February 6, 1999
February 6, 1999
NOTING THE TAR HEELS
Carolina returns to the Smith Center on Sunday afternoon to face Florida State at 3:30 p.m. in an ABC televised contest. Four of the Tar Heels final six regular-season games are at home with road games remaining at Maryland and at Virginia. Carolina fell to 18-6 overall and 6-4 in the ACC with a 78-63 loss at Clemson on Thursday. The Tar Heels are third in the ACC standings and have a one-half game lead over Florida State. The Seminoles are 12-9 overall and 5-4 in the league.
After winning five of six games in January, Carolina has dropped two of its last three. The Tar Heels lost at Clemson on Thursday and have not lost two consecutive conference games since starting the 1996 ACC season with three straight losses.
Carolina is 9-1 at the Smith Center this season and 154-19 (.890) overall. The Tar Heels are 90-17 (.841) in ACC games at the Smith Center.
Carolina's opponents are shooting just 38.4 percent from the field this season and scoring just 62.3 points per game. In Carolina's six ACC wins, only one opponent has scored over 60 points (Georgia Tech scored 66). Six opponents have been held under 50 points this season.
only two opponents have shot better than 50 percent from the field against the Tar Heels this year (Maryland and Duke).
In conference games only, Ademola okulaja leads the league in three-point field goal percentage (.465) and is second in rebounding (9.1 per game).
Carolina was outrebounded at Clemson for the first time in the last five games. Carolina entered the week as the nation's top rebounding team, but were out-boarded by the Tigers, 39-28. The Tar Heels have not been outrebounded in consecutive games since the 1996-97 season. That season, Wake Forest and Maryland won the battle of the boards on Jan. 4 and Jan. 8, respectively as Carolina lost both games.
Since Feb. 1, 1997, Carolina has a 68-11 record.
CAROLINA-FLORIDA STATE SERIES NOTES
The Tar Heels lead the series, 23-5, including a 5-2 record at the Smith Center. Carolina has won four straight in the series, including two consecutive at the Smith Center. The last time Carolina lost to FSU at home was on Feb. 24, 1996.
Since Florida State joined the ACC in 1991-92, Carolina has won 13 of the 17 games between the two schools.
Carolina has won four straight in the series since dropping back-to-back games to the Seminoles on Feb. 24, 1996 and Jan. 22, 1997.
Carolina's only loss to FSU outside ACC competition came in the 1972 Final Four. The Tar Heels dropped a 79-75 decision to the Seminoles in the national semifinals.
Earlier this year, Carolina beat the Seminoles in Tallahassee, 72-54. Carolina trailed by three at the half, but outscored the Seminoles, 44-23, in the second period and won convincingly. Ademola okulaja scored 19 points and had 13 rebounds and Brendan Haywood had 15 points and grabbed 11 rebounds. The Tar Heels outrebounded FSU, 46-21. Carolina was 23 for 31 from the free throw line compared to FSU's 1 of 2 effort.
UNC WINS VS. LOSSES - OVERALL
Comparison Category 18 wins 6 losses
FG Percentage 48.4% 44.2%
opponents' FG Pct. 35.6% 46.8%
3pt. FG Pct. 39.7% 33.0%
opponents 3pt. FG Pct. 28.8% 41.8%
Free Throws 289 of 400 81 of 118
opponents Free Throws 120 of 187 79 of 123
UNC WINS VS. LOSSES - ACC GAMES
Comparison Category 6 wins 3 losses
FG Percentage 44.3% 44.0%
opponents FG Pct. 34.3% 49.2%
3pt. FG Pct. 36.5% (31 of 85) 31.5% (23 of 73)
opponents 3pt. FG Pct. 22.5% (34 of 151) 41.9% (31 of 74)
Free Throws 85 of 118 43 of 66
opponents Free Throws 34 of 53 57 of 92
FIELD GOAL PERCENTAGE DEFENSE
Carolina leads the ACC in field goal percentage defense, limiting opponents to just 38.4 percent shooting. That is the lowest field goal percentage by UNC's opponents since the 1959-60 season when Carolina held its opponents to 37.5 percent from the field.
Since the 1961-62 seasons (37 years), UNC's opponents shot less than 40 percent from the field on just two occasions. In 1993-94, UNC held the opposition to 39.5 percent shooting and last year opponents shot 38.4 percent.
NBA ROSTERS A FAMILIAR SHADE OF BLUE
opening day NBA rosters were released on Feb. 4 and 16 former Tar Heels have made an NBA team, the most of any college team. Arizona is second with 13, followed by Georgetown, Kentucky, Kansas and Georgia Tech with 10 each.
