UNC receives intensity check

Ginyard stresses effort on defense

CHAPEL HILL -- North Carolina senior Marcus Ginyard missed the opportunity to guard Boston College playmaker Tyrese Rice on Sunday, but not as much as his team missed having its defensive stopper at 100 percent.

Although Ginyard played 14 minutes off the bench, his surgically repaired left foot limited his movement and his ability to boost his team's subpar defensive performance. Rice finished with 25 points, eight assists and five rebounds in BC's 85-78 win, snapping UNC's 13-game winning streak and dropping the Tar Heels from No. 1 to No. 3 in the Associated Press poll.

"This team as a whole can do a much better job of playing defensively; and whether that's because I'm not in there or not is up to anyone else [to judge]," Ginyard said Monday. "I just think ... that's just something we're not taking enough pride in right now as a team, and it's definitely something that won't be overlooked the next couple of weeks."

Coach Roy Williams said he thinks the team's defense -- which is allowing foes to shoot 40.3 percent and to average 69.6 points a game -- is better now than at this stage last season. But the Tar Heels did not show it against the Eagles. BC, which led by 15 points, grabbed 13 of its 16 offensive rebounds in the first half, shot 45.7 percent in the game and out-hustled Carolina on everything from forcing jump balls to creating loose balls.

Rice said after the game that his team wanted to challenge the Tar Heels and see if they were going to play as hard as the Eagles would play. Several UNC players admitted they didn't.

"That's one of the most disappointing things about a loss like this, because we've always been taught and told and brought up in this Carolina way," Ginyard said. "Everybody that's ever played for Carolina, everybody that's ever been a part of Carolina for longer than a season or two, knows that one of the biggest things about being a Carolina basketball player is that you're going to be tougher than the other team.

"You're going to play with more enthusiasm, more effort, and more together than the other team. And those things, we just didn't do last night."

After undergoing surgery in October, Ginyard thought he would be back to his old self 3 1/2 weeks ago. He's still not, and he added a padded sleeve to his right leg Sunday to help protect a bruise near his knee. Although he's frustrated by his slow recovery, Ginyard said his speed and movement continue to improve. Still, he can't help worrying that he might not be back to the old Marcus by March.

"That's always in the back of your mind; that was in the back of my mind before surgery: 'How long would it be a problem?' " he said. "But you try not to think that way; all those negative thoughts are just bad for your body."

That could be bad for the team, also, if he doesn't get healthy fast. Williams, who said he was "concerned" about Ginyard, has often said Ginyard, Tyler Hansbrough and Bobby Frasor are the best stoppers. When Ginyard isn't healthy, it's left to the more offensive-minded Danny Green and Will Graves to pick up the slack.

But even if Ginyard had been at 100 percent Sunday, UNC might not have won. The Heels shot a season-low 38.4 percent and went 15-for-27 on free throws.

"It's tough because he brings so much energy, and he's smart too ... he can guard many different players, he can box out, he can jump, he can get rebounds. He definitely brings a lot to the table," Frasor said. " If we had a 100 percent Marcus last night, people can say it would be a different game; I'm not going to use that as an excuse, but he definitely changes some things in a basketball game."