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2:05 a.m. • 2-12-12

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Tom Suiter

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Bob Holliday

Trips to UVa Have Haunted UNC

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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I just wanted to see TBK actually say something positive and he did - thank you for acnowledging Dean Smith's wins. The irony of it is that of State's 2 national championships, only in one they were the legitimate best team in the country. The other got there by FOULING their way to the title (as V said - survive and advance). He was a great coach and it worked.

Perhaps that explains your obsession with fouling.

I don't understand State fans sometimes. You guys ran off a perfectly fine coach and human being. He already has turned around a program that was 0-for-the new mellineum and they are a real contender to make the NCAA (now that they've ended their recent skid). While I always root for State (except when they play my Heels) and will always do so despite fans like you, I would find it very ironic if ASU makes the NCAA this year and NCSU does not. It could happen.

Then spend some time worrying about them, why don't you? You continual obsession with UNC and your constant whining really doesn't reflect well on you as a true NCSU fan. You seem quite a bit more consumed with UNC than you are with NCSU.

It ain't over yet, Hockey.

And without UNC to whine about, Truth wouldn't have basketball to discuss cause his team ain't anything. Again.

First of all, Dean's win total was 879, not 897. And the refs didn't give them all their championships. In 1982, the G'town player threw the ball to Worthy for no good reason. It was the most retarded play in the history of college basketball at that point. He gave the championship away. Then Chris Webber called a timeout that Michigan didn't have in another.

Without teams GIVING Carolina the championship, they couldn't win any! LOL

ABC Song: "Carolina's win agains Clemson - the refs did it. Carolina's 2005 National Championship - the refs did it. The '93 Champs - the refs did it. The '82 champs - the refs did it. The '57 champs - the refs did it. The dozens of conference championships - the refs did it. Dean Smith's 897 wins - the refs. Michael Jordan's success beyond UNC - the refs. State, Duke, and the rest of the entire ACC having all-time losing records against UNC - the refs." blah blah blah blah. GO HEELS!!!

The difference, Allison, is that Virginia gets CALLED for their fouls! LOL

You bring up that Virginia fouls a lot. I hope the Carolina haters are reading this so they don't start running off at the mouth again about how a foul discrepency must mean the referees favor the Heels!

Looks like the Carolina refs are moonlighting for the Big East now! LOL

http://www.wral.com/sports/basketball/ncaa/story/2423388

Carolina just won a game they shouldn't have won. The law of averages says they should lose a game they shouldn't lose. Tonight's game would fit the bill nicely!!! GO CAVS!!!

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