In the ACC, Carolina leads the way with 16, followed by Georgia Tech (10), NC State (6), Duke (6), Wake Forest (5), Florida State (5), Clemson (4), Virginia (4) and Maryland (4).
GUTHRIDGE NEAR BEST TW0-YEAR RECoRD IN HISToRY
Bill Guthridge is 52-10 in two years as North Carolina's head basketball coach. No other head coach who began his career in the ACC (after 1953-54) has ever reached 50 wins as quickly.
Last season, Guthridge became the alltime winningest first-year head coach with 34 victories. He is already tied for second place nationally with former UNC coach Ben Carnevale for most wins after two years. See chart below.
Top 10 Best Career Starts by Wins
(2 Seasons)
Coach, School Record Pct.
1. Everett Case, NC State 55-8 .873
2. Bill Guthridge, North Carolina 52-10 .839
Ben Carnevale, North Carolina 52-11 .825
4. Bill Carmody, Princeton 51-6 .895
5. Gary Cunningham, UCLA 50-8 .862
6. Kermit Davis Jr., Idaho 50-12 .806
7. Nolan Richardson, Tulsa 50-13 .794
Stan Watts, BYU 50-21 .704
9. Denny Crum, Louisville 49-8 .860
Bill Hodges, Indiana State 49-12 .803
Peter Barry, San Francisco 49-13 .790
TAR HEELS FALL AT CLEMSON
Carolina lost at Clemson for the first time since 1994, falling to the Tigers, 78-63. The Tar Heels were outrebounded, 39-28, and did not have any players with more than one offensive rebounds.
Kris Lang was 7 of 7 from the floor and scored 16 points and had eight rebounds. Ademola okulaja was the only other Tar Heel in double figures with 13 points.
Carolina played without Ed Cota at full strength. Cota was still sufferring the effects of a pulled left calf strain that kept him out of the previous game. However, he did play 25 minutes and had seven points, seven assists and just one turnover.
Terrell McInytre led Clemson with 25 points and hit four of the Tigers' 10 three-point baskets.
MANY CoNTRIBUTE IN WIN oVER GEoRGIA TECH
Carolina avenged its first ACC loss of the season with a 75-66 win over Georgia Tech on January 31st in the Smith Center. Kris Lang led all UNC players with 17 points and 11 rebounds. UNC played without backcourt starters Ed Cota (strained left calf) and Jason Capel (mononecleosis).
Freshman Ronald Curry started at point guard in place of Cota; sophomore Max owens made his fourth consecutive start in place of Capel. Curry had 13 points, seven assists, five rebounds and two steals in 33 minutes. owens made 3 of 5 three-pointers en route to a career-high 16 points.
Lang was 7 for 11 from the field en route to his second double-double of the year (Dartmouth and Georgia Tech).
Ademola okulaja battled foul trouble in the second half, but finished with 11 points, seven boards, five steals (matched his career high), three assists and zero turnovers in 32 minutes of action.
Center Brendan Haywood had 12 points and four rebounds and played solid post defense against Tech center Alvin Jones.
Reserve point guard Terrence Newby had four points and one assist and committed just one turnover in 10 minutes. Newby hit a key three-pointer with 11:56 to play that gave Carolina a four-point lead.
The Tar Heels out-rebounded the Yellow Jackets, 47-34. It was the fourth straight game in which Carolina has out-boarded its opponents by at least 10 rebounds.
Carolina connected on six three-point field goals, the same number UNC made in the previous three games combined.
Kris Lang (17 points) was one of five Tar Heels in double figures in scoring. It was the first time this year Carolina had five players reach double figures in a game. The last time UNC accomplished the feat was against Navy in the first round of the 1998 NCAA Tournament. The five high-scorers in that game included Antawn Jamison, Vince Carter, Shammond Williams, Ed Cota and Makhtar Ndiaye. The five double-digit scorers against Georgia Tech on Sunday were Lang, Max owens, Ronald Curry, Brendan Haywood and Ademola okulaja.
OVER 300 STRAIGHT GAMES AS RANKED TEAM
North Carolina's game vs. Florida State is the Tar Heels' 305th straight game as an Associated Press ranked team. The ACC record for most consecutive games played as an AP-ranked team is 319 set by UNC between Dec. 5, 1973 and Dec. 20, 1982.
