NIT for Carolina? Maybe not

By Dane Huffman
Feb 8, 2010

comments

POST VIEW

Those rival fans chanting “N-I-T! N-I-T!” at North Carolina could be optimists.

After Sunday’s loss at Maryland, the Tar Heels are 13-10 overall and in danger of having a losing season.

Forget the NCAA Tournament. The Tar Heels could be playing their way out of postseason at all.

Here are Carolina’s last eight games:

Duke
N.C. State
at Georgia Tech
at Boston College
Florida State
at Wake Forest
Miami
at Duke.

There are two wins there, maybe four. Either way, the ACC Tournament in Greensboro suddenly looms large even for Roy Williams.

If Carolina wins only more regular-season two games, and loses in the first round of the ACC Tournament, that makes it 15-17.

Three more wins in the regular season and an opening-round loss in Greensboro still puts Carolina at 16-16.

The Postseason NIT doesn’t require a winning record for selection. Read the “General Principles for Selection” closely and you’ll see the critical point is, “The committee shall select the best available teams to fill the NIT field.”

OK, so it’s possible Carolina could have a losing record, or .500 record, and make it.

But it’s not likely. Only two teams in the Postseason NIT last year, Washington State and Georgetown, were two wins over .500. Most of the others were well above that.

What’s remarkable is that Carolina was once 11-3 with losses to Syracuse, Kentucky and Texas. The Tar Heels still looked like a young, talented team with a “high ceiling.”

But the frustration was growing, even then. After a Dec. 30 win over Albany, coach Roy Williams told the media, "We've got to get better, guys. It is frustrating right now. The kids are frustrated. It's probably the most negative I've been with any team, but we talk about so many things and say the same things over and over.

“You know what? They're great kids and we're going to be all right. We've just got to do a better job."

Williams has been saying much the same ever since, and December feels like the good old days for Carolina.

The Heels have lost seven of nine and fallen to 2-6 in ACC play.

This is just astonishing for a team picked to finish in a tie for the ACC title.

The last month could be even more amazing. It’s possible Carolina’s March run could end after a single game in the ACC Tournament.

Most Recent Comments

RE: NIT for Carolina? Maybe not

What is interesting is that when duke or state has a rough year Post by rcooperbass9

That's because people are tired of digging NCSU for down years. I mean...when was the last time we were actually up?

getting long winded

To add to the post above, once again you guys dont have a clue, wall did want to come to unc, if you look in history unc does not generally recruit possible 1 and done players for one, but the main reason that wall is not at unc is the fact that his aau coach was doing his recruiting and Roy does not in any circumstances deal with aau coaches, and i do not blame them aau is probably the most overrated and worthless thing to happen to college recruits.

RE: NIT for Carolina? Maybe not

This is amazing, i have been reading comments for quite a while now and just wow at all of the amateur comments that have been made is rediculous. What i have picked up on this board is that you cannot be a fan of a school or team if you did not go there, that is crazy. Also most of the people have no clue what they are talking about at all, sorry to the very few people who do, but most don't. Just a few facts, and i am no hard core unc fan or fan die hard fan of any school for that matter, but i do keep up with sports. First of all Roy Williams is a great coach and for someone to even let there brain process otherwize is insane, UNC has had a stroke of bad luck with injuries and the fact that they lost key players is not an excuse simply the facts. For all of the carolina bashing duke fans, there is a reason that your team plays 0-1 non conference games each year against credible teams at there place. Read that comment carefully they do play non conference games againsts credible teams but at home or at neutral sites. This is a fact look it up. While UNC on the other hand always and i repeat always plays one of the top 25 toughest schedules in the country. Teams have up and down years, granted this is an extreme year for chapel hill. What is interesting is that when duke or state has a rough year, you do not have message boards with 100 plus post on them talking about it, there coach, or the players it is simply refered to as a down year and you hear nothing more about it. Once again this is not comming from a die hard unc fan, but if unc was to cary out every season in this fashion, they would still go down as one of the best college basketball programs in the nation, can any other acc school say that? no not even the dukies!

RE: NIT for Carolina? Maybe not

Bingo. We have a winner!
- Posted by slayerhil

my bad......Ketucky ring a bell.....they are younger then you guys and picked to finish behind you guys......i must say wrong answer.
- Posted by kickmeoutroy

Then we agree to disagree.
- Posted by slayerhil

Kentucky has 3 Five star recruits with one being the ultimate best player in the country, and the second right behind him on the same team....so lets not bring them into the picture..
- Posted by katazaphe

Wall was begging to come to Carolina. Roy already had his top pg Drew II.

RE: NIT for Carolina? Maybe not

How many Tarheel fans rag the Wuffies on Wuffie articles?

Are you blind? They're all over them! They are quite often the FIRST ones to post there! LOL

WRAL Sports Fan

Dane Huffman