You know the team had this game circled on their schedule.
James Beatty can't wait. The team is in NYC. UNC just landed. Game on.
More on UNC after the jump...
Harrison Barnes is probably UNC's most hyped player this year. A freshman All-American (the only player to be bestowed this honor), he's the team's Small Forward. Barnes 12.3 ppg and 6.0 rpg. He's a dynamic forward and both Dane Miller and Mike Poole are going to have to put a lot of work in to slow him down.UNC is also very big, starting Luke Zeller and John Henson. Both are over 6'10" and love to get out and run.
Neither of UNC's guards have been impressive, but you can't sleep on Larry Drew or NJ's Dexter Strickland. They could explode at any moment.
Rutgers is going to have to control the tempo of this game if they want to have a shot. RU does not have the depth or talent to get into a running match with the Tarheels. The Scarlet Knights are going to have to take good shots, and avoid giving up big rebounds. If the Knights' offense is off, they're going to be in for a long night. Use the shot clock, move the ball--move without the ball. If this game is ugly and mucked up, the better for RU.
Another issue is foul trouble. The rumor on the message boards and Twitter is Tim Higgins is doing the game. A referee who fans love to hate, he loves to blow the whistle on touch fouls. If Gilvydas Biruta is out of control... and if Robert Lumpkins is not playing due to personal issue, Rutgers could be in trouble.
The odds are against Rutgers tonight. Even an inconsistent UNC team is a formidable opponent. The Scarlet Knight faithful will be in the stands, and hopefully they'll be loud.