The last time Carolina was not ranked was during the 1989-90 season. That year, Carolina was ranked in five weekly polls, but fell out of the poll in late January. Since the start of the 1990-91 season, Carolina has been ranked in 156 consecutive polls. That is the nation's longest current streak and the fourth-longest alltime.
Since Dec. 5, 1973, Carolina has been left out of the weekly AP poll just 15 times. In that time, Carolina has been ranked in 433 of a possible 448 weeks, a percentage of .967.
ACC opponents three-point Percentage
In Carolina's six ACC wins, opponents are shooting 22.5 percent (34 of 151) from three-point range. In the Tar Heels' four ACC defeats, Georgia Tech, Maryland, Duke and Clemson combined to hit 31 of 74 from behind the three-point line (41.9%).
In the six ACC wins, UNC's opponents are averaging 5.6 made three-pointers in 25 attempts.
COTA BACK AT CLEMSON
Point guard Ed Cota, a leading candidate for All-ACC honors, returned to action at Clemson after sitting out the January 31st game against Georgia Tech because of a calf strain. Cota strained his left calf muscle at Duke on January 27th and did not practice prior to the game with the Yellow Jackets. He also missed the game at Dartmouth on December 19th because of a jammed thumb on his right (shooting) hand.
KRIS LANG
Tar Heel freshmen Kris Lang is shooting 57.6 percent from the field. He is averaging 10.2 points and 5.0 rebounds per game and has scored in double figures 12 times this year.
Lang has scored in double figures in each of the last five games after going four games without scoring in double figures.
In the last four games, Lang is shooting 72.7 percent (24 of 33)
at Wake Forest 5-9 .556 10 points
at Duke 5-6 .833 12 points
vs. Georgia Tech 7-11 .636 17 points, 11 rebounds
at Clemson 7-7 1.000 16 points, 8 rebounds
Lang had his second double-double in the January 31st win over Georgia Tech. He led UNC with 17 points and led all players with 11 rebounds. He played solid post defense against Tech's Jason Collier.
Lang posted his first career double-double with 20 points and a career-high 10 rebounds in Carolina's 82-68 win at Dartmouth. Lang made a career-best nine field goals in 12 attempts and blocked a career-high three shots.
A native of Gastonia, N.C., Lang scored 21 points in Carolina's 65-58 win over Georgia in the Preseason NIT quarterfinal. With just 40 seconds remaining in the game vs. UGA, Lang scored one of the game's biggest buckets dunking Ed Cota's perfect pass for a four-point UNC lead. Lang played great defense and had seven rebounds in the Tar Heels' 57-49 victory over Stanford in the Preseason NIT final.
Lang converted two important three-point plays late in regulation and in overtime of Carolina's win over UNC Charlotte. With 1:17 remaining in regulation and Carolina trailing by three, okulaja fed Lang a perfect baseline bounce pass which Lang converted into a layup. Lang was fouled on the play and completed the traditional three-point play to tie the game at 64. In overtime, Lang put the Tar Heels up by three with 4:23 left on another conventional three-point play.
COTA DOES IT ALL
Point guard Ed Cota is having a remarkable season averaging 10.9 points, 7.3 assists and 4.9 rebounds. He has improved his averages in two of the three categories from last season when he averaged 8.1 points, 7.4 assists, 3.6 rebounds and set the school record with 274 assists.
Cota has 28 three-point field goals this year. Entering this season, he had made just 18 in his career.
OKULAJA - ALL-ACC CANDIDATE
"I think they've got an all-conference player. If I had to vote for a player, and I think there are a lot of good players on their team, I think okulaja is one of the five best players in this league. He's had that kind of season...14 points, nine rebounds, and he's the prototypical North Carolina senior. He's the guy who's taken over the leadership and he's the rock of the team."
- Dave odom, Wake Forest Head Coach.
OKULAJA ADDS To UNC'S 1,000-PoINT LIST
Ademola okulaja scored his 1,000th point in Carolina's 72-54 victory at Florida State on Jan. 6. okulaja is the 48th Tar Heel to score at least 1,000 career points. No other school has as many 1,000-point scorers as Carolina. Kentucky is second with 47.
Carolina has had at least one 1,000-point scorer on its roster every year since 1964.
OKULAJA CLIMBS THE UNC CHARTS
Okulaja is 41st in career scoring at Carolina with 1,112 points. He passed Dante Calabria (1,098) in the win over Georgia Tech. Brian Reese is 40th with 1,113 points. Jeff Mcinnis is 39th with 1,128.
