Previewing North Carolina and William & Mary

North Carolina

Previewing North Carolina and William & Mary

Three North Carolina players fight for a rebound with Zachery Peacock of Georgia Tech during the first round of the 2010 ACC Tournament on March 11 in Greensboro, NC.

By Inside Carolina

Mar 16, 2010

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POST VIEW

North Carolina (16-16, 5-11) vs. William & Mary (22-10, 12-6 CAA)
Chapel Hill, N.C. -- Carmichael Arena
9:30 p.m. ESPN (Brad Nessler, Jimmy Dykes)
Quotables

"Seeing we were playing against North Carolina was very exciting. The only disappointment, quite honestly, is that we're playing down there and not at home. I think it's a real injustice. But we'll go play anywhere and any time right now." – William & Mary head coach Tony Shaver

"I thought, that can't be right. That was a surprise. But if the fourth seed is playing the fifth seed, the fourth seed should be the host." – UNC head coach Roy Williams on his team’s opening home game

"Our styles are different, but what we both learned from Coach [Dean] Smith is still there. Things like the importance of chemistry and how well you play together. And the importance of fundamentals, whether you're playing a fast-pace style like they are or a little bit more deliberate like we are." – Shaver

PREGAME NOTES

Season to Date: William & Mary enters Tuesday night’s contest with a 22-10 (12-6 CAA) record. The Tribe finished the regular ranked No. 58 in the NCAA RPI standings. Shaver’s squad owns six wins against RPI Top 75 teams – No. 24 Maryland, No. 25 Richmond, No. 39 Wake Forest, No. 66 VCU and No. 75 Northeastern (twice). The wins over the Terrapins and Demon Deacons occurred on the road.

Late Game Dave: David Schneider earned second-team All-CAA honors after averaging 15.3 points and 6.0 rebounds per game this season, but his late-game heroics are what have picked up regional headlines. On four different occasions, the senior guard has made clutch plays to propel his team to victory. He connected on a free throw with 3.1 seconds left to provide the game-winning point over VCU, 75-74, early in the year and then drained two 3-pointers in the final 32 seconds of overtime at Delaware in rallying from a seven-point deficit. The 6-3 guard then hit a game-winning lay-up against George Mason in the final minute before drilling a 3-pointer with 37 seconds left to give William & Mary a 47-45 victory over No. 2 seed Northeastern in the Colonial Athletics Association semifinals last weekend.

Bombs Away: The Tribe set a CAA record for 3-pointers made this season with 279 treys. Shaver’s squad is hitting 8.7 3-pointers per game (9th nationally) at a 35.0 percent rate (126th). William & Mary has connected on 10 or more 3-pointers on 14 occasions this season. Sophomore forward Quinn McDowell has established himself as one of the top 3-point shooters in the CAA, knocking down 42.6 percent of his long range attempts.

Familiar Faces: Shaver, who played at UNC from 1972-75, earned a number of coach of the year honors after leading W&M to one of the best seasons in school history. After being tabbed the CAA Coach of the Year for the second time in three years, he also received District Coach of the Year honors from the NABC.

Stat to Watch: The Tribe ranks 11th nationally in turnovers per game (10.6), while North Carolina holds down the No. 282 spot (15.4).

Random Fact of the Day: William & Mary’s basketball program has been in existence five years longer than North Carolina's, but the Tribe will be making just their second postseason appearance in their 105-year history. The College has never won a postseason contest, losing its first round game in the 1983 NIT to Virginia Tech, 85-79.

Last Meeting: North Carolina defeated William & Mary, 105-66, on Jan. 2, 2005, at the Smith Center in Chapel Hill. Sean May led all scorers with 24 points, while Jawad Williams (19 points), Rashad McCants (15) and Marvin Williams (14) also scored in double figures for the Tar Heels.

Series History:The Tar Heels lead the all-time series with William & Mary, 17-3. UNC has won five straight against the Tribe.

