Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, January 8, 1995 TAG: 9501100023
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-5 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DOUG DOUGHTY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHAPEL HILL, N.C. LENGTH: Medium
Top-ranked North Carolina was not distracted Saturday by the presence of its most famous basketball alumnus and avoided a rare second loss to open ACC play.
The Tar Heels, knocked off Wednesday night at North Carolina State, defeated Maryland 100-90 in a showdown of the teams ranked Nos.1 and 2 in the conference to start the season.
North Carolina fell behind 23-16 in the first half, but took control when Maryland center Joe Smith got in foul trouble and never trailed in the second half to avoid its first 0-2 start in the ACC since 1980.
Seventh-ranked Maryland (11-3 overall, 1-1 ACC) got as close as 64-62 with 121/2 minutes remaining, but never had the ball and a shot to take the lead or tie.
The Terrapins' last gasp came with six minutes remaining, when a 3-point shot by Johnny Rhodes went in an out of the basket with the score 77-73. After a pair of free throws by Jerry Stackhouse and Donald Williams, Carolina (10-1, 1-1) never again led by fewer than six.
Stackhouse finished with 22 points and Rasheed Wallace added 21 - 15 in the first 12 minutes of the second half, including nine in a row. Indeed, all five Carolina starters scored in double figures.
Providing a big lift was junior guard Dante Calabria, who had missed the N.C. State game with a sprained ankle. He scored 11 points in the first half, and in a stretch of three possessions, Calabria fed Wallace and Stackhouse for thunderous dunks before hitting a 3-pointer.
``I think Calabria showed a lot of fortitude,'' said Gary Williams, Maryland's coach. ``I watched him in warmups and he seemed a little stiff to me. I thought he played hard.
``I'm not that close to the situation with [N.C.] State, but any time you lose [an emotional game] like that, it gets your attention and you make sure you're extra prepared for the next game.''
Part of Carolina's preparation Friday included a 90-minute practice with Michael Jordan, the former Tar Heels star who went on to stardom with the NBA's Chicago Bulls.
``He didn't do much but shoot and play one-on-one at the end of practice,'' said Dean Smith, the Tar Heels' coach. ``He wanted to play golf and I know he did that.''
Jordan, who played at Carmichael Auditorium during his college career, had played in pick-up games at the Smith Center but never had been to a game before Saturday night.
``I didn't know he was here,'' said Wallace, oblivious to the commotion in the stands. ``It was a good experience to practice with him. You could tell why he was a premier player with the Bulls.''
Most of Wallace's attention was focused on Maryland center Joe Smith, last season's ACC rookie of the year, who finished with 20 points and 10 rebounds but played only 20 minutes.
After sitting out the final 51/2 minutes of the first half after picking up his third foul, Smith picked up his fourth personal with 16 minutes, 38 seconds to go in the game.
Wallace, seemingly ready to take a foul-line jumper, moved one step closer to the basket to lure Smith into a blocked-shot opportunity. Smith took the bait and sat out until 9:07 remained.
``I was looking to get the fifth on him, too, and I couldn't get it,'' Wallace said. ``It's just another good matchup, like Kareem [Abdul-Jabbar] and Wilt [Chamberlain]. There will be more to come.''
by CNB