University of North Carolina Athletics
On This Day in Carolina History
June 21, 1999 | General
Sixth-ranked North Carolina and 16th-rated N.C. State each rallied from double-figure deficits before the Tar Heels escaped with a 75-73 win at Carmichael Auditorium.
The Wolfpack got eight points each from Brian Howard, Charles Shackleford and Rodney Monroe in the first half and State led, 32-19, with 8:02 left.
Carolina got going behind the play of Jeff Lebo and Steve Bucknall. Kevin Madden's three-pointer with four seconds on the clock cut State's lead to 35-34 at halftime.
Lebo, Rick Fox and Ranzino Smith led a Tar Heel surge after intermission that gave Carolina a 57-47 lead with just 7:58 in the game.
But, Vinnie Del Negro and Chris Corchiani hit back-to-back three-pointers to pull the Wolfpack back into the game. Trailing 67-60, State scored the final seven points of regulation on a three-pointer by Monroe, a baseline jumper by Chucky Brown and a tip-in by Del Negro.
In overtime Smith threw an alley-oop pass to J.R. Reid for a dunk and Bucknall fed Scott Williams for another stuff. Howard got an inside basket for State, but King Rice hit Reid for another layup and a 73-69 lead.
Del Negro cut that to 73-71 with a pair of free throws and 26 seconds still remaining. However, Rice passed to Williams for another dunk with 11 seconds to play to ice the game and make a last-second shot by Corchiani meaningless.
Both Carolina Coach Dean Smith and State's Jim Valvano pointed to the inside defense of Reid and Williams as the key factors in the game. They also finished with 13 points each, while Smith and Bucknall each had 14. Monroe led the State scoring with 19.
