University of North Carolina Athletics
Tar Heels Looking To Continue Their Dominance Over Miami
December 17, 1999 | Men's Basketball
Dec. 17, 1999
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- If Miami expects to be known as more than simply a football power, it will need victories over teams like the No. 7 Tar Heels. The teams meet Saturday at the National Car Rental Center in Sunrise, Fla.
North Carolina won its first home game of the season after losing to then-No. 7 Michigan State in its home opener Dec. 1, defeating Tennessee Tech 85-59 last Sunday. Jason Capel led UNC with 21 points while Brendan Haywood added 16.
North Carolina coach Bill Guthridge said his team did a good job containing Tennessee Tech's 3-point shooting game, which is ranked third in the nation.
"The first half was a good half defensively," said Guthridge, whose team led 42-22 at intermission. "We were scared to death of threes. We really did a good job of covering the threes, except for the first two or three times."
Miami (4-2) will be making its fifth attempt at beating North Carolina (7-2). The Hurricanes and Tar Heels last met in Feb. 1990, with North Carolina winning 87-74 at Chapel Hill.
Miami had lost back-to-back games, to Memphis and N.C. Charlotte, but rebounded with a 97-61 rout of Hartford last Saturday. Johnny Hemsley, a Naismith Award candidate, scored 20 points to lead the Hurricanes.
Hemsley, one of 30 preseason candidates for the Naismith Award as player of the year, scored 18 first-half points as Miami took control from the opening tip. Hemsley shot 7-of-13 from the field, including 4-of-7 from 3-point range.
After some close games and a 77-68 loss to No. 1 Cincinnati at the Great Eight, the blowout of Tennessee Tech provided North Carolina with a boost.
"It helps with confidence factor," Capel said. "It's the first time we've been able to put a team away."
Ed Cota scored 15 points and had seven assists, giving him 826 assists in his career. He also reached the 1,000-point plateau on a layup with 14:55 remaining.
Only Cota, Tennessee Tech coach Jeff Lebo, North Carolina assistant Phil Ford and Kenny Smith have at least 1,000 points and 500 assists in their Tar Heel careers.
"It's a nice accomplishment, but not a big deal to me," Cota said. "Most guys get 1,000 points in two or three years. It took me four. It will look good in the record books."
