As other teams postpone games, the coronavirus takes a mental toll on UNC basketball
A paranoid feeling seeps into North Carolina players at the end of nearly every practice, but particularly on Thursday. A typical end of practice routine, the players finish off their sprints. The coaches huddle to break down the highlights of practice and what’s to come the next day.
But these are not typical times. The COVID-19 pandemic has caused unexpected scheduling changes four times for UNC -- so far. A game with Elon was canceled, then replaced by N.C. Central. A game with Ohio State was changed to Kentucky. ACC games against Syracuse and Clemson were postponed.
So when the Tar Heels take to seats that were deliberately spread-out and coach Roy Williams talks to his staff, they wonder, almost expect even, for his next words to be bad news.
“I think it was Anthony (Harris) who said every time he sees us standing there talking before coming back over he feels like something’s been canceled or postponed or whichever terminology you want to use,” Williams said during a video conference Friday. “It really is hard on the kids not knowing.”
And yet they know a lot. Williams said the players feared their next game at Florida State — scheduled for Saturday — was going to be postponed after learning N.C. State was implementing COVID-19 protocols after a positive test within its program. The Wolfpack played at FSU on Wednesday.
“Mentally, it’s hard on everybody that’s on the coaching staff, but particularly the players too,” Williams said. “Because they love to play and they hate for me to say it. I’ve only had to say it twice so far that we’ve had a game that’s been canceled and we’re going to see what we can do. It’s the unknown, but I do think that in some ways that’s had an impact on how consistently you play.”
As of Friday, the Heels (8-4, 3-2 ACC) are still slated to make the trip to Tallahassee, Fla., to face the Seminoles (6-2, 2-1) at noon on Saturday.
Seminoles’ pressure defense and the Tar Heels’ turnovers
Carolina has to be weary of what it will face on the court at FSU. The Heels saw how the Seminoles dismantled N.C. State on Wednesday 105-73 thanks to shooting a sizzling 70 percent from the field.
“If they shoot 70 percent tomorrow, they’re going to beat us to death too,” Williams said. “They were phenomenal. It was an impressive show.”
FSU’s size shouldn’t hurt UNC as much as it hurt the Wolfpack. The Noles average height is the second tallest nationally, according to KenPom.com. Carolina is ranked eighth, N.C. State is No. 154.
But the Noles’ pressure defense could be a problem. Williams said FSU, “pressures you better than anybody else in our league, and maybe as well as anybody in college basketball.”
Turnovers have been a recurring problem for the Heels although in two of their last three games they have kept them below their average. UNC committed just eight turnovers against Notre Dame and had 11 against Syracuse. Will that be the team that shows up in Tallahassee or will it be the 20-turnover bunch from its win over Miami?
“We’re getting better, but I don’t know that I would say that we’ve turned the corner,” Williams said. “That one game against Miami was just two games ago and we were terrible in that game. But I know that we’re emphasizing it more this year than any team I’ve ever coached is not even close.”
Anthony Harris one step closer to playing
One player who may be able to help the Heels turnover conundrum is redshirt freshman Anthony Harris. The 6-foot-4 guard dressed out for the first time this season in Carolina’s 81-75 win over Syracuse on Tuesday and Williams said he’s been practicing in full-court drills. But the Heels are still taking a cautious approach before putting him in a game.
Harris tore his anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee after playing in just five games last season. Harris did not commit a turnover in four of those games and totaled just two in 61 minutes played.
His history of injuries is also a good reason he won’t jump right back into the lineup. Harris missed the first eight games of his freshman year while he was rehabbing from a torn ACL in his left knee he suffered in high school.
“I don’t have a date on the calendar marked with an X that says I’m going to play Anthony here,” Williams said. “You just got to give the kid a fair shake of running up and down the court enough. I mean, you can’t go from doing nothing full court for a year and then all of a sudden, practice full court two days and play a game. So we’ve got to be a little patient ourselves.”
North Carolina at Florida State
When: Noon, Saturday
Watch: ESPN