THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, March 5, 1995 TAG: 9503050223
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY RICH RADFORD, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHAPEL HILL, N.C. LENGTH: Medium: 69 lines
Every team at or near the top of the ACC standings has feared being knocked off by Duke in the Blue Devils' year of hard knocks.
Saturday night it was No. 2 North Carolina's turn. Again.
But unlike a month ago when the Blue Devils took the Tar Heels to double overtime before losing, North Carolina took care of business in the closing minutes of regulation, posting a 99-86 victory on Senior Night at the Smith Center.
The victory kept alive UNC's hopes of a share of first place in the ACC.
A Virginia win today over first-place Maryland would create a four-way tie at the top among Maryland, Wake Forest, Virginia and UNC.
If Maryland wins and captures the ACC regular-season title outright, the Tar Heels (22-4 ACC, 12-4 overall) will finish in a tie with Wake Forest for second.
UNC had to weather a barrage of 3-pointers by Duke in the first half. The Blue Devils made 8 of 12 attempts beyond the arc, with freshman Trajan Langdon (23 points) making five of his six treys as Duke led, 44-38.
Meanwhile, UNC guard Donald Williams, the Tar Heels' lone regular starting senior, was an icy 2 for 10 from the field.
But the tables turned as Williams made 7 of 9 attempts in the second half, including a 3-pointer with 8:01 remaining that gave UNC a 71-64 lead and seemed to ease any tension on the Tar Heels' part.
``We knew eventually those shots would stop falling,'' Williams said of Duke's early accuracy. ``In the second half we turned up the defensive pressure and they started missing.''
The Blue Devils were a combined 4 of 14 on 3-pointers in the second half
``We got some open looks in the second half just like the first half,'' said Duke point guard Jeff Capel, who had 18 points. ``We just didn't knock them down.''
That reversal of fortune mirrored the team's hard luck of the past year.
NCAA finalists last spring, the Blue Devils lost coach Mike Krzyzewski to complications from back surgery in early January. Friday, power forward Greg Newton was suspended for the remainder of the season for academic reasons. Saturday's loss capped a 2-14 run through the ACC, completing the penthouse-to-basement fall. Duke is 12-17 overall.
Newton's absence showed in the second half as UNC's Rasheed Wallace finally wore down Duke's Cherokee Parks and Eric Meek.
Wallace hit his last seven shots from the field to finish with 16 points. But none were as big, or as potentially damaging, as his breakaway dunk with 11:09 remaining.
Wallace collected a loose ball near the Duke free throw line and beat Steve Wojciechowski to the other end. When Wojciechowski brushed Wallace's hip trying to pick him from behind, Wallace went up and swung fiercely on the rim. Officials Lenny Wirtz and Dick Paparo conferred and decided against calling a technical foul on Wallace.
``It was a big steal and I think everybody was surprised that Rasheed took it in like that,'' said UNC point guard Jeff McInnis, who had 17 points and nine assists.
Jerry Stackhouse, who was his usual solid self with 24 points, tipped in Wallace's miss for North Carolina's first lead of the second half, 63-62.
``Then we had some good defensive stops and that's when the game changed,'' McInnis said.
The Tar Heels scored 61 second-half points, hitting 21 of 30 field goal attempts.
``When we get it going,'' Williams said, ``I don't think too many people can stop our offense.'' by CNB