Clemson's Demontez Stitt had a dream so clear and vivid the night
before facing No. 12 North Carolina, he had to call someone as soon
as he could.
"I woke up this morning, called my mom, texted a couple of
people," Stitt said. "I told them that I had a dream where I had a
good game against the Tar Heels, we won by a lot and everybody
stormed the court."
"You know what happened tonight," Stitt said with a smile.
Stitt had 20 points, Trevor Booker scored 21 and the Tigers
(14-3, 2-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) broke a 10-game losing streak
to North Carolina with an 83-64 victory Wednesday night.
Besides their first loss to Clemson (No. 19 ESPN/USA Today,
No. 24 AP) since 2004, this was the Tar Heels (12-5, 1-1) most
lopsided ACC loss since a 96-56 defeat to Maryland in 2003.
North Carolina starters combined for just 12 field goals. Its
two leading scorers, Deon Thompson and Ed Davis, managed a combined
9 points -- almost 20 fewer than they'd averaged coming in.
The Tar Heels ended with 26 turnovers, matching the most
committed in coach Roy Williams' seven seasons.
"I'm not feeling good about the job I'm doing right now,"
Williams said.
Clemson feels pretty good about its performance.
The Tigers hadn't beaten the Tar Heels in nearly six years,
but used a first-half blitz to lead by 23 points and held on
against one of their toughest ACC opponents.
Stitt hit Clemson's first two baskets during and Booker had a
three-point play to close a 17-6 opening run less than five minutes
in.
North Carolina never got any closer, losing for the fifth
time in six games away from the Smith Center.
Clemson fans rushed the court as the buzzer sounded. And why
not? It was only the fifth time in 16 years they'd seen the Tigers
topple the Tar Heels. They'll get to celebrate for a while, too,
because Clemson won't travel to Chapel Hill -- where it's 0-54.
"I don't look at things that way," Tigers coach Oliver
Purnell said. "It is a satisfying ACC win, but it's so early."
North Carolina came in thinking it solved some of its early
season problems.
Injured starters Marcus Ginyard and Will Graves were back in
the lineup after opening the ACC with a solid win over Virginia
Tech last Sunday night. Heck, Williams had ditched the sling that
protected his injured left arm.
But North Carolina played a ragged opening half with 15
turnovers, four of those coming in Clemson's opening spurt and
could not dig itself out of the hole.
Tar Heel passes sailed high and wide. Players couldn't finish
normally easy plays and Clemson's defensive pressure rattled North
Carolina.
At one point early in the second half, a frustrated Williams
swapped out his starting lineup for five freshmen.
None of it worked.
"I've got to do everything better," said Williams, who won
national championships in 2005 and 2009 at his alma matter.
Williams pointed to a lack of urgency on the defensive end
and a lack of poise offensively.
Clemson fans were ready for this one for some time. The game
had been a sellout before the season started and students set up a
tent city in frigid conditions outside Littlejohn this week to
guarantee a seat.
But that's the way it's been at Clemson the past two times
the Tar Heels have come to town for the showdown of ranked teams
and North Carolina left with victory both times.
This time, the Tigers did not disappoint.
Clemson hit seven of its first nine shots to move in front
17-6 against the shocked Tar Heels.
Stitt drove past North Carolina's backcourt for easy layups.
Freshman Noel Johnson made two consecutive threes and Booker closed
the run with a three-point play.
North Carolina could not recover. Midway through the period,
North Carolina had 11 turnovers and 12 points.
Clemson kept pouring on the pressure. Andre Young's 3-pointer
made it 30-12 and Tanner Smith connected on another to increase the
lead to 23.
North Carolina's inside strength didn't show against Clemson.
Thompson had just one basket and Davis was 0 for 3 as the Tigers
led 50-32 at the break.
The Tar Heels got within 68-57 on Larry Drew II's basket.
Stitt, though, finished off a three-point play the next time down
to regain control.
The Tigers, 11th in ACC foul shooting, finished 18 of 20 from
the line, making all 13 in the second half.
The scene at Littlejohn looked a lot like last year when
Clemson defeated Duke 74-47, the Blue Devils biggest margin of
defeat in almost 20 years. What thought to be a breakthrough
victory, though, was one of the season's final highlights as the
Tigers lost seven of their last 11 games.
"We'll enjoy this for the night, but tomorrow it's time to go
back to work," Stitt said.
