles

I was sincerely hoping that 2009 would bring new luck to the Seminoles. Actually, I don’t even want or need them to have luck, just not have BAD LUCK. Everyone knows about our wide rights and lefts of the past. I have put them behind me, it happens. Then this season we had the heart-breaking fumble at the 2 yard line with a minute to go against Georgia Tech.

That cost us a trip to the ACC championship and most likely the Orange Bowl.

With the football season behind us, I now look to the basketball team to bring me some joy. All I want is to make the tournament. For the last four seasons, we have been on the bubble and for some strange reason the tournament committee does not find us worthy of the big dance.

Last season we finished 19-14 with a rough 8-10 in ACC play. We even pulled off key wins against Clemson and two against Miami late in the season. Miami and Clemson both made the tournament.

The year before in 06-07, we had an even better case for the tournament. Al Thornton led the team to a 20-12 record. That season we won huge games against Miami, Wake, Clemson, Duke, and even that year’s national champion Gators.

In 05-06, we finished 19-9 with a 9-8 record against a phenomenal ACC conference, still no tourney. Quite honestly I don’t understand. The committee picks a team that doesn’t have the SOS and RPI we have and puts them in the dance.

Anyways, last night the Noles went up against the highly talented, very experienced, well-coached Tar-Heels of North Carolina. I will not lie, I did not expect a victory in this game.

Just look at their roster, they potentially have four guys (Hansbrough, Ellington, Green, Lawson) that could go in the first round of the 2009 NBA draft. They have all played together and have one of the greatest coaches in NCAA history, Roy Williams, leading them to the Promised Land.

With all of that being said, I am happy with the Noles' performance last night. UNC averages 93 PPG and only allow 70 PPG. We held them to 80 points and actually put up 77 against their tough D. You can't blame our D for the loss. We managed to hold Hansbrough to eight points, snapping his 55 game streak of scoring in double digits. Holding the Tar Heels to 38 percent from the field is quite an accomplishment. They are average close to 50 percent from the field on the season.

The thing that really grinds my gears is the coaching in the final seconds of the game.

Toney Douglas had one-on-one opportunities with Tyler Hansbrough twice and failed to take the ball to the basket and draw a foul. I wish Hamilton would have drawn something up besides just telling them, “Give the ball to Toney, we will set you a pick, good luck.”

It’s hard to draw a foul against the current “Michael Jordan of College Basketball”. He gets every call to go his way on both sides of the ball. I know he didn’t leave his feet, I won’t lie, it was a good no call. BUT COME ON COACH! Make your guys take the ball to the basket. On both opportunities late in the game we settled for ugly jump shots.

I haven’t even mentioned the officials, WOW! With a minute and change the Tar Heels steal the ball and score on a fast break. The foul called on Kitchen was straight-up pathetic. He did not even touch Danny Green and his free throw tied the game with 1:12 to go.

Now for the really heart-breaking part; with 3.2 seconds to go (after Toney Douglas’ poor attempt at a game winner) UNC must go the length of the court and score to win.

Hansbrough inbounds the ball to the blazing Ty Lawson who used four dribbles around Seminole defenders going the length of the floor and released the ball with 0.02 left on the clock.Nothing but net.