THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, March 18, 1996 TAG: 9603180142
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY FRANK VEHORN, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: RICHMOND LENGTH: Long : 106 lines
Darvin Ham's backboard-shattering dunk may be the highlight clip of this year's NCAA basketball tournament, but it hardly told the story of Texas Tech chasing North Carolina out of the East Regional with a 92-73 victory Sunday.
What spoiled the Tar Heels' hopes in the second-round game was a barrage of 3-point shots that barely disturbed the twine as they fell like daggers through the net.
Texas Tech, the so-called mystery team of this tournament, tossed in a dozen treys to achieve the victory that finally may earn it some serious respect.
``Georgetown certainly had better watch out,'' North Carolina coach Dean Smith said, giving good advice to his old friend and Hoyas' coach John Thompson.
Georgetown is next up for the Red Raiders in an East Regional semifinal Thursday in Atlanta.
Although the Raiders, ranked eighth in the final Associated Press poll, brought an imposing 28-1 record and the nation's longest winning streak, 21 games, into the tournament, no one really knew what to make of them because of an unimpressive schedule.
They were seeded third in the East instead of getting the No. 2 seed in the Midwest, which they felt they deserved.
Almost stumbling in a one-point victory in the first round against unheralded Northern Illinois didn't help the image, either.
But the Raiders finally got the attention and respect they came looking for Sunday - first with Ham's game-stopping jam and then the game-breaking 3-pointers.
Ham shattered the backboard glass with a vicious jam about eight minutes into the game, tying the score at 16.
After a 29-minute delay to bring in a new goal post and backboard, the long-distance bombing began with a pair of 3-pointers by Jason Sasser.
Two more quick goals gave the Raiders a 22-16 lead.
The Tar Heels recovered and closed to 29-27 before the Raiders finished the first half with five straight 3-pointers for a 44-32 lead.
Four of their first six goals in the second half were 3-pointers, too, as they opened a 63-38 lead with 12:30 remaining.
North Carolina (21-11) had neither the firepower or the defense to get back into the game.
Texas Tech shot 58.8 percent from the floor, North Carolina 41.5 percent.
``I know it has been hard for them to get the recognition, but they got it today,'' Smith.
Texas Tech coach James Dickey agreed.
``Anytime you beat a program like North Carolina that has a coach as great as Dean Smith. . . . it's a special win,'' Dickey said.
``I am happy we beat a team like that, but it also put us in the Sweet 16 and that is more important.''
Neither coach could provide a good explanation for the reason Texas Tech suddenly took control after the game delay.
``Anytime you have a situation like that, you worry about the intensity level,'' Dickey said.
``But after the delay, I thought we were better defensively. That was something we talked about during the delay.''
Smith took the opportunity during the delay to advise his team, too.
``Our number one goal was to hold them to one shot and no fastbreak baskets,'' Smith said.
Maybe he should have said something about 3-point defense, too.
Actually, though, Smith said he was delighted when play resumed and Sasser bagged two straight 3-pointers.
He termed both as being ``bad shots,'' and said Sasser was well defended.
``He hit only 27 percent of his threes during the season,'' Smith added.
Sunday, he was 4 for 6 on his 3-pointers and finished with a game-high 27 points.
Both Sasser and Cory Carr, who had four 3-pointers, credited point guard Jason Martin with setting them up for good outside shots against Carolina's zone.
``He wasn't looking for his shot, but helping us get ours. That's what a good point guard does,'' Carr said.
North Carolina point guard Jeff McInnis, who had 25 points and 11 assists in the first-round win over New Orleans, failed to match those numbers.
He finished with 19 points and only two assists.
Backcourt mate Dante Calabria added eight points and six assists in his final college game.
``I think we were ready to play after that long delay, but they came out and hit a couple of big buckets,'' Calabria said.
``We had our chance to hit a couple of big buckets, too, but they didn't drop for us.''
The second-round loss was only the second in the last 16 seasons for the Tar Heels.
They were stopped short of the Sweet 16 two years ago by Boston College but recovered to reach the Final Four last year.
``I am disappointed for this team and our fans,'' Smith said.
``But we did try hard, and there is nothing more we can to but take the defeat as a man and move forward.'' ILLUSTRATION: ASSOCIATED PRESS
[Color Photo]
Texas Tech's Darvin Ham broke the backboard glass at the Richmond
Coliseum with this first-half dunk, necessitating a 29-minute delay.
Antawn Jamison, left, and Serge Zwikker suffered minor cuts.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Dean Smith, left, watched his North Carolina team lose in the NCAA
second round for just the second time in their last 16 visits.
by CNB