University of North Carolina Athletics
Carolina Hopes To End Slide Against Seminoles
January 20, 2000 | Men's Basketball
Jan. 20, 2000
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - North Carolina looks to end a three-game losing streak when it hosts Atlantic Coast Conference foe Florida State on Saturday afternoon at 1:00 p.m. in the Smith Center. The Tar Heels won their first two ACC games this season, but have dropped three straight games at Wake Forest, at home against UCLA and at Virginia. UNC led the Demon Deacons by 10 points in the second half before a 28-9 run by the Deacs. Last Saturday at the Smith Center, the Tar Heels rallied from a 12-point first half deficit and an 11-point second-half deficit to within a single point of the Bruins. But UNC could never take the lead and dropped a 71-68 decision. On Tuesday at Virginia, the Heels led by seven, 49-42, with 15:46 left in the second half. Carolina shot 58.6 percent from the floor and outrebounded the Cavaliers, 43-30, but committed 21 turnovers and lost, 87-85.
Prior to Tuesday's loss at Virginia, Carolina had not lost three straight games since losing to Wake Forest in Winston-Salem, to Maryland (at home) and at Virginia in January 1997. The Tar Heels started that conference season 3-5, but won all eight games in the second half in a 16-game overall winning streak that was capped with an ACC title and a trip to the Final Four.
Carolina has not lost four straight games since the 1991-92 season, when it lost consecutive games with Virginina, NC State, Florida State and Maryland from Feb. 19-March 1. That UNC team finished 23-10 and advanced to the NCAA Tournament Final 16.
The Tar Heels have five players in double figure scoring led by freshman Joseph Forte (16.3 ppg), Brendan Haywood (12.7), Jason Capel (12.4), Max Owens (11.2) and Ed Cota (10.2). Kris Lang averages 8.1 per game, but has scored 10 or more in five of his last eight games.
In the latest NCAA rankings (as of Jan. 17), the Tar Heels ranked third in the nation in field goal percentage (.506). Among UNC's top seven players, Brendan Haywood (.732), Kris Lang (.520), Ed Cota (.527) and Max Owens (.524) shoot better than 50 percent. Julius Peppers (.488), Joseph Forte (.476) and Jason Capel (.461) also shoot better than 45 percent from the floor.
Ed Cota ranks third in the national rankings in assists per game (8.5) and Brendan Haywood ranks 22nd in blocked shots (2.8 per game). Cota's 17 assists against UNLV on Dec. 4 are the most by any player in America in a single game this season.
Carolina has committed 278 turnovers this season (15.4 per game) while forcing 224 (12.4 per game). In their seven losses, the Tar Heels have committed 121 turnovers (17.3 per game).
The Tar Heels are 11-7 so far this season. That is the most losses in the first 18 games since beginning the 1964-65 season 10-8.
IN THE NATIONAL RANKINGS
The Tar Heels fell to No. 21 in the Jan. 17 Associated Press and ESPN/USA Today coaches poll. This week marks the 172nd consecutive week Carolina has been ranked in the AP poll, dating back to the 1990-91 preseason. That is the longest active streak in the country and the second-longest streak in history. Carolina was ranked for 171 consecutive weeks from Dec. 5, 1972, to Dec. 14, 1982. UCLA holds the alltime record with 221 consecutive weeks in the AP poll.
Carolina has been ranked in 628 Associated Press polls since the poll's inception in 1949, more than any other school in the nation. Kentucky is second with 617.
TAR HEELS AND SEMINOLES
Carolina has won five in a row against Florida State, including three straight at the Smith Center. Last year, the Tar Heels swept a pair of games with the Seminoles by an average of 26.0 points per game (72-54 in Tallahassee and 98-64 in Chapel Hill). In fact, in UNC's five-game winning streak over FSU, the Tar Heels have won those five games by an average of 27.2 points.
Florida State's last win over UNC was on Jan. 22, 1997. The Seminoles defeated Carolina, 84-71, in Tallahassee.
The Tar Heels are 6-2 against Florida State in the Smith Center and 9-2 in Chapel Hill.
Brendan Haywood averaged 16.5 points and 9.5 rebounds in two wins over Florida State last season. Ed Cota has 57 assists in six career games against FSU, an average of 9.5 apg. Cota has three double-figure assist games against the Seminoles, including 10 on Feb. 6, 1997, 12 on Dec. 20, 1997, and 14 on Jan. 24, 1998.
