THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1997, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, February 9, 1997 TAG: 9702090184
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY FRANK VEHORN, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHAPEL HILL LENGTH: 81 lines
A few weeks ago, after North Carolina had lost its first three ACC games, the most stinging criticism it heard was that there were no leadership.
No one could make such a charge stick Saturday, though, when leaders were as abundant as big plays for a North Carolina team that has found new life.
The 20th-ranked Tar Heels (15-6, 5-5 ACC) continued a strong resurgence with an 81-57 victory over Virginia, which has not won in the Smith Center in 12 visits.
``Everybody was a leader out there. We didn't have just one guy doing it,'' sophomore guard Vince Carter said.
Indeed, it seemed everyone did get their licks in against the reeling Cavaliers (15-8, 5-6), who lost their second league game in three days.
Carter was one of four Tar Heels who scored at least 16 points and freshman point guard Ed Cota greased the explosive offense with eight assists - one more than the entire Virginia team.
The victory avenged a 75-63 loss to the Cavaliers in Charlottesville on Jan. 11.
``I told you then we were not playing Carolina basketball yet,'' reminded Antawn Jamison, who lead UNC with 19 points and nine rebounds.
``We're a different team now, and I knew this game would be a different story.''
UNC, winning for the fifth time in its last seven league games - the last two by 20-plus margins - evened its ACC record at .500 for the first time this season.
``It is a great feeling, being .500, considering how we started off,'' Jamison said. ``But there is more to come down the road.''
Virginia hung with the Tar Heels for 15 minutes before getting run over by an opportunistic transition game and vicious rebounding.
``We just said that it was time to kick it into gear and see what we could do,'' said Carter, who kicked off the explosion with back-to-back baskets.
The Heels outscored Virginia 16-5 in the final five minutes of the first half and 21-6 in the opening minutes of the second half to open a 27-point lead.
``We did it mainly with defense and rebounding,'' Jamison said. ``That helped to get our transition game going.''
The defense was most effective in the second half when Virginia was limited to only 12 of 41 field goal attempts (29.3 percent).
Carter, who excited a crowd of 21,572 with his mid-air jams, was quietly effective guarding Virginia's long-range bomber Curtis Staples.
Staples finished with five points and made only one of six 3-point attempts.
``I think a lot of people underestimate my defense,' said Carter, ``but I've taken pride in it this year.
``I'm a lot taller than Staples so I tried forcing him into taking tough shots and he did.''
Staples' backcourt mate Harold Deane, still hobbled with a painful shin injury, contributed only seven points.
The most productive Cavalier was power forward Norman Nolan, who had one of his best scoring games with 19 points.
Virginia had won three straight ACC games, all at home, before losing at Georgia Tech on Thursday.
Meanwhile, all five of North Carolina's league wins have been at home and four of its five losses have been on the road.
UNC goes back on the road for its next two games - at North Carolina State on Wednesday and at Georgia Tech on Saturday.
``We are playing with a lot of confidence now and we have to take that on the road with us,'' Jamison said.
The Heels also will take with them a warning from their coach Dean Smith.
``It is exciting to feel this way (happy) because we didn't feel this way much in January,'' Smith said.
``But we have to realize it is awfully hard from here out. N.C. State should have beaten us here and they won their last home game against Clemson.''
Virginia's next game is at home Tuesday against Duke. ILLUSTRATION: ASSOCIATED PRESS
North Carolina's Ademola Okulaja makes a point after slamming home a
dunk in victory against Virginia.
Color AP photo
North Carolina's Antawn Jamison, left, pulls a rebound away from
Colin Ducharme of Virginia during first-half action Saturday.