Harrison Barnes (Charlotte Observer photo)
ESPN has started a North Carolina basketball blog. The World Wide Leader has hired Robbi Pickeral, who covered the Heels for the Charlotte Observer and Raleigh News and Observer, to do daily updates on the Heels.
The blog debuted today, and among Robbi’s posts is one about five things to watch this season. An excerpt:
1. UNC-Kentucky
The season-opening Nov. 11 Carrier Classic against Michigan State will be memorable for its location (the deck of the USS Carl Vinson) and its audience (the majority of the tickets will go to the five branches of the military). The two rivalry games against Duke will be emotional because, well, it’s UNC-Duke. But most of the Tar Heels starters point to the Dec. 3 showdown at Rupp Arena as the game they are most looking forward to — because they can’t help but look back.
The 76-69 loss to the Wildcats in the Elite Eight last March left UNC’s players with a nagging feeling of unfinished possibilities — so much so, wing Harrison Barnes and forwards John Henson and Tyler Zeller opted not to leave early for the NBA in order to have another chance at the Final Four.
“That was a tough loss for us,” Henson said of the last Kentucky game, “and I think it put a chip on our shoulder to come back this year and take care of business.”
All five starters return for the preseason No. 1 team — but whether they will be favored by the time the Kentucky game rolls around remains to be seen. The Wildcats are ranked just behind the Tar Heels in both polls and have the talent to make another run at a national title, what with forward Terrence Jones pulling his name out of the draft, guards Darius Miller and sophomore Doron Lamb returning — plus the addition of the nation’s top-ranked recruiting class.
