GoHeels Exclusive: Pinson Comes Close Again

by Pat James, GoHeels.com

CHARLOTTE — Theo Pinson had come close before, even multiple times this season.

But among his most notable near triple-doubles during his senior campaign came on Feb. 12 at the Smith Center, where he registered 16 points, 10 rebounds and five assists in an 83-66 win over Notre Dame.

"I'm not going to lie, I tried to get the triple-double tonight," he said then. "But nobody wanted to make shots. (laughter) I'm just playing."

Pinson later fell just four assists shy of a triple-double in UNC's 78-59 victory over Syracuse in the ACC Tournament. And in helping the Tar Heels to an 84-66 win over Lipscomb in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Friday, he flirted with the feat once again.

This time, he came closer than he ever had before.

Pinson finished with 15 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists against the Bisons, matching the closest a UNC player had come to a tripe-double in NCAA Tournament history. Steve Bucknall had 10 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds in the 1989 Sweet 16 loss against Michigan.

"I honestly felt it (Friday)," said Pinson during Saturday's media availability. "I was like, 'I don't know what my stat line is, but I feel like I'm pretty close to a triple-double.' I'm glad nobody told me so I could just stay locked in on the game. At the same time, I came pretty close."

The last triple-double recorded by a Tar Heel was on Dec. 17, 2000, when Jason Capel finished with 16 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists against Buffalo. It occurred just 13 days after Brendan Haywood notched one with 18 points, 14 rebounds and 10 blocks against Miami.

But the accomplishment has eluded all UNC players since then.

No player, however, has appeared more destined to break the Tar Heels' almost 18-year streak without a triple-double than Pinson, who enters Sunday's second-round NCAA Tournament game against Texas A&M having casually averaged 12.8 points, 7.7 rebounds and 6.1 assists over his last 13 games.

"They know if I get it, it will be because I just played; I didn't try to go out there and force it," Pinson said. "And I think that's the good thing, that I wasn't out there trying to get a triple-double. I was just playing basketball."

Because the scoreboard at Spectrum Arena hangs above the court, Pinson's teammates couldn't track his stat line during Friday's game, even if they tried. But none seemed surprised when they learned of his near triple-double afterward.

"That's the kind of guy Theo is," Joel Berry II said. "You can pretty much expect him to be close to a triple-double at the end of the game because he gives you a little bit of points, he gives you rebounds and he's always trying to look to make a play.

"At the end of the game, we didn't know (how close Pinson was) until we got into the locker room. But I wish I would have. Some of the shots I missed (on passes) from him, I would have made."

And knowing Pinson, he probably let Berry know that.

Players Mentioned

Joel Berry II

Theo Pinson

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