North Carolina Tarheels Fall in Polls: Team Not in Championship Form

The University of North Carolina lost its first basketball game this year about a week ago. True fans know, however, this team has been very fortunate to win eighteen games in a row. Those same fans also know the Tarheels have lots of work to do if they hope to make it back to the Final Four for the first time since 2005. While this group is loaded with talent, there is a lot of work that must be done before making a championship run.

One of the Tarheels strengths has been their depth. This is a team that has a ton of talent and can play 5 or 6 guys off of their bench. Many of those guys coming off the bench could easily be starters at other schools. That depth however was seriously hurt when guard Bobby Frasor had a season ending knee injury. Frasor may not be one of the first names you think of, when thinking of North Carolina, but he played an important role on the team. Frasor was a key backup for Inc's starter Ty Lawson. With Frasor now out, Lawson is forced to play more and more minutes. Frasor could not only relieve Lawson but could also play the two guard position. He was a solid outside shooter as well. North Carolina is now forced to rely more on senior Quentin Thomas, who has been an up and down player most of his career.

Defense has been another area of concern for UNC. As the old saying goes 'Defense wins Championships.' The heels are loaded with offensive talent, but they have been an up and down defensive team all year. Defense has been such a concern that head coach Roy Williams has taken some drastic measures to help the team improve. In a series of practices this year, coach Williams took the rims off of the backboards in practice. He did this to put all the focus on playing better on the defensive side of the ball. The team has responded at times, but at other times, such as in the Maryland loss, the team has not. If the 2008 Tarheels want to end the season like the 2005 team did(national championship) they will have to get much better on defense, very quickly.

Every champion has the 'it' factor. This includes a certain swagger, or attitude, in big games. It includes a confidence that you can win any game. The 2005 National Champion Tarheels had this 'it' factor. When a game was on the line, they knew they could go inside to Sean May and get a big basket. If they need someone to knock down a big shot, Rashad McCants or Raymond Felton would get the job done. The 2008 heels have great players, but at times a fan must wonder, do they have the 'it' factor. Tyler Hansbrough is great, but sometimes he forces tough shots. In key moments the heels often don't get him the ball. Wayne Ellington is a great shooter, but he has some games where he is none existent.

With only one loss, it certainly isn't time to panic. North Carolina is still ranked in the top 5. However they will play much tougher games than the one in which they loss to Maryland. They will have to go on the road and play teams like Wake Forest, Miami, Boston College, and of course Duke. The heels will have a chance to prove if they can return to a championship form. If not, this will be another good season, with lots of wins, but an early exit in the NCAA tournament.