He ranks 13th in UNC history with 816 career rebounds. Bobby Jones is 12th with 817 and Larry Miller is 11th with 834.
OKULAJA'S BEST SEASON
okulaja is having his finest statistical season as a Tar Heel.
Ademola Okulaja
Category 1998-99 First 3 Years
Points 13.8 7.4
Rebounds 8.8 5.8
Field Goal Pct. .456 .437
3FG Pct. .430 .343
Free Throw Pct. .748 .642
Okulaja has made 25 of his last 49 three-point field goal attempts over the last 13 games and is shooting 43.0 percent from three-point range this season.
Okulaja was 4 of 5 from three-point range in UNC's 72-54 win at Florida State on Jan. 6. His four three-pointers were the most since he set his career high with five three-pointers against Bethune Cookman on Dec. 2, 1996. okulaja also had four three-pointers in a loss against Clemson on Feb. 4.
He has scored in double figures in 20 of the 24 games this season, including each of the last 13 games. Last year he scored 10 or more points 16 times in 38 games. The 13-game streak in double figures is the longest streak of his career. He netted 10 or more points in each of the first five games in 1997-98. okulaja has scored 15.2 points per game in the last 13 contests.
Okulaja is scoring more, but not at the expense of decent shot selection. He has shot 50 percent or better from the floor in eight of the last 13 games. He has made at least half his shots from the floor in 14 of the 24 games this year. Last year he made 50 percent or better just four times in the last 12 games of the season.
Okulaja has not shot over 50 percent from the floor in each of the last two games and has only accomplished the feat once in the last five games.
Okulaja leads the team in scoring (13.8 ppg), rebounding (8.8 rpg), three-point field goals (34) and steals (34).
Okulaja has had double figures in rebounds nine times this year. He had a career-high 17 against Florida International, 13 vs. old Dominion, 14 vs. Buffalo, 15 vs. Louisville, 11 at Georgia Tech, 13 at Florida State, 11 vs. Virginia, 10 at NC State and 10 at Wake Forest. He came into the season with a career-high 12 rebounds on two occasions in his first 105 games.
Okulaja has never missed a game in his four years as a Tar Heel. He has played in 129 consecutive games at UNC. The Tar Heels are 101-28 in his career. With at least eight games remaining this year, okulaja has a chance, depending on postseason play, to break the school record of 140 games played which is held by five players.
OKULAJA'S HIGHLIGHTS
okulaja was everywhere in Carolina's 75-66 win over Georgia Tech as he had 11 points, seven rebounds, five steals and three assists in 32 minutes. He did not commit a turnover. Late in the game, with UNC ahead 67-61, he stole an outlet pass after a Tech rebound and converted two free throws to seal the victory.
In Carolina's 89-77 loss at Duke, okulaja was outstanding, scoring 18 points and grabbing nine rebounds. He had 14 points in the first half on 5 of 7 shooting.
okulaja recorded his third consecutive double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds in UNC's 52-40 win at Wake Forest on Jan. 23. okulaja and Kris Lang led Carolina in scoring as each netted 10 points. The double-double was the 13th of his career.
okulaja led Carolina with 16 points and grabbed 11 rebounds in a 71-47 victory vs. Virginia on Jan. 21.
In Carolina's 59-56 win at NC State on Jan. 16, okulaja was 4 of 6 >from the field, including 2 of 2 from three-pont range, and scored 13 points and snared 10 rebounds. It was his 11th double-double of his career.
okulaja recorded his 10th career double-double with 19 points and 13 rebounds against Florida State on Jan. 6. He was 4 of 5 from three-point range and scored 15 of his 19 points in the second half as Carolina rallied from a four-point halftime deficit.
In Carolina's 69-53 win over Clemson on Jan. 2, okulaja did a little of everything as he scored 19 points, grabbed seven rebounds and had two assists and one blocked shot. He was 5 of 10 from the field and 3 of 7 from three-point range.
okulaja dished out a career-high eight assists against California on Dec. 29. His previous high was seven on four occasions, the most recent coming against Seton Hall in November 1997.
okulaja was outstanding in Carolina's 77-72 win vs. Louisville on Dec. 17. He scored a career-high 23 points on 5 of 10 shooting, grabbed 15 rebounds (second-most in his career) and was a career-best 12 of 15 from the free throw line.
okulaja played a remarkable game against oDU on Dec. 4, especially when you consider he was playing despite a stomach illness. okulaja grabbed 13 rebounds, scored nine points and had two steals in 38 minutes of playing time.
