Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, March 12, 1995 TAG: 9503130081
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: E-4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JACK BOGACZY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: GREENSBORO, N.C. LENGTH: Medium
Before Saturday's semifinal session, Corrigan said no decision has been made on how to deal with the situation, which precipitated a heated verbal exchange between Clemson coach Rick Barnes and Tar Heels coach Dean Smith.
Corrigan said no announcement on any potential penalties or suspensions would be made during the ACC tournament.
``There should be something on that after we're done here,'' Corrigan said. ``We're going to deal with it then put it behind us.''
Meanwhile, ACC associate commissioner Fred Barakat, the league's officiating supervisor, said the officiating crew - while following normal policy - could have used better judgment in deciding to bring together Barnes and Smith, thereby inflaming the situation.
Although charges of ``dirty play,'' have been exchanged in two previous Clemson-UNC games this season, the quarterfinal-game problems began when Tigers freshman Iker Iturbe fouled UNC star Jerry Stackhouse with 3:10 remaining in UNC's victory.
Smith began pointing and yelling at Iturbe. Barnes started yelling at Smith and asked the officials for a midcourt meeting in front of the scorer's table. It turned into a shouting match.
Corrigan said Saturday that the officials - Frank Scagliotta, Rick Hartzell and Steve Gordon - ``were really concerned after the game. They don't want this kind of thing to happen.''
Corrigan agreed with Barakat that ``perhaps it would have been better'' not to bring the coaches together, as occurred. The ACC commissioner said he met after the game with Barnes and Carolina assistant coach Bill Guthridge, because Smith had left the Greensboro Coliseum immediately after the postgame interview session with the media.
Corrigan spoke on the phone Saturday morning with Smith.
``I listened to Dean, just as I listened to Rick last night,'' he said. ``I want to hear everything everybody has to say.''
The commissioner said he also wanted to talk with witnesses to the incident who were sitting at the scorer's table.
Corrigan said that no players were suspended for running on the court at the end of the game - when UNC's Donald Williams was upended by Clemson's Billy Harder on an alley-oop play - because the game clock had expired.
NCAA rules mandate that if players leave the bench to participate in a fight during a game, a one-game suspension is required.
by CNB