THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, January 6, 1995 TAG: 9501060583
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY FRANK VEHORN, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: RALEIGH, N.C. LENGTH: Medium: 89 lines
North Carolina coach Dean Smith was saying that any ACC team except possibly Clemson could be ranked No. 1 nationally when he got two astonishing reports Wednesday night.
``Clemson has just beaten Duke,'' announced someone with a radio in his ear.
``Yeah, and elephants are flying overhead,'' someone else added.
``That is remarkable,'' said Smith.
His response was to the factual account of No. 11 Duke's loss, and not to the unsubstantiated rumors of flying elephants circling Reynolds Coliseum, where minutes earlier North Carolina State had stunned the nation's No. 1-ranked Tar Heels, 80-70.
On this first night of the regular season in the ACC, though, anything seemed possible.
``Welcome to college basketball,'' Smith said crisply.
A rude welcome it was, too, for the two teams that have dominated the ACC, and most of the nation, the last several years.
Either North Carolina or Duke has won the ACC regular season the last four years, and seven of the last nine, and they are heavy preseason favorites to continue the run this year. It still will be surprising if one or the other doesn't emerge on top of the league again.
But, right now, the league's two premier teams are at the bottom of the standings, looking up to Clemson and N.C. State - teams that have occupied the league basement the last four years.
``You are going to see a lot of crazy things happening in this league this season,'' predicted Virginia coach Jeff Jones, whose Cavaliers had a surprise of their own for Florida State in their ACC opener.
The worst field-goal shooting team in the league, the Cavaliers bagged 11 of 21 3-point attempts to shoot down the Seminoles, 81-75.
The only ACC regular-season opener that went as expected was No. 7 Maryland's 80-67 victory over No. 24 Georgia Tech in College Park, Md.
Long-distance shooting also was a factor in N.C. State's first victory over the Tar Heels since 1992. The Wolfpack hit 14 of 38 3-point attempts while North Carolina was 2 for 15.
N.C. State coach Les Robinson seemed willing to compare the upsets of UNC and Duke to flying elephants.
``It is an amazing night. That is unbelievable, it really is,'' he said when informed Duke had lost to Clemson in Durham for the first time since 1984.
``But over there, they are probably saying the same thing about us beating Carolina,'' Robinson grinned.
Actually, the N.C. State victory hardly compared in unbelievability to the Duke defeat some 30 miles away.
Only a week ago the Tigers lost their best player, Devin Gray, to academics, and don't have a starter over 6-foot-6.
They neutralized Duke's height advantage by spreading the court and outplaying the Blue Devils on the perimeter.
N.C. State's upset was less shocking, and even had been predicted by some. The unranked Wolfpack, whose only losses were close decisions to No. 2 UCLA and No. 4 Kansas, came out confident against the Tar Heels, who replaced injured starter Dante Calabria with former walk-on Pearce Landry.
N.C. State went up, 15-10, before falling behind, 29-23.
``I think we were overconfident in the first half, and had to settle ourselves down,'' said senior guard Lakista McCuller, who hit six 3-pointers and finished with 24 points.
Landry, meanwhile, had only three points and committed five turnovers.
Calabria, who sprained an ankle in last Saturday's victory over UNC-Asheville, is expected back for Saturday night's game against Maryland in Chapel Hill.
``I don't want to take anything away from a great N.C. State win,'' Smith replied when asked how much his team missed Calabria.
``We could have executed better, but I can't fault our effort. We are in a very good league and on any given night anyone is capable of beating anyone else.
``I guess I have to include Clemson in that, too, even without Gray.''
The Wolfpack plays Virginia in Reynolds Coliseum on Saturday afternoon, and Robinson quickly reminded his team it still has 15 ACC regular-season games left.
``This game was extremely emotional with it being against a big rival ranked No. 1 in the nation and the first conference game of the year,'' Robinson said. ``We've taken a big step in our league, but I am not saying we have arrived yet.'' ILLUSTRATION: Color photo
ASSOCIATED PRESS
An N.C. State fan is aglow after UNC's defeat Wednesday.
by CNB