Just saw it again on ESPN. I don't know if he tried to hit him, but he sure didn't try not to him him either. Should have been called for a flagrant foul, but a suspension is a little much.

It started as a block, but he saw a chance to take a shot and did.

I'm surprised something like this hasn't happened to Hansbrough before. As much as he pump fakes and goes up with two arms, he leaves himself vulnerable to hard fouls. This looked to be nothing more than a hard foul by a frustrated player.

It started as a block, but he saw a chance to take a shot and did.

Come on man...you know that's not true.

Come on man...you know that's not true.

 

It did sorta look like that. Whether he did or not is another story, but it certainly looked like he saw the opportunity.

Come on man...you know that's not true.

 

Not really. He made no attempt to not hit him. No, the motion didn't start out as a punch, but he didn't try to pull it when he saw it coming.

I'm surprised something like this hasn't happened to Hansbrough before. As much as he pump fakes and goes up with two arms, he leaves himself vulnerable to hard fouls. This looked to be nothing more than a hard foul by a frustrated player.

 

I agree:thumb:

It was a bang bang play (no pun)...the ball squirted, and he was already committed to making the play (he likely was going to foul), he just didn't lay off, regardless he is being punished.

The way his body was turning, I don't see any chance that it was intentional. He was looking at the ball the entire time.

Not a cheap shot, if you pause it and unpause and go very slowly, he went up for a block his elbow came down and his head was turned away. But you can't convince anyone so why try?

Henderson was out of control when going for the ball, but I don't think he meant to him him like he did.

Just like Noah and the Florida starters, the NC starters should have been pulled way before they were. When you get into dunking and chest thumping,etc. things happen. Don't think Henderson's was intentional, but am sure things are said that only the players know about.

On 3rd viewing. It looks like it may have been an accident.

Also, when Duke is involved you can't tell anyone like wise, so there's no use.

I posted this on the game thread but it seems to fit this discussion better:

Yeah, I don't think he went in there with the intention of hitting him in the face like that. I do, however think he intended to slam something pretty hard and wasn't too concerned with wether he got the ball or not. He's not the first person to get frustrated it just so happened that his elbow hit Hansbrough in the face. If it had been a body blow there probably would have been a little bit of woofing and that would have been the end of it. The problem was where the blow landed. He just came in there too hard, if that had happened to one of us in a pickup game I'm pretty sure we'd be upset whether the blow hit us in the head or the body--baketball is a physical sport it was just excessive. That's a hard lesson for the freshman to learn, hopefully he'll grow from it. I've never seen or heard anything out of him that would lead me to believe he's a dirty player. He made a mistake, like I said before I blame the coaches as much as anyone for having those guys in the game at that point.