Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, January 5, 1995 TAG: 9501050074
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: RALEIGH, N.C. LENGTH: Medium
North Carolina State's stock rose tenfold Wednesday night.
The Wolfpack program, which dropped to the depths of the Atlantic Coast Conference following the ouster of the late Jim Valvano and probation, upset No. 1 North Carolina 80-70 behind a barrage of 3-pointers.
In another upset Wednesday night, Clemson defeated Duke 75-70 in the league opener for both those teams.
It was the first time in more than five years that both North Carolina and Duke lost on the same day. The last time was Dec. 9, 1989, when Duke lost 113-108 in overtime at Michigan and the Tar Heels lost 87-84 at Iowa.
``We were wanting to show we can compete in this league again,'' said N.C. State coach Les Robinson, who endured criticism after the school had three straight losing seasons for the first time in ACC history. ``Everybody knows the trail we've been down and the black eyes we've had and the bruises and the bumps.
``We were like a stock that was at 80 and went to 20,'' added Robinson, who is coming off a pair of 19-loss seasons. ``We're building back up little by little.''
Lakista McCuller was the Wolfpack hero down the stretch, making three 3-pointers in the final 5:04 after North Carolina State had missed eight straight from long range.
``I knew it was going to come. We have too many great shooters,'' McCuller said of the misses. ``You are going to miss shots, you're not going to make all of them.
``I think we won this game because we had a lot of mental toughness out there,'' he added. ``We really played together and showed a lot of poise.''
The Wolfpack (8-2) last beat a top-ranked team on Feb. 23, 1986, topping North Carolina 76-65 in Reynolds Coliseum, where Tar Heels coach Dean Smith is now 17-17.
``You go into the other guy's gum and they give a gung-ho effort,'' said Smith. ``They have improved so much since last year.''
McCuller, who was 2-for-18 from 3-point range in his career against the Tar Heels, sank his key baskets after North Carolina pulled to within 60-59 in a game that had 11 lead changes and six ties.
North Carolina (9-1) did tie the score at 66 with 2:34 left after two of McCuller's three long shots, but he hit another one 15 seconds later to give the Wolfpack the lead for good.
McCuller, who scored 24 points, made four straight free throws after North Carolina fell behind 73-66 but pulled to 73-70 with 49 seconds left. The Wolfpack, eighth in the ACC in free-throw shooting, made nine of 10 in the final 1:19 to secure the win.
Fans stormed the court when the game ended.
Jerry Stackhouse led North Carolina with 24 points.
``It just wasn't there for us tonight,'' said Stackhouse, who also had 12 rebounds and three blocks. ``I don't think we played bad but I don't think we played as well as we could have.''
The Wolfpack won despite shooting only 39 percent and hitting 14 of 38 3-pointers.
``It always seems to happen against us,'' Stackhouse said.
Keywords:
BASKETBALL
by CNB