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2008-09 Men's Basketball Roster
Ty Lawson
- Position:
- Guard
- Height:
- 5-11
- Weight:
- 195
- Class:
- Junior
- Hometown:
- Clinton, MD
- High School:
- Oak Hill Academy
CAREER NOTES
Is 16th in UNC history with 378 assists • Has only 153 turnovers, an assist-error ratio of 2.47 to 1 • Averaging 5.4 assists per game, fifth-best in UNC history (behind only Ed Cota, Raymond Felton, Phil Ford and Kenny Smith) • Has more assists than turnovers in 56 of 70 games, including 42 of his last 48 games • Has scored in double figures 47 times with a career high of 26 at Rutgers on Dec. 16, 2007 • Has six 20-point games - three on the road and three at neutral sites • Top scoring games in the Smith Center are 17 points against Kent State and UNC Asheville • Handed out 10 assists in three games (Nevada, Miami and Boston College) • Made multiple three-pointers in 17 contests • Named to the ACC All-Freshman Team in 2006-07.
Made himself eligible for the 2008 NBA Draft but did not sign with an agent and chose to return to school on June 16, retaining his collegiate eligibility.
SOPHOMORE SEASON (2007-08)
Led the team in assists with 165 and was one of four Tar Heels averaging double figures in scoring • Averaged 16.1 points in the eight games prior to being injured on Feb. 3 • Finished the year at 51.5 percent from the floor and 83.5 percent from the free throw line • Was 35 for 41 from the line in his final 11 games • Would have likely earned All-ACC honors, but missed six full conference games due to an injury • Honorable mention All-ACC selection • NABC All-District selection • One of 16 finalists for the Bob Cousy Award • Averaged 12.7 points, 5.2 assists (third in the ACC) and 1.6 steals and had an assist-error ratio of 2.36 to 1, which was No. 1 in the ACC • Led Tar Heel attack that was first in the ACC in scoring, field goal percentage, assists and assist-error ratio • More assists than turnovers in 26 of 32 games • Sixth in the ACC in free throw percentage at .835, 14.7 percentage points higher than a year ago • Scored in double figures 23 times with a career-high of 26 at Rutgers • Four 20-point games (26 at Rutgers, 23 vs. Old Dominion, 23 at Miami and 21 vs. Mount St. Mary's) • Missed seven full games and most of two others due to two separate ankle injuries • Had 45 assists and 21 turnovers and averaged 11.0 points in 11 games after returning to the lineup on March 1 • Had 20 assists and just one turnover in consecutive wins over Miami and Boston College prior to getting injured at Florida State on Feb. 3 • First Tar Heel to record double-doubles in points and assists in back-to-back games since Raymond Felton in 2005.
Game Highlights
Pre-ACC: Picked up three early fouls in the opening win at Davidson and had just one assist in that game, but he hit two clutch free throws in the final minute to preserve the road victory • Scored a then-career-high 23 points and helped UNC shoot 70.9 percent against Old Dominion • Scored a career-high nine field goals on 11 attempts • Sprained his right ankle in the BYU game and did not play the final 38 minutes • Was unable to play at Ohio State due to a sprained right ankle • Returned to the starting lineup in the win at Kentucky and had 10 points and six assists • Scored 19 of his career-high 26 points in the first half at Rutgers • Added six rebounds, five assists and four steals • Had 15 points, six assists, four steals and just one turnover against UC Santa Barbara • Sparked a 19-0 run at the end of the first half and start of the second to lead UNC past Nevada • Scored six of Carolina's eight points in the final 49 seconds of the first half to give UNC a 14-point lead at the break • Finished with 16 points, six rebounds, a career-high 10 assists and a career-high five steals • First career double-double and UNC's first in points and assists since Raymond Felton in 2005 • Had 17 points and seven assists and matched his career-high with three three-pointers against Kent State.
