This week, FanHouse is taking an early look at the top teams heading into 2008 with a BlogPoll decided on by our college hoops bloggers. To help with the team capsules, we've brought in some of the top fan bloggers around the internets to give us insights on their teams.Today, we have enlisted, well, me, The Sportz Assassin, of FanHouse and SportzAssassin.com to break down the North Carolina Tar Heels.
Really, what can be said about these Tar Heels that hasn't already been said? They return nearly everyone from a 36-3 team that reached the Final Four this past April. Player Of The Year Tyler Hansbrough heads the list of returnees. Hansbrough is the first player of the year winner to return to school since Shaquille O'Neal in 1991. "Psycho T" will also attempt to become the first player to be an All-American for four seasons.
Also returning are Ty Lawson, Wayne Ellington and Danny Green. All three put their names into the NBA Draft, but decided to return to school and make one last run at a title. Ellington was the Heels' second leading scorer and caused fits for teams with his quick shooting and ability to drive to the basket. Green is one of the best sixth men in the country. He is a stat-sheet stuffer who rebounds, defends, blocks shots, scores from anywhere on the court and is a pretty good passer.
The key will be Lawson. Lawson spent a lot of time last year either out with an injury or playing through pain. He is one of the fastest players in the nation and is a matchup nightmare for opponents. Still, Roy Williams struggles to keep Lawson on task and his head into what they are trying to do.
Also returning are: big man Deon Thompson, defensive stopper Marcus Ginyard (who is still a few weeks away from returning from a foot injury), back-up point guard Bobby Frasor, and long-range gunner Will Graves. The Heels also bring in three McDonald's All-Americans in forwards Ed Davis, Tyler Zeller (who is now done for the season with a broken wrist) and point guard Larry Drew.
This team also has a huge chip on its collective shoulder. After promising not to let their meltdown against Georgetown in the 2007 Elite Eight happen again, the Heels were embarrassed in their Final Four loss to Kansas in April. The shock of their 40-12 deficit early in that game still hasn't gone away, as even Williams is struggling to explain what happened.
Why they should be ranked here: This team is filled with talent. They already have one of the best starting lineups in the country, but where they are dominant is when they bring in their sixth-through-10th guys. That stable of talent allows UNC to just run you to death and wears teams down in the second half. Imagine having to deal with fresh bodies rolling into the game and pressuring you all game long. And that doesn't even factor in having to deal with Hansbrough's intensity.
Why they should be ranked higher: Not applicable. There is nothing higher than No. 1. However, there are some people whispering that these Tar Heels could be the first team since 1976 to finish a season undefeated. With Duke, Michigan State and possibly Notre Dame on the schedule, I don't see that happening. But the fact that people are even discussing it shows the kind of talent level on this team.
Why they should be ranked lower: Injuries have already taken a toll. Ginyard will have missed at least two months with a stress fracture in his foot. Hansbrough has some sort of stress reaction in his shin that has caused him to miss the season-opening slate. Zeller is already done for the year. Lawson, as mentioned, has had injury woes over the past two seasons. Frasor missed most of last season when he blew out his knee and has already missed one game this season. Also, this team doesn't always have the intensity on the defensive end it takes to win a championship. Because of this, they have had a history of getting rattled in huge moments.
