ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Sunday, March 30, 1997 TAG: 9703310150
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C-1 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: INDIANAPOLIS
SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS
Both teams shot poorly, but North Carolina committed 17 turnovers and lost in the semifinals of the NCAA Tournament.
Arizona knocked off North Carolina, just as it had No. 1 Kansas eight days earlier, and now the Wildcats are only one more improbable victory from their first NCAA men's basketball title.
Miles Simon, rejected by North Carolina coach Dean Smith four years ago, scored 24 points and Mike Bibby shook off a horrible start to hit four 3-pointers down the stretch as Arizona defeated the Tar Heels 66-58 Saturday night.
``As many Final Fours as they've been to and as many times you've seen them playing on TV in the championship, all the good players that have come through,'' Simon said, ``I'm just glad that it's Arizona's time now.''
The Wildcats (24-9), winning a game for the first time in three Final Four appearances, will play in Monday's championship game against Kentucky.
``They're not afraid of anyone, and they play that way,'' Arizona coach Lute Olson said of his players. ``I think the Kansas win gave us a confidence that, hey, if we can beat Kansas, we should be able to beat any of the teams we come up against. I don't think our guys are walking with a swagger, but ... the mindset we have right now is perfect.''
North Carolina (28-7), which had won its previous 16 games, shot 31 percent and committed 17 turnovers. The Tar Heels, who have reached the Final Four 11 times in Smith's 36 years, won't get a chance to bring their coach his third title in the same season in which he broke Adolph Rupp's record for coaching victories.
``We've had a great season, but I didn't tell them that,'' Smith said when asked what he told his players afterward. ``I said they tried hard but they have to look back at this and learn from each experience.
``Arizona did an excellent job with their interior defense. They are very quick. And we just weren't shooting well.''
Bibby finished with 20 points, including six 3-pointers, for Arizona, which shot 33 percent.
A freshman guard, Bibby missed 10 of his first 13 shots but kept firing.
``My mentality is to shoot the rock,'' he said. ``I'm not worried. I finally started hitting some. I just knew my shots would fall if I kept taking them.''
Vince Carter had 21 points, but only five in the second half, as North Carolina ended its season the same way it began - with a loss to Arizona. The Wildcats defeated the Tar Heels 83-72 in the Tipoff Classic on Nov. 22.
Shammond Williams hit a 3-pointer for North Carolina's first points of the game. But he missed his last seven shots from behind the arc and finished 1-for-13 from the floor.
The Wildcats led only 47-42 with 9:50 to play before Bibby and Simon scored all their team's points during a 14-4 run that made it a 15-point game.
Simon, who still has the rejection letter he received from Smith hanging on his bulletin board, began the stretch with a 3-pointer.
Bibby then hit a 3-pointer to make it 53-42. After two baskets by Serge Zwikker sandwiched Simon's 15-footer, Bibby hit two more 3-pointers for a 61-46 lead.
North Carolina scored the next seven points, but the cool Bibby made another 3-pointer to put Arizona up 64-55.
The game still wasn't wrapped up, though, as the Wildcats missed the front ends of three consecutive one-and-one free throws while Carter made a dunk and Ed Cota hit a 3-pointer to bring the Tar Heels to within six points.
But Carter, Williams and Cota missed 3-pointers, and Donnell Harris made two clinching free throws with 27.8 seconds left.
North Carolina started quickly. Antawn Jamison scored three straight baskets to start a 12-0 run that gave the Tar Heels a 15-4 lead.
Led by Simon's 10 points, the Wildcats outscored North Carolina 22-9 over the next 10 minutes to go ahead 26-24. Carter scored all nine UNC points during the span, including a spectacular jam on an alley-oop pass from Cota while being fouled by Davison.
While Arizona turned the ball over on its next four possessions, the Tar Heels scored seven points to go up 31-26.
The Wildcats responded, however, scoring the final eight points of the half as North Carolina committed four turnovers down the stretch.
Arizona held a 34-31 halftime lead despite shooting 34 percent and committing 12 turnovers thanks mostly to Simon, who had 15 points on 6-for-8 shooting. North Carolina also shot 34 percent and had 10 giveaways. NOTE: please see microfilm for scores.
LENGTH: Medium: 89 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: ASSOCIATED PRESS. 1. Vince Carter of UNC sits dejectedlyby CNBon the bench after the Tar Heels lost in the NCAA Tournament
semifinals. 2. Miles Simon of Arizona celebrates after the Wildcats
advanced to the championship game by beating UNC. color.