January: Had 16 points, eight assists and six rebounds in overtime win at Clemson • Drove into the lane and pitched to Wayne Ellington for the winning three-pointer • Also assisted on UNC's last three baskets in regulation • Sensational offensive game against UNC Asheville as he had 17 points, seven assists and no turnovers • Scored 16 points, all in the second half, and had five assists without a turnover in 93-62 win over NC State • Made a career-high four from three-point range • Scored UNC's first 10 points of the second half • Sensational in the win at Miami as he posted his second double-double with 23 points and 10 assists against just one turnover • Scored 15 of his points in the first half, then had seven assists in the second half • Driving, off-balance basket and free throw with one second to play gave the Tar Heels a 47-40 lead at the break • Was devestatingly effective for the second game in a row as he posted his second straight double-double with 16 points, 10 assists and zero turnovers against Boston College • Matched his career high in assists • Made a career-high eight free throws • Helped UNC score 38 transition points.
February: Played only 3:48 at Florida State before suffering a sprained left ankle • Did not return to the game • Became entangled with a defender after driving into the lane and was wrestled to the ground, twisting his ankle in the process • Had scored the first two baskets of the game and helped UNC get off to an 8-1 start.
March: Played 21 minutes and was key in comeback win at Boston College • Had five assists and only one turnover • Played solid defense in the second half on Tyrese Rice, holding the BC guard to four field goals after he torched UNC for 34 points in the first half • Only field goal of the game was a baseline drive for a reverse layup that gave UNC a 64-63 lead • Had 10 points, three assists and three steals in win at Duke • Had a steal with 55 seconds to play and UNC leading by four that helped clinch the victory.
ACC Tournament: Scored 12 points, 10 in the second half, and added eight assists in championship game win over Clemson • Had two layups and an assist in a run that helped UNC race out to a 10-point lead midway through the second half • Most points and assists since Jan. 31 • Helped the Tar Heels shoot 56.7 percent in the second half • Averaged 24.3 minutes in the three games (was averaging 27.1 prior to being injured on Feb. 3).
NCAA Tournament: 2008 NCAA East Regional All-Tournament selection • Five-game totals included 14.4 points and 4.4 assists per game and shot 52.4 percent from the floor (22x42) and 91.3 percent from the free throw line (21x23) • Had eight turnovers in 127 minutes (one every 15.9 minutes) • Was not officially credited with an assist against Washington State, although a review of the game tape showed at least four • Had 11 points and nine assists and helped UNC shoot 53.4 percent from the floor against Louisville in regional final • Three-pointer from the left corner gave UNC a 71-64 lead with 5:03 to play • Two-game totals in first and second round wins included 40 points, 11 assists and zero turnovers • Made 13 of 18 shots from the floor (72.2 percent), 4 of 7 from three-point range (.571) and 10 of 11 free throws (.909) • Had 21 points, four assists and four steals against Mount St. Mary's and 19 points and seven assists against Arkansas • Led a Tar Heel attack that averaged 110.5 points, shot 64.0 percent from the floor and averaged 26.5 assists and 8.0 turnovers in the two games.
FRESHMAN SEASON (2006-07)
Season Notes: Earned ACC all-rookie team honors • Led the ACC in assist-turnover ratio (2.57 to 1) and was third in assists per game (5.6) • Had 184 assists and 64 turnovers in his 31 starts • Had more assists than turnovers 32 times (16 straight to end the year; also had 13 straight in another stretch) • Led the team with 213 assists (tied for ninth-best at UNC single-season) and was fourth in scoring (10.2 points per game) • Had 101 assists and 29 turnovers in the last 16 games (3.48 to 1 ratio) • Had 45 assists and 13 turnovers in seven postseason games • Averaged 12.5 points in 10 road games • His top six scoring outputs came away from the Smith Center • Scored in double figures 22 times with highs of 21 at NC State, 20 vs. Michigan State, 18 at Arizona, 16 at Virginia Tech, 15 at Wake Forest and Duke and 14 against Tennessee and FSU • Had 109 free throw attempts, third-most on the team • Made 22 of his last 27 free throw attempts • One of 17 national candidates for the Bob Cousy Award • Earned ACC Freshman of the Week honors for his play at Wake Forest (Jan. 24) and Arizona (Jan. 27) • Voted most improved player by his teammates and coaches.
Game Highlights
November: Made his first start as a Tar Heel against Ohio State and had five assists and no turnovers to go along with 13 points in the win over the Buckeyes.