CAROLINA DROPS THIRD STRAIGHT GAME, 87-85 AT VIRGINIA
Carolina shot 58.6 percent for the game and outrebounded Virginia, 43-30, but committed 21 turnovers and lost to the Cavaliers, 87-85, on Jan. 18 in Charlottesville.
Joseph Forte tallied season highs with 27 points and 11 rebounds while also dishing out five assists in the game. Forte shot 11-for-16 >from the floor in posting his first career double-double. His 27 points were the most by any Carolina player since Shammond Williams scored 32 against UNC Charlotte on March 14, 1998, in the Tar Heels' 93-83 overtime win in the second round of the NCAA Tournament in Hartford, Conn.
Brendan Haywood recorded a double-double with 20 points and 12 rebounds, including six offensive boards. Jason Capel scored 17 points before fouling out with 42.2 seconds left.
Ed Cota had nine points, five rebounds, 10 assists and just two turnovers. Cota now has 901 career assists, moving him into ninth place in NCAA history. San Francisco's Orlando Smart is eighth with 902 and Oregon State's Gary Payton is seventh with 939.
The 172 combined points Carolina and Virginia scored in the game made it the highest-scoring game between the two schools since an 89-86, double-overtime UNC win at Virginia in 1990-91.
Virginia's 87 points are the most the Cavaliers have scored against Carolina since scoring 92 in an overtime win in the 1990 ACC Tournament quarterfinals.
TAR HEELS RALLY, BUT FALL SHORT AGAINST UCLA
Carolina shot 59.3 percent from the floor in the first half, but UCLA grabbed 19 offensive rebounds in the game as the Bruins outlasted the Tar Heels, 71-68. UCLA led 24-12 eight minutes into the contest, but Carolina went on a 19-9 run late in the half and trailed by just a point at intermission. UCLA re-established an 11-point margin midway through the second half before the Tar Heels again rallied. Trailing 60-49, UNC fought back to within 69-68 with 21.7 seconds to play. UCLA guard Ryan Bailey banked in two free throws with 14.9 seconds left and Carolina was unable to connect on a pair of three-point tries in the final seconds.
Jason Capel, playing on his 20th birthday, scored a game-high 21 points. He was 7 for 12 from the floor, including 3 of 6 from three-point range.
UCLA had 19 offensive boards, while the Tar Heels grabbed 20 defensive rebounds.
WAKE FOREST DEALS HEELS FIRST ACC LOSS, 66-57
Wake Forest held Carolina to a season-low shooting percentage of .382 and forced 18 Tar Heel turnovers as UNC lost its first Atlantic Coast Conference game of the year, 66-57, on Jan. 13 at Winston-Salem. Wake Forest went on a 28-9 run to overcome a 10-point second-half deficit.
Carolina out-rebounded the Demon Deacons, 45-32, marking the third contest this season in which UNC has grabbed more rebounds than its opponent and lost the game (Indiana and Louisville). In those three games, Carolina committed 53 turnovers, including a season-high 21 at Louisville, 18 at Wake Forest and 14 versus Indiana.
Kris Lang led Carolina with 14 points and 11 rebounds as UNC followed up a 71.1 percent shooting performance in its previous game (NC State) with a 38.2 percent effort against Wake.
The Tar Heel defense held Wake Forest's leading scorer, Robert O'Kelley, to 0-for-8 shooting in the first half, but O'Kelley exploded for 18 second-half points to lead all scorers.
COTA'S CAREER NUMBERS IN EXCLUSIVE COMPANY
Senior point guard Ed Cota has 1,091 points, 901 assists and 426 rebounds in his career. He is just the fourth player in Carolina history to score 1,000 points and have 500 assists (joining Phil Ford, Kenny Smith and Jeff Lebo).
Cota is the only player in ACC history to compile 1,000 points, 800 assists and 400 rebounds in a career.
Cota ranks third in ACC history and ninth in NCAA history with 901 career assists. Bobby Hurley of Duke is first in NCAA and ACC history with 1,076 career assists and Chris Corchiani of NC State is second in both categories with 1,038. Cota moved into ninth place in NCAA history with 10 assists against Virginia. He needs only two assists to pass San Francisco's Orlando Smart (902). Gary Payton of Oregon State is seventh (939).
