By Bob Holliday
Do you believe in ghosts? Clemson probably does. How else to explain North Carolina's phenomenal double-digit comeback in the final three minutes to beat the Tigers at home for the 53rd time in 53 tries?
Yes, Carolina played with amazing resolve in the closing minutes. And I understand that Clemson coach Oliver Purnell believes his defense let up. But some of the things that happened in the Dean Smith Center invoke thoughts of the supernatural.
But now Carolina must confront some of its own demons. They can be found in Charlottesville. Playing at Virginia means Richard Morgan hitting off-balance three-pointers and falling into the crowd. It's Harold Deane driving and dishing to the rifleman Curtis Staples (that was easy!). Or more recently, Carolina trips to UVa are a guarantee that Roger Mason Jr. will suddenly end his shooting slump.
OK, so none of those former Cavaliers will see game action Tuesday night. Neither in all probability will Ty Lawson. Since Marcus Ginyard, already suffering from turf toe, today underwent an X-ray on his ankle, his availability would also seem to be in question. While Quentin Thomas played the best 45 minutes of his career Sunday night, the bad news is – he played 45 minutes! Now he and his Tar Heel teammates will hop on a bus to Charlottesville to play again just 48 hours after their double overtime thriller against Clemson.
I know Clemson just beat this Virginia team by 30-plus on the Cavaliers' home court. Do not invoke the transitive property of basketball here. In the new millennium, Carolina has won in Charlottesville exactly one time. Only UNC's 2005 championship team has scored a Virginia breakthrough.
Expect Sean Singletary to have a big game. He passed up the pros to play his senior season and thus far has little to show for it. At 1-8 in the ACC, Virginia will not be playing in the NCAA Tournament. A great outing against the Heels could make Singletary's season.
You can also expect the Cavaliers to foul religiously when the Tar Heels feed Tyler Hansbrough in the post. Dave Leitao's bunch averages 25 fouls per game. UNC is the best free-throw shooting team in the ACC, but will the shots fall in a tight road game?
Tuesday's game can be seen on WRAL-TV. I'm not just trying to hype ratings here _ the banged-up Tar Heels will probably have to summon that wherewithall to win in the final minutes _again. Whatever outside forces that helped Carolina win in the Dean Dome probably won't make the trip to Charlottesville. And those ghosts that haunted the Heels in old University Hall, just may make their way to the new John Paul Jones Arena.
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