Black & Blued In The ACC

That's not a typo in the ACC Standings. That is the North Carolina Tar Heels at the bottom 0-2 in the league. Sunday night the Tar Heels lost to an energized and scary talented Wake Forest team 92-89.

"It's what it is. We're 0-2 and we have to try to play better and be more effective." North Carolina head coach Roy Williams said. "I told the kids that during Tyler (Hansbrough), Bobby (Frasor) and Danny's (Green) freshman year, we were 3-3 at one time and ended up 12-4. It is a long season. I'm still looking at the big picture and know that we can get a lot better. There's no question that the conference race is always our number one goal, but it's not over with after two games."

Deacon sophomore point guard Jeff Teague had a coming out party with 34 points and totally outplayed Ty Lawson and Wayne Ellington. What will make you say "ummm" is that Wake's Chris McFarland took Tyler Hansbrough to school. McFarland had 20 points and 9 rebounds, 1 away from a double-double. Hansbrough had his usual double-double, 17 points and 11 rebounds, but only was 3-12 from the field and no field goals in the 2nd half.

After dominating the Maui Invitational in November and gobbling up the likes of Oral Roberts, Evansville and Rutgers in December North Carolina was feeling pretty darn good about themselves.

Once the new year began though, the Tar Heels found out you can't cruise into ACC play. Boston College stunned the Heels at the Smith Center, now a tough loss on the road at Wake Forest against a team that might be UNC's equal talent wise.

Carolina didn't suddenly become inept on the floor and Roy Williams hasn't all of a sudden forgot how to lead this team however, I got the feeling watching both the B.C. and Wake Forest games that North Carolina almost felt a sense of entitlement toward the ACC championship. That at any moment they could kick into gear and win going away. Carolina did forget that conference games are a whole different animal. It's work and a grind.

It seems like every publication or poll has already carving "North Carolina" on the NCAA championship trophy. The good life has ended in Chapel Hill, the Heels have been hit in the mouth twice. The baby blues need to let the bruises heel and get off the deck for their trip to Charlottesville to take on Virginia Thursday night.

You think UVA is confident for that one.

Keep in mind, it's a long season. Plenty of time for the Tar Heels to get it right.

Photo Courtesy: AP