The sixth-ranked North Carolina Tar Heels
seek a 3-0 start to the 2009-10 season when they entertain the Valparaiso
Crusaders this afternoon at the Smith Center in Chapel Hill.
Valpo kicked off its season on Friday night, falling at Ball State in an 88-78
final. This game marks the first of four the Crusaders will play against teams
currently ranked in the top 10 -- the others coming against Michigan State,
Horizon League rival Butler and Purdue. All four will happen in the first
month of the season, and on the road no less.
North Carolina has won its first two games of the campaign in relatively easy
fashion, first disposing of Florida International (88-72), and then North
Carolina Central (89-42). Following this clash, the Tar Heels will take on
Ohio State and either California or Syracuse, all of which represent much
stiffer competition for the defending national champs. Those games are part of
the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic and will take place next week in New York City.
UNC is 2-0 in the all-time series with Valpo, and the most recent meeting took
place in Chicago last year with the Heels posting an 85-63 triumph. The
Crusaders actually led 12-3 early in that tilt, but then UNC took control and
cruised to the comfortable win.
Valparaiso got 20-point performances from newcomers Cory Johnson and Brandon
Wood, but it wasn't enough as the Crusaders dropped a 10-point decision to
Ball State in Friday's season opener. Wood hit three treys on his way to a
game-high 25 points, while Johnson was an efficient 9-of-14 from the floor in
finishing with 21 points. Unfortunately for coach Homer Drew's squad, Ball
State shot 57.8 percent from the field and outscored Valpo at the foul line by
a 32-17 margin. Despite the setback, the Crusaders averaged just 61.3 ppg a
season ago, so the offensive outburst was certainly a positive sign. BSU's
bench outscored Valpo's, 16-5, another key to victory for the Cardinals.
North Carolina will play five ranked teams between now and December 19th, and
if the first two games are any indication, coach Roy Williams' team should be
in good shape once ACC play gets underway. Deon Thompson (16.5 ppg, 8.5 rpg),
Marcus Ginyard (14.5 ppg, 3.0 rpg) and Tyler Zeller (12.0 ppg, 5.0 rpg) are
all averaging double figures, and the team as a whole is shooting 57.5 percent
from the field, although improving from long range will only benefit the Heels
who have hit just 9-of-26 three-point attempts thus far. Ed Davis is another
guy to keep an eye on as the season progresses, as he is averaging a near
double-double with his 9.5 points and 9.5 rebounds per game. Defensively, the
Tar Heels are yielding just 57.0 ppg on a typical field goal percentage of
only .317. Ginyard, who scored a career-high-tying 17 points in UNC's blowout
win over NC Central the last time out, could be the key to the Tar Heels'
season if he is able to stay healthy and play like the experienced fifth-year
senior is capable.
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