In Carolina's 65-44 win vs. Florida International in the first round of the Preseason NIT, okulaja grabbed a career-high 17 rebounds. He also added 15 points.
HAYWOOD IMPRESSIVE
Haywood is shooting 63.3 percent from the field this season. In the last 16 games, Haywood is 80 of 117 (.684) from the field. He has shot less than 50 percent from the field only five times this year.
He has made at least half his field goal attempts in 15 of the last 16 games. He was 3 of 9 at Duke.
Haywood scored the first six points of the game and grabbed four offensive rebounds before the first TV timeout in Carolina's 71-47 victory vs. Virginia on Jan. 21. He finished with a career-high 16 rebounds, including a career-best seven offensive boards. He also scored 12 points to post his seventh career double-double.
Against NC State on Jan. 16, Haywood came off the bench to score 16 points on a variety of post moves, leading the Tar Heels to a 59-56 victory. Haywood did not start for just the second time this season because of poor practice performances the previous week. Haywood also had six rebounds and four blocked shots against the Wolfpack.
In a home loss to Maryland on Jan. 13, Haywood was superb on offense scoring 18 points and grabbing 11 rebounds. It was his sixth double-double of the season.
Haywood posted a career-high 24 points and had 12 rebounds in the loss to California on December 29th. His previous high was 21 points against Purdue.
Haywood scored 20 or more points in a game for the third time in his collegiate career (all this season). He had 21 against Purdue and 20 against Buffalo earlier this year.
The 24-point career scoring high came one game after he netted a season-low four points in the loss at Georgia Tech.
Haywood scored a team-high 20 points against Buffalo on 8 of 9 shooting. He was also 4 of 5 from the free throw line and grabbed five rebounds.
Haywood scored a then-career-high 21 points and pulled down 11 rebounds in Carolina's 54-47 win over Purdue in the NIT semifinal. Haywood made 8 of 10 shots from the field and was five of seven from the free throw line against the Boilermakers. He also blocked two shots, one of which was a critical block at the end of the game that resulted in a shot clock violation by Purdue with 1:19 to play.
In the NIT final victory over Stanford, Haywood had six blocked shots and seven points. He helped hold Stanford's starting frontcourt to 7 of 27 from the field.
In the Tar Heels' opening win vs. Appalachian State, Haywood was 6 of 11 from the floor and had a career-high 19 points and nine rebounds. He followed that performance with his first career double-double, registering 12 points and 10 rebounds against Florida International. He was held under double figures for the first time this season with nine points at Hampton.
COTA'S THREE-POINT RANGE
Cota entered the season shooting just 31.0 percent (18 of 58) from behind the three-point arc in his career, but this year he is shooting 40.0 percent (28 of 70). He has already made more three-point shots (28) this season than he did in his first two seasons combined (18). He is second on the team behind Ademola okulaja with 28.
Cota has made at least one three-point basket in 10 of his last 13 games. He was 1 of 2 from three-point range at Clemson on Thursday, breaking a two-game streak with no three-point baskets.
Against UNC Charlotte, Cota was 4 of 6 from three-point range, including a clutch three-point basket with 27.8 seconds remaining in overtime which gave Carolina a 73-70 lead. His four three-point field goals were a career high. His previous high was two on several occasions.
COTA'S ASSISTS
Junior point guard Ed Cota leads the ACC and is fourth in the country with 7.3 assists per game. However, Cota has not had more than seven assists in the last five games. The last time he had more than seven assists was in an 89-76 loss vs. Maryland.
Cota is third on the team in points (10.9), first in assists (7.3), fourth in rebounding (4.9) and second with 27 three-pointers.
Cota has 668 career assists, which is 12th-best in ACC history and third in UNC history. He needs 16 assists to pass Virginia's John Crotty (683) for 11th place on the ACC career chart.
In 93 career games, Cota is averaging 7.18 assists per game. That is the third-highest average in ACC history behind N.C. State's Chris Corchiani (8.37 from 1988-91) and Duke's Bobby Hurley (7.68 from 1990-93). The previous career assist per game high by a Carolina player was 6.1 by Phil Ford.
Cota set a UNC record in game at Georgia Tech in December when he handed out 12 assists. It was his 17th career game with 10 or more assists. He went into the Tech game sharing the record at 16 with Phil Ford.
Cota had 11 assists in a home loss to Maryland on Jan. 13 and now has 18 double-figure assist games. He has posted double-figure assist games six times as a freshman, eight times as a sophomore and four this year.
