news-record.com

SPORTS

Clemson clobbers visiting Tar Heels

Thursday, January 14, 2010
(Updated 8:57 am)

CLEMSON, S.C. (MCT) — On more than one occasion during Wednesday's first half, several North Carolina Tar Heels eyes strayed to the Jumbotron at Littlejohn Coliseum.

Whether they were double-checking their double-figure deficit in disbelief or trying to figure out how much longer before they could escape from Clemson was not immediately clear.

But this is, after watching No. 24 Tigers dismantle it 83-64: North Carolina still has a lot of work to if it finally wants to win a true road game this season.

North Carolina (12-5, 1-1 ACC) saw its 10-game winning streak over the Tigers (14-3, 2-1) crushed because it couldn't hold onto the ball (26 turnovers) and slow Clemson's Demontez Stitt (20 points) or Trevor Booker (21).

The game took its tone early as the Tigers turned three straight UNC turnovers into six straight points. It was a sign of things to come. Carolina cut its early deficit to 9-6 on a transition bucket from Marcus Ginyard — back in the starting lineup at shooting guard — before the Tigers ran away with a 26-6 streak.

Clemson — which used its full-court press to jostle UNC throughout the game — buried six 3-pointers during that run, while Carolina committed seven turnovers. When the Tar Heels did manage to get the ball around the rim, they missed everything from 3-pointers to layups; their only buckets came on a drive by Leslie McDonald, and a Travis Wear shot off the glass and the putback.

Clemson, which got 11 points from Stitt and shot 57.6 percent in the first half, led by as many as 23 points; and Carolina, which had 15 turnovers by halftime, trailed 50-32 at the break.

UNC tried to get something going in the second half, as point guard Larry Drew II followed a Will Graves 3-pointer with a driving layup to cut it to 68-57 with about six minutes left. But Stitt followed with a three-point play to give Clemson back a 71-57 cushion. UNC reserve Dexter Strickland cut his team's deficit back to 12, but then Stitt swished two free throws and Booker scored to make it 75-59 with 3:48 left.

Strickland led the Tar Heels with 17 points.

The game marked the worst road loss in the Roy Williams era, surpassing the 2005-06 team, which fell at Southern California 74-59 on Dec. 21, 2005.

Carolina is now 0-3 in true road games this season, having also lost at Kentucky and College of Charleston. It is also 1-2 in neutral-site games — losing to Syracuse at Madison Square Garden and to Texas in Dallas, and beating Ohio State in Madison Square Garden.

NORTH CAROLINA (12-5) — Ginyard 2-4 0-0 4, Thompson 2-4 0-0 4, Davis 2-11 0-0 4, Drew II 4-8 1-2 9, Graves 2-11 3-4 9, Strickland 7-8 2-2 17, McDonald 4-7 1-2 9, Watts 0-0 0-0 0, Henson 0-0 0-0 0, D.Wear 1-2 0-0 2, T.Wear 3-6 0-0 6. Totals 27-61 7-10 64.

CLEMSON (14-3) — Potter 1-5 4-4 6, T.Booker 8-12 5-7 21, Grant 2-2 2-2 6, Stitt 8-14 3-3 20, Smith 4-12 4-4 14, Johnson 2-4 0-0 6, Young 3-7 0-0 8, Narcisse 0-0 0-0 0, Jennings 0-2 0-0 0, D.Booker 1-3 0-0 2. Totals 29-61 18-20 83.

Halftime—Clemson 50-32.
3-point goals—North Carolina 3-12 (Graves 2-9, Strickland 1-2, McDonald 0-1), Clemson 7-26 (Johnson 2-4, Young 2-5, Smith 2-7, Stitt 1-4, T.Booker 0-1, Jennings 0-1, Potter 0-4).
Fouled out—None.
Rebounds—North Carolina 38 (T.Wear 8), Clemson 30 (T.Booker 9).
Assists—North Carolina 12 (Drew II 5), Clemson 14 (T.Booker, Stitt 4).
Total fouls—North Carolina 16, Clemson 14.
A—10,000.

Accompanying Photos

Mary Ann Chastian (Associated Press)

Photo Caption: Clemson's Jerai Grant blocks North Carolina's Travis Weer's shot.

eMail Updates

Advertisement | Advertise with Us

Local Tickets

View All

Featured Ads

Search

Advertisement | Advertise with Us
Advertisement | Advertise with Us
Advertisement | Advertise with Us

News & Record Network Sites

User Tools

  • Mobile
  • Social
  • RSS
  • Share
  • Sign in to MyNR

Search