Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, March 4, 1991 TAG: 9103040045
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BILL BRILL/ EXECUTIVE SPORTS EDITOR
DATELINE: CHAPEL HILL, N.C. LENGTH: Medium
Nobody could say Hurley hadn't done well before Sunday. He directed his team to the Final Four as a freshman.
But with his grimacing after fouls and turnovers, Duke's point guard has become the most taunted of ACC players. On the road, including at the Dean Dome on Sunday, the derisive "Hurl-Lee, Hurl-Lee" echoed from the rafters.
And then stopped.
For, after giving up the first basket of the game to archrival King Rice, it was a poised, confident Hurley whose 18 points and six assists led Duke to an 83-77 basketball victory over the Tar Heels.
In beating UNC for the second time this season, eighth-ranked Duke wrapped up the ACC's regular-season title and the first-round bye in the tournament. The Devils will play the N.C. State-Georgia Tech winner in Saturday's semifinals.
Duke (25-6 overall, 11-3 in the ACC) built a huge lead at 67-48 on a Hurley 3-pointer with 12 minutes left, then almost succumbed to another new strategy by 60-year-old Dean Smith.
Smith has been an inventor as he's posted 710 victories, and against Duke, he tried something new - a platoon system featuring four freshmen on defense.
It almost worked, as UNC (22-5, 10-4) frantically cut into Duke's lead.
The Tar Heels were down six when 6-foot Hurley blocked Rick Fox's 3-pointer. But, after feeding Thomas Hill for Duke's only basket in the last 7:51, Hurley fouled out as Pete Chilcutt tried a 3-pointer.
"It really hurt me," Hurley said. "I didn't touch him. I felt fresh and I wanted to stay in and finish it off."
But what makes Duke so hard to play is its versatility, and the Blue Devils made no mistakes down the stretch with 6-8 freshman Grant Hill at the point. "Grant told me he'd take care of it," Hurley said.
In previous games against UNC, Hurley and Rice have woofed and whacked at each other, coming close to something more serious.
This time, "I didn't say a word to him and I don't think he said anything to me," Hurley said. "I think that's better for me. I never got flustered."
Hurley conceded: "Carolina is the toughest team for me to play. They throw so many different things at you. Everything was on the line today, and it was truly a team win."
In becoming the third ACC home favorite to lose on Senior Day in a little more than 24 hours, the Tar Heels actually had a shot to tie.
They had staged a unique rally, four times being fouled on baskets, then getting to 80-77 when Chilcutt made three free throws after the foul on a 3-point attempt with 1:08 left.
After a Duke miss, the Heels went for the deadlock with the 21,572 fans screaming in unison. Chilcutt missed a three, but the ball bounced long and Carolina rebounded.
Then came the killer. Freshman Derrick Phelps, who hadn't shot, threw up an air ball from the corner. Greg Koubek rebounded for Duke and was fouled with 17 seconds left.
Koubek is a senior who never reached predicted stardom, but now he's extremely valuable coming off the bench. He made three of four 3-pointers.
Shooting 82.9 percent at the line, Koubek short-armed his first free throw. Then Krzyzewski did an unusual thing. He took a timeout.
"It was all positive," Koubek said. "I was glad, because I was a little winded. I felt really confident when I went back out."
Koubek made his second free throw for an 81-77 lead, and after Fox missed a 3-point attempt, Thomas Hill made two free throws to clinch the victory.
Duke made the free throws it missed at Arizona a week ago. "We learned from that game," Christian Laettner said. "We maintained our poise."
Calling it "an incredible win," Krzyzewski dropped the gauntlet. "We have grown up very quickly and we are now a very tough basketball team."
He could have said the same thing about his point guard. DUKE (83)
G.Hill 7-8 2-5 16, B.Davis 1-4 3-5 5, Laettner 7-13 4-4 18, T.Hill 2-6 6-6 10, Hurley 7-12 0-0 18, McCaffrey 1-5 2-2 4, Koubek 3-6 1-2 10, Buckley 1-1 0-0 2. Totals 29-55 18-24 83. NORTH CAROLINA (77)
Fox 5-14 3-6 14, Lynch 3-4 2-3 8, Chilcutt 7-15 3-3 18, Rodl 1-2 0-0 2, Rice 3-6 1-2 7, H.Davis 5-10 5-5 16, Rozier 1-3 0-0 2, Montross 2-2 2-2 6, Phelps 0-1 0-0 0, Reese 2-2 0-2 4, Sullivan 0-0 0-0 0, Wenstrom 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 29-59 16-23 77.
Halftime-46-36, Duke. Three-point goals-Duke 7-11 (Hurley 4-6, Koubek 3-4, T.Hill 0-1), North Carolina 3-17 (H.Davis 1-4, Fox 1-5, Chilcutt 1-6, Rice 0-1, Phelps 0-1). Fouled out-Hurley, Lynch. Rebounds-Duke 33 (B.Davis, T.Hill 7), North Carolina 30 (Fox 10). Assists-Duke 22 (Hurley 6), North Carolina 16 (Fox 7). Total fouls-Duke 17, North Carolina 20. A-21,572.
by CNB