Articles by Powell Latimer

Freshmen propel Tar Heels to win

STARKVILLE, Miss. — Trailing 13-2 and steaming mad at his team, North Carolina coach Roy Williams yanked the team’s veterans.

Against a hot-shooting Mississippi State team playing on its home floor, Williams sent in freshmen Dexter Strickland, Leslie McDonald, Travis Wear, John Henson and sophomore Tyler Zeller.

Ten minutes later, the Tar Heels had gained the lead.

The throwback uniforms and relocation to Carmichael Arena were good for one win, and next up for North Carolina is a stiff road test.

The Tar Heels, a No. 4 seed in the NIT, won their tournament opener by beating No. 5 seed William & Mary in the smaller and decidedly more intense Carmichael. UNC even hit 80 points for the first time in 2010.

UNC earns throwback win

With throwback uniforms and a throwback arena, North Carolina wrapped itself in its own 100-year legacy for Tuesday night’s NIT opener against William & Mary.

And on Tuesday, it was enough for a throwback 80-72 win.

North Carolina earns postseason NIT bid

Despite its troubles, North Carolina still got a postseason bid.

The Tar Heels, mired in a 16-16 season and a tenth-place finish in the ACC, were nonetheless too attractive a candidate for the National Invitational Tournament to pass up. UNC earned a No. 4 seed.

The Tar Heels host No. 5 seed William & Mary on Tuesday.

Around 9:30 p.m. Sunday, when the National Invitational Tournament gave North Carolina a No. 4 seed and a home opener, there were two buzz words in the Tar Heel locker room: relief and surprise.

DURHAM — Duke's Saturday-night thrashing of North Carolina was a tale of two seniors.

On one hand, there was Duke's Brian Zoubek. The 7-footer from Haddonfield, N.J., hauled in 13 rebounds as Duke clobbered the Tar Heels on his Senior Night.

UNC trails Duke at halftime, 53-26

Durham — North Carolina trails Duke by 27 points after 20 minutes of play at Cameron Indoor Stadium, 53-26.

Kyle Singler leads the Blue Devils with 19 points. Nolan Smith has 16, and John Scheyer has 11 points and seven assists.

UNC, Duke face off once again Saturday night

This Saturday night, it’s chapter two in the 2010 edition of the North Carolina-Duke rivalry.

The Tar Heels are on their first win streak of 2010, with wins against Wake Forest and Miami. The Blue Devils have a No. 4 national ranking and at least a share of the regular-season conference title locked up despite a stinging loss at Maryland on Wednesday night.

NIT in sight as Tar Heels roll Deacons

WINSTON-SALEM — With about four minutes to play in North Carolina’s game at Wake Forest, Will Graves looked up at a scoreboard and saw the improbable — a double-digit lead for UNC.

“At first I thought, ‘Thank you,’” Graves said. “Then I was like, ‘Now it’s time to buckle down.’”

Those sentiments haven’t been spoken in some time for this UNC team (15-14, 4-10 ACC), which snapped a three-game losing skid with a 77-68 win at Wake Forest on Saturday.

UNC can’t single out FSU’s Singleton

On Florida State’s opening possession Wednesday night, Chris Singleton spotted up from beyond the arc, pulled up and fired.

Swish.

On the next possession, Singleton did the same. Six quick points for the sophomore forward put him on track to lead FSU past North Carolina — and neither Singleton nor his teammates looked back.

Articles by Powell Latimer

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