December: Handed out seven assists against Kentucky • Had 11 points, eight assists and four steals and helped UNC shoot 66.1 percent from the floor against Florida Atlantic • Had 12 points, eight rebounds and eight assists in win at Saint Louis • Had nine assists and zero turnovers against Rutgers • Played only 19 minutes against Dayton after suffering a fall on a drive to the basket on which he bruised his right wrist.
January: Matched his season high with four steals against Florida State • Scored 16 points and added six assists, four turnovers and three steals in loss at Virginia Tech • Had 10 points and four assists in the final four minutes as UNC rallied from 20 down to within three • Scored all 15 of his points in the second half of the win at Wake Forest • Added five assists and three steals • Played one of his finest games in the 92-64 win at Arizona • Scored 18 points and had eight assists, just one turnover and four steals (matched season high) • Helped force Arizona senior guard Mustafa Shakur into eight turnovers • Made a season- high eight field goals • Helped Carolina shoot 56.8 percent in the second half and 51.3 for the game • Hit a season-high three three-pointers and had 13 points and three assists vs. Miami.
February: Scored a season-high 21 points, had seven assists and one turnover in loss at NC State • Had 15 points, eight rebounds and four assists in win at Duke • Scored 11 of his 15 points in the second half, including nine in the last 5:52 • Jumper tied the game with 5:52 to play, driving lay-up and three-point play gave UNC a seven-point lead with 1:46 left, lefty lay-up in traffic at 0:46 upped the lead back to four and two free throws with five seconds to play were the final points of the game • Had 13 points, five assists and one turnover in home loss to Virginia Tech • Had shots to win at end of regulation and overtime, but missed a three-pointer to end the second half and had his drive blocked from behind at the end of OT • Had 13 points, six rebounds and seven assists in win at Boston College • Helped Carolina shoot 51.9 percent in road win • Tied his season high with nine assists at Maryland.
March: Had 12 points, five assists and just one turnover in home win over Duke • Helped Carolina shoot 50 percent from the field.
ACC Tournament: Earned first-team all-tournament honors after scoring 12.3 points per game, with 20 assists and four turnovers and helping UNC shoot 52.7 percent from the floor in the three wins • Had 14 points, eight assists and three steals vs. Florida State, 10 points and eight assists vs. Boston College and 13 points, four assists in final vs. NC State • Had two turnovers in quarterfinals, then just two over the next 61 minutes • Helped limit BC guard Tyrese Rice to 1 of 9 shooting, a day after Rice scored 32 points in the quarterfinals • Was UNC's defensive player of the game vs. NC State.
NCAA Tournament: Averaged 16 points, 4.5 rebounds, 7.5 assists and 1.5 turnovers in the first two rounds • Had 20 points with eight assists and one turnover against Michigan State • Helped UNC score 81 points, tops against the Spartans this year • Had six assists and no turnovers in first half as UNC built an eight-point edge • Made 5 of 7 three-pointers in the two games • Had four points, seven rebounds, four assists, one turnover and three steals vs. the Trojans • Picked up two fouls in the first half that limited his aggressive play • Equaled his second-lowest scoring output of the year and fewest since he had two at Clemson on Jan. 17 • Fourth time in the last five game he had only one turnover • Had six assists and five turnovers against Georgetown (as many turnovers as he had in previous four games combined).
PREP/PERSONAL
Led Oak Hill Academy to a 42-1 record as a senior (won their first 42 games) • First-team USA Today All-America selection • Averaged 23.8 points, 9.1 assists and five steals in 2006 • Shot 63 percent from the floor, including 42 percent from three-point range • Had a season-high 37 points, one of nine games in which he scored 30 or more • Had a season-high 18 assists and had double-digit assists 18 times • Played for coach Steve Smith • Participated in McDonald's All-Star Game, Jordan Classic and Nike Hoop Summit • McDonald's and Parade All-America selection • Had 17 points and six assists in Nike Hoop Summit • Also played soccer for one year at Oak Hill • Most Valuable Player at Oak Hill in 2005 • Most Valuable Player at World Juniors Tournament in France in June 2005 • Attended Bishop McNamara High School in Forestville, Md., for two years • Majoring in exercise and sport science.