Cota led the ACC in assists in each of his first three seasons and is vying to become the only player in conference history to lead the ACC in assists four times. Virginia's Ralph Sampson and Wake Forest's Tim Duncan both led the ACC in blocked shots four times and are the only players in ACC history to lead the league in a statistical category four times.
COTA A WOODEN AWARD CANDIDATE
Senior point guard Ed Cota, who ranks third in the nation in assists this season, has been named to the John Wooden Award Midseason All-America Team. The team includes the top 30 candidates for the Wooden Award, which is given in the postseason to the National Player of the Year. Cota is one of five Atlantic Coast Conference players to survive the cut down from 50 preseason candidates to 30 at midseason. The other ACC honorees include Shane Battier (Duke), Chris Carrawell (Duke), Jason Collier (Georgia Tech) and Terence Morris (Maryland).
SCORING IS UP
Carolina is averaging 79.2 points per game in 1999-2000 and has scored more than 80 in 10 of 18 games. Last year, Carolina averaged 71.4 points per game and scored 80 points or more just six times all season. UNC's 102 points versus UNLV were the most in a single game since scoring 107 in a double-overtime win at Georgia Tech on Feb. 8, 1998.
TAR HEELS WIN MAUI INVITATIONAL TITLE
North Carolina outscored Purdue, 56-26, in the second half and defeated the Boilermakers, 90-75, to win the 1999 Maui Invitational on Nov. 24 in Lahaina, Hawaii. The Tar Heels earlier had defeated Southern California, 82-65, and Georgetown, 85-79, to advance to the finals.
Ed Cota had 15 points and seven assists in the Purdue game and broke the UNC record for career assists in the contest. Cota now has 770 career assists, topping the old school record of 768 previously held by Kenny Smith (1984-87), and ranks fifth in Atlantic Coast Conference history. Tyrone Bogues of Wake Forest is fourth in ACC history with 781 career assists. Cota averaged 16.7 points, 8.0 assists and 3.3 rebounds in Maui and was named to the all-tournament team.
Freshman guard Joseph Forte was named MVP of the Maui Invitational and to the all-tournament team after averaging 20.7 points and 6.3 rebounds in the three Tar Heel wins, hitting 22 of 39 field goals (.564) and 7 of 10 three-pointers (.700) in the tournament. Forte led Carolina in scoring against Southern California (24 points) and Purdue (21 points) and scored 17 in the semifinal win over Georgetown. His 24 points in his collegiate debut against USC were the most ever by a UNC freshman in his first college game and the most by any Tar Heel in his first game since Lennie Rosenbluth scored 30 in the first game of his sophomore year in 1954-55 before the days of freshman eligibility.
Junior center Brendan Haywood was named to the Maui Invitational all-tournament team, averaging 14.3 points and 6.0 rebounds in three Tar Heel wins. Haywood had 15 points and five rebounds against USC, 20 points and seven rebounds versus Georgetown, and eight points and six rebounds in the win over Purdue.
HEAD COACH BILL GUTHRIDGE
Guthridge is 69-21 as the Tar Heels' head coach. He is in his third year as head coach, but 33rd as part of the UNC program. He was an assistant coach for Dean Smith for 30 seasons before taking over in 1997-98 following Smith's retirement.
Guthridge won more games (58) in his first two seasons than any coach in NCAA history and reached 50 wins faster than any coach in UNC history.
In 1997-98, Guthridge set the NCAA record for most wins by a first-year head coach with 34.
BRENDAN HAYWOOD (7-0, JR., C, GREENSBORO, N.C.)
CAREER HIGHLIGHTSCarolina's alltime leader in field goal percentage. Has made 65.4 percent of his shot attempts from the floor (285 for 436). Second-best is Carolina's Rasheed Wallace at 63.5 percent.
Is eighth alltime at UNC in blocked shots with 140. Brad Daugherty is seventh with 146.
Averaging 8.3 points and 4.9 rebounds in his 90-game career. Over the last two seasons as a starter, he is averaging 12.3 points and 6.7 rebounds per contest.
Has scored in double figures 34 times in his career with a high of 24 at California on Dec. 27, 1998.
