University of North Carolina Athletics
Tar Heels are Headed for New York City
November 21, 2002 | Men's Basketball
Nov. 21, 2002
With its 71-67 come-from-behind victory over Rutgers Wednesday night at the Smith Center, Carolina has advanced to the semifinals of the Owens Corning Preseason NIT.
"I am just really so proud of my young team and the poise they showed when they could have easily folded," said head coach Matt Doherty. "They're fighters and hung in there and made plays -- in spite of ourselves at times."
This is Carolina's fourth appearance in the Preseason NIT and fourth time the Tar Heels have reached the semifinals. Carolina will play Kansas in the semifinals at Madison Square Garden in New York City next Wednesday, November 27.
Prior to its Thanksgiving trip to the Big Apple, the Tar Heels face Old Dominion on Sunday at 1 p.m. in Norfolk, Va.
"The biggest focus for us right now is Old Dominion," Doherty said. "That is going to be a game. At that point we'll know who our next opponent will be, and it is going to require our guys to be mature beyond their years and not look past Old Dominion -- and I don't think we will. We are opening up their building and two of their best players are from North Carolina so I know they are going to be fired up."
PRESEASON NIT
This is Carolina's fourth appearance in the Preseason NIT, and its first since winning the event in November 1998. The Tar Heels have a 12-2 record in the Preseason NIT, including a 8-0 record in Chapel Hill in the event. Carolina won the tournament in 1998, finished third in 1988 and third in 1993.
Carolina in the Preseason NIT
Nov. 18, 1988 - beat UT Chattanooga, 111-84, in Chapel Hill
Nov. 20, 1988 - beat Georgia, 99-91, in Chapel Hill
Nov. 23, 1988 - lost to Missouri, 81-91, in New York
Nov. 25, 1988 - beat Indiana, 106-92, in New York
Nov. 17, 1993 - beat Western Kentucky, 101-87, in Chapel Hill
Nov. 19, 1993 - beat Cincinnati, 90-63, in Chapel Hill
Nov. 24, 1993 - lost to Massachusetts, 86-91, in overtime in New York
Nov. 26, 1993 - beat Minnesota, 90-76, in New York
Nov. 16, 1998 - beat Florida International, 65-44, in Chapel Hill
Nov. 18, 1998 - beat Georgia, 65-58, in Chapel Hill
Nov. 25, 1998 - beat Purdue, 54-47, in New York
Nov. 27, 1998 - beat Stanford, 57-49, in New York (championship game)
Nov. 18, 2002 - beat Penn State, 85-55, in Chapel Hill
Nov. 20, 2002 - beat Rutgers, 71-67, in Chapel Hill
