Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, January 20, 1992 TAG: 9201200045
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BILL BRILL SPORTSWRITER
DATELINE: CHAPEL HILL, N.C. LENGTH: Medium
LYNCH SPURS HEELS TO WIN
The crowd was late arriving Sunday, and North Carolina and Villanova treated the first half of their nationally televised basketball game as if it were a scrimmage.Or a brick-throwing contest.
In the last half, the 14th-ranked Tar Heels (13-2) awoke from their offensive slumber behind the all-around play of George Lynch and tumbled the Wildcats, 76-64.
Lynch, the tough, tenacious junior from Patrick Henry High School, was the CBS player of the game with 17 points, 11 rebounds and five steals, which tied a career high.
The game capped a big seven days for Lynch, who had a career-high 26 points Thursday against Wake Forest after a fine performance against Maryland last Monday.
Held without a field goal in the first half - the teams had more turnovers than baskets in the tepid period - Lynch responded with four baskets and seven rebounds after halftime.
"I don't know why, but I've been fortunate against Villanova," Lynch said. He starred as the Tar Heels eliminated the Wildcats in the NCAA Tournament this past season.
"The second half, they missed some shots and I was able to get the rebounds," said Lynch, the ACC's fourth-best rebounder.
North Carolina coach Dean Smith said: "George Lynch was tremendous throughout. Where I'm really pleased is defensively. He's learning to box out. That's the hardest thing for him because he just wants to go to the ball."
There was nothing pretty about this one. The same Villanova team that made it to the Big East Conference final last year came in shooting a woeful 41.9 percent but riding a four-game win streak, including three over Top 25 Big East teams.
The Wildcats (6-7) actually beat Seton Hall despite making 19 of 58 field-goal attempts. They were marginally better against North Carolina (18-of-54) and still trailed 64-58 with 4:15 left.
Villanova didn't make another basket until the final buzzer, and Lynch sealed the victory with a steal and layup that reinstated a double-figure lead at 69-59.
Earlier, the Tar Heels led 62-44.
"I thought we played well, other than shooting the ball," said Villanova coach Rollie Massimino.
That's like saying everything about the dinner was good except the entree.
\ see microfilm for box score