University of North Carolina Athletics
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Tar Heels Escape with a Win over N.C. State
June 21, 1999 | Men's Basketball
February 17, 1999
UNC vs. NCSU Postgame Audio
By DAVID DROSCHAK
AP Sports Writer
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) - No. 14 North Carolina dodged another bullet against rival N.C. State, getting 12 second-half points from Kris Lang and two key 3-pointers from Ademola Okulaja for a 62-53 victory Wednesday night.
The Tar Heels (20-7, 8-5 Atlantic Coast Conference) extended their NCAA record string of 20-win seasons to 29 as freshmen Lang and Jason Capel scored 15 points each.
Meanwhile, N.C. State (15-11, 5-9), fighting for a postseason bid, fell to 1-7 on the road and 1-7 against ranked teams. Ron Kelley led the Wolfpack with 10 points.
The Wolfpack upset the Tar Heels at home last season when North Carolina was No. 1, and had them on the ropes again, leading 42-35 with 11:35 left.
But the Tar Heels got a 3-pointer from Okulaja and a key five-point play that pushed the momentum North Carolina's way as the Wolfpack went cold from the field.
Capel's 3-pointer and Lang's two free throws with 9:49 left gave the Tar Heels the lead for good as Kelley, playing in place of suspended starter Kenny Inge, was called for a foul underneath as Capel hit his long-range shot.
Okulaja capped the 11-0 run with a free throw as Adam Harrington missed five straight shots and N.C. State went 6:08 without a basket.
The Wolfpack did close within two points three times, the last with 1:52 left on a 3-pointer by Justin Gainey, but Gainey threw the ball away with a chance to tie it and Capel and Lang teamed to help seal it.
Capel made the first of two free throws. He missed the second, but Lang's follow dunk gave the Tar Heels a 56-51 lead with 56 seconds left.
The Wolfpack played without Inge, the team's leading rebounder and second-leading scorer, while the Tar Heels were without injured reserve Max Owens.
No team led by more than five points in a tight opening 20 minutes that featured six lead changes as N.C. State coach Herb Sendek dug deep into his bench for frontcourt players.
In fact, Keith Bean logged 10 minutes in the first half after playing a total of six minutes in N.C. State's last 10 games, helping the Wolfpack hold its own on the boards against one the nation's top rebounding team.