Has 12 career double-doubles (points and rebounds).
Has scored 20 or more points seven times, most recently at Virginia on Jan. 18.
Has made 50 percent or more of his field goal attempts in 45 of 52 games over the last two seasons as a starter.
1999-2000 HIGHLIGHTS
Leads the nation in field goal percentage at .732. Has converted 90 of 123 field goal attempts.
Third in the ACC in blocked shots with 2.6 per game. Has blocked 47 shots in 18 contests.
Leads Carolina in rebounding with 6.4 per game.
Scored in double figures in 11 games with a high of 21 against Howard. Also had 20 against Georgetown, Louisville and Virginia.
Blocked a career-high seven shots vs. the College of Charleston.
Grabbed a season-high 13 rebounds vs. Howard.
Scored 10 of his 14 points against top-ranked Cincinnati in the second half.
Posted consecutive double-doubles against Louisville and Howard. It was the third time in his career he had back-to-back double-doubles.
Has made 54 of 69 field goal attempts in the last 10 games (.783).
Has taken a season-high 12 field goal attempts twice this year (5 for 12 vs. Cincinnati and 8 for 12 vs. Howard).
Was 7 for 7 from the floor and finished with 16 points, 7 rebounds and 3 blocks in the win over NC State.
Had 20 points and 12 rebounds in the loss at Virginia.
Averaging 8.6 rebounds over the last seven games.
Has taken six or fewer field goal attempts in four of Carolina's seven losses.
ED COTA (6-1, SR., G, BROOKLYN, N.Y.)
CAREER HIGHLIGHTSIs the first player in ACC history to score 1,000 points, have 800 assists and 400 rebounds in his career.
Carolina's alltime assist leader with 901. Is third in ACC history and ninth in NCAA history in assists. Needs two assists to become eighth in NCAA history and 39 for seventh place.
Is third in ACC history with 7.45 assists per game behind NC State's Chris Corchiani (8.37) and Duke's Bobby Hurley (7.68). Hurley (1,076) is the NCAA leader and Corchiani (1,038) is second in the ACC.
Scored 15 points against Tennessee Tech to become the 49th 1,000-point scorer in UNC history. Has 1,091 points entering the Florida State game.
Has led the ACC in assists three straight seasons. No one has ever done it four years in a row.
Has 26 career double-digit assist games, a UNC record.
Has scored in double figures 51 times. Career scoring high is 23 points against NC State on Jan. 8, 2000.
Has 12 career double-doubles (11 points and assists, one points and rebounds).
Has played in three ACC Tournament championship games (winning two) and two Final Fours.
1999-2000 HIGHLIGHTS
Leads the ACC with a career-high 8.6 assists per game. Florida State's Delvon Arrington is second at 7.0 per game.
Tied the UNC single-game assists record when he dished out 17 against UNLV. Equalled Jeff Lebo's mark against Chattanooga in 1988. Cota had just two turnovers to go with his 17 assists. No other player in America this season has had as many as 17 assists in a game.
Has scored in double figures in eight games and had double-doubles in two contests.
Was named to the All-Tournament Team after leading UNC to the Maui Invitational title. Had 15 points and 10 assists vs. USC, 20 points and 7 assists vs. Georgetown and 15 points and 7 assists vs. Purdue.
Shooting a career-high 52.7 percent from the floor (68 for 129).
Has an assist-turnover ratio this year of 2.8 to 1 (155 assists/55 turnovers). That is the best ratio in the ACC.
Has seven or more assists in 16 of the 18 games.
Was 8 for 8 from the field and finished with a career-high 23 points in the win over NC State on Jan. 8. He had scored 24 points in the four previous games combined. It was the fifth time in his career he scored 20 or more points in a game.
MAX OWENS (6-5, JR., G/F, MACON, GA.)
CAREER HIGHLIGHTSEarned All-Tournament honors at the 1999 ACC Tournament after he scored 23 points in a win over No. 5 Maryland 22 points in championship game against No. 1 Duke.
Career 81.2 percent free throw shooter.
Has scored in double figures 16 times, including a career-high 23 against Maryland on March 6, 1999 and 23 against UNLV on Dec. 4, 1999.
1999-2000 HIGHLIGHTS
One of four Tar Heels averaging in double figures in scoring. Is fourth on the team with 11.2 points per contest.