Last year, Cota set the single-season school record with 274 assists, passing Kenny Smith's record of 235 in 1984-85.
COTA'S REBOUNDS
Do-everything point guard Ed Cota is the best rebounding point guard in UNC history according to available records. Since the Dean Smith-Bill Guthridge era began in 1961-62, no other point guard has averaged more rebounds in a single season that Cota's 4.9 average this year. Cota's career average of 3.6 also ranks as the best ever by a Tar Heel point guard.
Against No. 2 Stanford on Nov. 27, 1998, Cota pulled down a career-best 11 caroms, including 10 defensive boards. He had eight rebounds in the 71-47 victory over Virginia on Jan. 21.
COTA HIGHLIGHTS
Cota was sensational in UNC's 63-61 win over old Dominion on Dec. 4. He hit the game-winning basket on a left-handed drive with 1.5 seconds to play. Cota scored a career-high 20 points, had six assists, six rebounds and three steals. He made 7 of 12 shots from the floor, including both of his three-point attempts and was 4 of 4 from the free throw line in 39 minutes of action.
Cota's 20-point game topped his previous career scoring high of 17 he had accomplished three times. He scored 17 at Florida State last year and 17 against Appalachian State and Stanford earlier this year. He has scored in double figures in six games this year.
Cota averaged 14 points, 7.5 rebounds and 6.5 assists to earn MVP honors and lead North Carolina to the NIT Championship with wins over Purdue and Stanford. Cota scored 11 points and had eight assists to help Carolina overcome a 7-point halftime deficit to Purdue. He then posted his eighth career double-double with 17 points and a career-high 11 rebounds against No. 2 Stanford. It was the first time Cota had ever posted a points-rebounds double-double. He has seven career double-doubles of points and assists.
Cota had a season-high 13 assists (just one off his career high) and just one turnover in 37 minutes in Carolina's 86-75 victory at Hampton on Nov. 23. Cota also had eight points and was 5 of 6 from the free throw line.
Against Georgia, Cota recorded his seventh career double-double with 14 points and 11 assists.
COTA EARNS RECOGNITION
Point guard Ed Cota was named to the 1998 preseason All-ACC team along with Duke's Elton Brand and Trajan Langdon, Maryland's Laron Profit and Clemson's Terrell McIntyre. UNC forward Ademola okulaja was named honorable mention all-conference.
Cota was a preseason candidate for the John Wooden Award, which is presented to the nation's best collegiate player.
The Sporting News named Cota the ACC's Best Playmaker in its 1998-99 preseason publication.
In Dick Vitale's February 1st report on ESPN, he listed Cota among his four top lead guards in the country. Vitale selected Cota along with Connecticut's Khalid El-Amin, Arizona's Jason Terry and Utah's Andre Miller.
OWENS MAKES MOST OF OPPORTUNITY
Sophomore guard Max owens has started the last five games in place of Jason Capel, who was diagnosed with mononucleosis on Jan. 22.
After making four of six three-point field goal attempts in games at Duke and vs. Georgia Tech, owens was 0 of 4 from long range at Clemson on Thursday. However, he did score nine points and is averaging 11.7 points in his last three contests.
owens made 3 of 5 three-point attempts en route to a career-high 16 points in the win over Georgia Tech on January 31st. owens scored 10 points in the first half as Carolina built a nine point lead at intermission.
Against Duke on Jan. 27, owens scored 10 points on 4 of 5 shooting. He made his only three-point attempt and also had three rebounds. owens scored seven of his 10 points against Duke in the first six minutes of the game.
owens scored eight points on 4 of 7 shooting in Carolina's win at Wake Forest. He had a then-career-high 13 points in a loss at Georgia Tech.
A streaky outside shooter, owens was 8 for 13 (.615) from three-point range in a four-game stretch from Dec. 22 - Jan. 6. He was 3 for 4 at Georgia Tech, 2 for 3 at California, 1 for 3 vs. Clemson and 2 for 3 at Florida State. But in the next four games, owens was 0 for 10 from three-point range before making his only attempt against Duke on Jan. 27.
In Carolina's win at Florida State on Jan. 6, owens connected on two crucial three-pointers in the second half. The first came with 12:12 remaining and tied the score at 40. Carolina never trailed from that point forward. Nearly five minutes later and after FSU had cut the lead to five points, owens hit his second three-pointer of the game to push the lead back to eight. The Seminoles never got any closer for the remainder of the game.
