University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina Looks For Success In NCAA Tournament
March 15, 2000 | Men's Basketball
March 15, 2000
By DAVID DROSCHAK
AP Sports Writer
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) - North Carolina, an underachieving team that starts five former prep All-Americans, has one last chance to salvage its season in the NCAA tournament.
One of the best programs in college basketball history has been inconsistent this season, starting 8-2 before losing 11 of its final 21 games - some with seemingly uninspired play.
In last Friday's first-round game in the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament, the Tar Heels managed a season-low 52 points in a loss to Wake Forest.
"I didn't expect 18-13, but it could have been worse. It could have been not making the tournament," senior point guard Ed Cota said of North Carolina's worst season in 10 years. "We're in there now, and we have new life."
The Tar Heels aren't favored to advance to the round of 16, and some doubt they can even beat No. 9 seed Missouri in their South Regional opener Friday in irmingham, Ala.
"We've running out of opportunities to start (winning)," coach Bill Guthridge said Tuesday. "But I've been pleased with our work this week. The players have done a good job of keeping their spirits up."
Poor defense and turnovers have been North Carolina's two major weaknesses. The nation's best field-goal shooting team has committed 112 more turnovers than its opponents.
"I know there are plenty (of doubters) out there," said Cota, who is seven assists shy of becoming the third player in NCAA history to reach 1,000 for his career. "I don't blame them, but we've got a good enough team to make a run."
North Carolina's first-round game against Missouri (18-12) is not an easy game. First-year coach Quin Snyder is a former Duke player and assistant coach under Mike Krzyzewski.
Snyder's job for Krzyzewski last season was advance scouting, meaning he knows the Tar Heels well.
"And having been on the sideline, he has an advantage," Guthridge said. "In a way, it's like we're not going outside the conference. We're playing a team that knows us pretty well. I hope by Friday we know Missouri well."
The Tar Heels, who lost to Weber State in their NCAA opener last year, would have to win the national title to avoid the program's most losses since the 1951-52 season.
"I'm not used to losing this much, and am disappointed I have not been able to come up with some of the solutions to our problems," Guthridge said. "We've worked hard at it and the players have worked hard. No one wants to win more than I do and no one wants to win more than our players do. We certainly aren't giving up."