Has scored in double figures eight times with highs of 23 against UNLV, 22 against Louisville and 18 against #7 Michigan State and #1 Cincinnati.
Was 5 for 9 from the floor, 2 for 3 in 3FG and 6 for 6 from the free throw line against the Spartans.
Made 8 of 13 shots from the floor and was 5 for 5 from the line against UNLV.
Made a career-high four three-point baskets against Cincinnati and Louisville.
Has scored 20-plus points four times in his career, three times in the Charlotte Coliseum.
Shooting 52.4 percent from the floor. Also is shooting 81.4 percent >from the charity stripe.
Had 17 points and six rebounds in the win at Miami. Made 6 of 10 from the field, including an acrobatic, left-handed reverse layup, and was 5 for 5 from the free throw line.
Scored in double figures in 9 of the first 14 games, but has scored a total of 19 points in the last four games. Attempted only 14 shots from the floor in the last four contests (made seven).
JASON CAPEL (6-8, SO., F/G, CHESAPEAKE, VA.)
CAREER HIGHLIGHTSCarolina's most versatile player. Can play any of four positions. Playing mainly at the small and big forward spots this year after playing mostly off guard as a freshman.
Had off-season back surgery to repair two disks and is playing pain free for the first time several years.
Has scored in double figures 23 times in his career with highs of 23 against UNLV on Dec. 4, 1999, 21 against UCLA on Jan. 15, 2000, and 20 at Miami on Dec. 18, 1999.
Has made 81.8 percent from the free throw line. Was second in the ACC in free throw percentage last season.
Has improved his points, rebounds and shooting percentage this season.
1999-2000 HIGHLIGHTS
Has scored in double figures in 12 contests and 20 or more points four times.
Second on the team in rebounds at 6.3 per contest.
Had 14 points and nine rebounds against Michigan State.
Was outstanding in the two games in Charlotte. Scored 16 points in the opener against Charleston and had a career-high 23 points and nine boards vs. UNLV in the championship game.
Had 21 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, a block and a steal against Tennessee Tech.
Was named MVP of the Orange Bowl Classic after leading Carolina to a 78-68 win over Miami. He scored 20 points (only his second career 20-point game, but his second in five outings), had a career-high 14 rebounds, had five assists and two steals.
Led all scorers with 21 points in the loss to UCLA (on his birthday). Was 7 for 12 from the field (including 3 of 6 from three-point range) and had two steals. Scored 13 of his 21 points in the second half. Hit two free throws in the final minute to cut UCLA's lead to 69-68.
Is fifth in the ACC shooting 77.6 percent from the free throw line.
Averaging 16.3 points per game over the last three games (11 at Wake Forest, 21 versus UCLA and 17 at Virginia).
JOSEPH FORTE (6-4, FR., G, GREENBELT, MD.)
1999-2000 HIGHLIGHTSCarolina's leading scorer at 16.3 points per game. Was named Most Valuable Player of the Maui Invitational after he helped leda the Tar Heels to three wins and the title.
Sixth in the ACC in scoring average. Is ninth in the league in field goal percentage and eighth in steals.
Has scored in double figures in all but two games and topped 20 points three times. Had 24 in his collegiate debut against Southern California, 21 in the Maui championship game vs. Purdue and a season-high 27 at Virginia.
Is shooting 47.6 percent from the floor, 39.1 percent from three-point range and 69.8 percent from the free throw line.
Scored more points in a his freshman debut than any Tar Heel in history.
Is third on the team in rebounds at 5.6 per game. Has six or more boards in nine games with a season-high 11 at Virginia.
Has 51 assists and 45 turnovers. Had a season-high six assists against top-ranked Cincinnati.
Has connected on at least one three-point field goal in 14 of the 18 games with a high of four in the opener against USC.
Connected on a big three-point field goal late in the game at Miami after the Hurricanes had cut UNC's 16-point lead down to six.
Led the Tar Heels with 15 points on 7 of 12 shooting against Clemson in the ACC opener.
Scored 18 points against NC State (Jan. 8) on 6 of 9 shooting from the floor. Hit a pair of 3FGs, was 4 for 4 from the FT line and added 4 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals.
