University of North Carolina Athletics
Felton Didn't Feel Great, But Neither Did Clemson
January 15, 2003 | Men's Basketball
Jan. 15, 2003
By Rick Brewer, SID Emeritus
Raymond Felton may not have felt his best against Clemson Tuesday night, but that didn't keep him from playing perhaps his best game of the season.
Felton scored 15 points, had eight assists and grabbed six rebounds in leading North Carolina's 68-66 win over the Tigers.
It was Felton who sparked a 27-point outburst in the game's first 12 minutes as the Tar Heels raced to a 27-12 advantage. He dropped in four long-range jumpers and had three assists in that sizzling start.
His fourth three-pointer was a fallaway jumper from so far out on the left wing that he almost tumbled into the Tiger bench as it dropped through the cords.
That came with 8:17 left in the half. But, 18 seconds later he had to leave the game. In fact, he even disappeared from the Carolina bench.
"My whole body started to feel a little uneasy," said Felton, a 6-0, 194-pound freshman from Latta, S.C. "I had felt fine before the game so I didn't know what was wrong. I went back into the locker room and got checked out. It was just indigestion. So I was able to get back out there."
By the time the point guard had returned to the game Clemson had sliced the 15-point lead to 31-28. Edward Scott then tied the game when he drilled a three-pointer just a minute later. The Tigers had a one-point edge until Jawad Williams hit one of two free throws with 0.02 seconds remaining in the half for a 38-38 score.
Neither team had more than a four-point lead in the last 12:47 of the game. Felton and Rashad McCants, another freshman, then took control of the game in the final six minutes.
McCants played just 12 minutes in the first half as he was saddled with three personal fouls. He drew his fourth with 16:37 in the game and sat until 6:46 left.
"With his scoring ability, we've got have him on the floor," said Felton.
Although limited to just 22 minutes because of his foul problems, McCants still scored 20 points.
ut, the Tar Heels also need Felton in the game. Those two players combined for the next 12 Carolina points.
First Felton hit a free throw. Then McCants scored nine straight points beginning with a foul shot. Felton drove the lane and found him open on the perimeter for a pair of three pointers. McCants then scored on an offensive rebound for a 64-60 lead with 1:56 to play.
Although only 6-4, McCants is probably the Tar Heels' best offensive rebounder. He just has excellent instincts around the basket.
Clemson wouldn't go away and trailed by only a point with 21.9 seconds remaining. That's when Felton stepped to the line and nailed a pair of free throws for a 66-63 lead.
Scott missed a longer three-pointer on the other end and the ball ended up in Felton's hands. He took off downcourt straight for the basket.
At that point most players would have pulled the ball back out and tried to run out the remaining time. That's also what Felton started to do.
"(Thomas) Nags was back on defense," said Felton "and I knew he would try to foul me quickly and stop the clock. Plus, I saw Scott coming at me from behind to do the same thing so I kept going toward the basket."
Felton said he caught Williams out of the corner of his eye. He drew Nagys to him and then made a wrap-around pass to Williams for a layup and a five-point lead with just seven seconds left. Chey Christie's three-pointer with less than a second left cut the final margin to two.
The Clemson loss left the Tigers 0-49 in Chapel Hill over the years. As they always do before this game with the Tigers, the Carolina players said they didn't give much thought to the streak. But, they would have had to not talk to anyone on campus, read a paper and watched television not to be aware of it.
"Of course we knew about it," said freshman Damion Grant. "But, other teams put that streak together. It wasn't a factor in this game."
The game was also an especially important one for Felton since it came against a team from his home state.
"Yeah, there are some Clemson fans back home," he said. "But, once the game starts you forget about that and the winning streak, too. You're too involved in the game to think about all that."
It was a much-needed win for Carolina. The Tar Heels had gone just 5-5 in the previous 10 games after opening the season with a 5-0 record. Inexperience, a lack of size and an injury to center Sean May had begun to catch up with the team.
In addition, Carolina may face the most difficult schedule in America over the next three weeks so this may well have been a must-win situation.
Felton was one of the most heralded high school stars in the nation a year ago. His quickness, ballhandling and passing ability have been dazzling most of the season. But, he has had moments of inconsistency as well. That's normally the case for young players at his position. Dean Smith often said the toughest positions for freshmen to play were point guard and center.
Fortunately for Carolina he was outstanding Tuesday night. If he continue to play like that he ought to consider getting a little sick every game.
Rick Brewer is in his fourth decade with the University of North Carolina athletic department and brings a unique historical perspective to TarHeelBlue.com. A native of North Carolina, Brewer served as UNC's Sports Information Director from 1975 until his retirement from full-time work in 2000. Email Rick Brewer at rbrewer@uncaa.unc.edu.