Projected Starters:
24 Sean McCurdy (6-1, 184, Sr.) – 4.7 ppg, 3.3 apg
2 David Schneider (6-3, 190, Sr.) – 15.3 ppg, 6.0 rpg
20 Quinn McDowell (6-6, 212, So.) – 13.9 ppg, 4.3 rpg
22 Danny Sumner (6-7, 225, Sr.) – 10.5 ppg, 3.8 rpg
45 Marcus Kitts (6-9, 230, Jr.) – 6.8 ppg, 6.4 rpg

Top Reserves:
00 Steven Hess (6-10, 245, Sr.) – 4.4 ppg, 3.6 rpg
33 JohnMark Ludwick (6-8, 230, So.) – 3.8 ppg
31 Matt Rum (6-4, 180, Fr.) – 2.8 ppg
23 Kyle Gailard (6-7, 210, Fr.) – 2.8 ppg

Most Recent Comments

RE: Previewing North Carolina and William & Mary

Is there really such a thing as a state fan? All I hear, from the reds is how UNC fans are crybabies and UNC is no good, we deserve it, UNC doesn't, blah blah blah. You haters are a bunch of ABC fans, not state fans. You measure your bball accomplishments by what UNC does. Favorite state quote --->"As long as we beat UNC, I don't care" LOL

RE: Previewing North Carolina and William & Mary

This will not be a sleep walk for the Heels. W&M have won a bunch. Some were strong teams, and others were very close.
- Posted by Hokie 94

They won AT Maryland and AT Wake Forest. They also beat a solid Richmond team. I hear they have a few guys that can hit some threes. This could be a bad matchup for Carolina. But I don't see the Heels losing this one. If they do, it's because the team is just ready for this season to be over.
- Posted by TruthBKnown Returns
You think they will win, yet you say they don't belong??? W$M should be ranked higher than Carolina, but Carolina will win????
- Posted by tarheelbasketballfan

Carolina doesn't belong because of what they've done this year, or more specifically, what they HAVEN'T done. That doesn't mean they can't beat anybody else in the NIT.

State and Carolina both could beat several of the teams in the NCAA tournament, too. That doesn't mean we belong there this year.

And Carolina doesn't belong in the NIT. They're there because of their name, and everybody knows that. It must be really embarrassing for them. I can imagine their players thinking, "We didn't earn this. They gave us this because we're Carolina, and somebody more deserving got left out in the cold."

They ought to be ashamed.

RE: Previewing North Carolina and William & Mary

William and Mary have 3 top 50 wins, Cal got an 8 seed in the NCAA tournament and has 1 win over the top 50 in the country and that came at home aganist Washington. Just a thought.

Good luck Carolina, I see W&M winning this one.
- Posted by jrj6950

If there's ANY justice in this world, they will beat Carolina tonight.

Although, it would be better for State if we could play Carolina in round three instead of William & Mary or Mississippi State.

RE: Previewing North Carolina and William & Mary

How did this become a home game?
- Posted by rsds6869

At 16-16, how is Carolina in the NIT at all?

The answer is the same for both questions: Favoritism and bias.

RE: Previewing North Carolina and William & Mary

William and Mary have 3 top 50 wins, Cal got an 8 seed in the NCAA tournament and has 1 win over the top 50 in the country and that came at home aganist Washington. Just a thought.

Good luck Carolina, I see W&M winning this one.
- Posted by jrj6950
TypicaL Dook Pook fan would predict UNC losing!! Hope you lose all yours girlie!!
- Posted by mgkkelly1983

Maybe a typical Duke fan but one who actually looked at the numbers..
Fact is W&M is a solid squad and have 3 quality wins this season. The also have a few guys who are shooting close to or exceed 40% from the perimeter. They avg less than 10 turnovers a game. So tell me why would you not predict a W&M win when the team they are playing a UNC team that has a problem guarding the perimeter and turns the ball over more than 15 times a game. I am a Carolina fan too and will be pulling for them tonight but I am a bigger fan of the game and a lost would not a surprise me.

WRAL Sports Fan

North Carolina