Had 13 points, five assists and four steals in the UCLA game. Steal and dunk and three-pointer brought UNC back from an 11-point second-half deficit to within 62-60.
Had a season-high 27 points on 11 of 16 shooting at Virginia. Recorded his first career double-double against the Cavaliers, finishing with 27 points, 11 rebounds, five assists and two steals. The 27 points were the most by a UNC freshman since Antawn Jamison had 31 at Maryland in 1995-96.
KRIS LANG (6-11, SO., F/C, GASTONIA, N.C.)
CAREER HIGHLIGHTSAveraged 10.6 points and 5.4 rebounds per game as a freshman and was named to the ACC All-Freshman Team.
Shooting 56.2 percent from the floor in his career.
Averaging 9.7 points and 4.9 rebounds.
Has scored in double figures 25 times and has three double-doubles.
Career scoring high of 21 against Georgia in 1998 Preseason NIT.
Was in the hospital for almost a week in late summer with a virus.
1999-2000 HIGHLIGHTS
Summer virus and shin splints severely hampered his playing time and effectiveness in the first semester.
Also suffered a sprained right knee in the first half of the Cincinnati game and was held out of the Tennessee Tech contest for precautionary reasons.
Earned Tournament MVP honors at the Food Lion MVP Classic in Charlotte on December 3-4. Had 15 points and three rebounds against College of Charleston and 16 points and four rebounds in the finals against UNLV. Made 12 of 16 shots from the floor and 7 of 8 free throws in the two games. Played 35 combined minutes in the two games.
Had seven points and six rebounds in Maui title game against Purdue.
Has scored 59 points in the last six games (9.8 ppg) in the six games since he joined the starting lineup for the Howard game.
Was 10 for 10 from the free throw line against NC State (Jan. 8). Shooting 75.6 percent from the line this year. Has made 13 for 13 from the line in the last four games.
Led Carolina in scoring (14) and rebounding (11) at Wake Forest, recording the third double-double of his career.
BRIAN BERSTICKER (6-10, JR., F/C, VIRGINIA BEACH, VA.)
CAREER HIGHLIGHTSShooting 54.9 percent from the floor (78 for 142) and 77.4 percent >from the free throw line.
Has scored in double figures five times in his career, including three times in his last 10 games.
Had an ACC high of 12 points in the Tournament last year against Georgia Tech.
1999-2000 HIGHLIGHTS
Suffered a fractured fifth metatarsal in his left foot early in the game against the College of Charleston on December 3rd. Had surgery to repair the fracture on December 6th. Should be out of action for approximately 10 weeks. Had a similar fracture in the same bone in August.
Averaged 5.0 points and 2.8 rebounds in the first five games. Had 12 points against Purdue in the Maui in the championship game and seven against USC in the season opener.
Had a season-high seven boards against the Trojans.
Shooting 70.6 percent from the floor (12 for 17).
JULIUS PEPPERS (6-7, FR.-REDSHIRT, F, BAILEY, N.C.)
1999-2000 HIGHLIGHTSJoined the basketball team on Nov. 29 after the Tar Heels returned >from the Maui Invitational.
Averaging 3.8 points and 3.8 rebounds per game.
In just 18 minutes of action against UCLA, he had five points, six rebounds and two blocked shots. Grabbed three offensive rebounds.
Ripped down 13 rebounds (five on the offensive glass) against Clemson on Jan. 6. Added six points, a blocked shot, an assist and two steals in a season-high 24 minutes against the Tigers.
Had 8 points, 6 rebounds and 3 blocked shots against Howard, 7 points and 4 rebounds vs. Tennessee Tech, 6 points at Buffalo (including a spectacular breakway dunk that was featured on ESPN) and 5 points at Louisville.
Started all 11 football games this year at defensive end. He had 50 tackles and led the team in tackles for losses with 10 for 47 yards and in quarterback sacks with six for 36 yards. He also intercepted a pass (at Clemson), caused and recovered one fumble and blocked one kick. He was sixth in the ACC in sacks. The Sporting News named him first team Freshman All-America.
The NCHSAA Male Athlete of the Year as a high school senior at Southern Nash High School in Bailey, N.C., in 1997-98. Peppers was recruited by several Division I programs to play basketball. He played on the same AAU team with Tar Heel teammates Brendan Haywood and Kris Lang.
