020: Playing slower
~47 percent of Carolina's games under Hubert Davis have featured fewer than 70 possessions.
33 of 70 Carolina games under Hubert Davis have been played under 70 possessions (~47 percent).
33 of the last 135 Carolina games under Roy Williams were played under 70 possessions (~24 percent).
Carolina is playing slower. About half the games under Davis are played over 70 possessions compared to about 70 percent of games under Williams.
The slow play was painful to watch in the second half home loss to Duke. The Heels made five two-point shots, three three-point shots, and eight free throws.
10 points from two. Nine points from three. Eight points from the foul line.
The Blue Devils missed 17 shots in the second half and it was seldom to see Carolina push the ball after a stop. After nine fast break points in the first half, including a rare rim run, the Heels managed zero in the second stanza. The Heels were outscored 20-6 in the paint in the last 20 minutes.
Since 1950, the Blue Devils have scored 63 points or fewer in 22 of 191 games against Carolina. Two of those 22 games came this season, and the Heels lost both games.
Consider Carolina was 10-1 against Duke since 2002 when the Devils score under 1 point per possession. After this season, the mark is 10-3.
Of course, playing slower doesn’t always mean losing games. UNC was 38-32 over the last 70 games with Roy Williams as its head coach. The Heels are 10 games better (48-22) under the first 70 games with Davis as the head coach.
But inefficient and slow is hard on the eyes.