WRAL Sports Fan

WRALSportsFan

Carolina, Clemson to Play for ACC Title

Mar 16, 2008

Charlotte, N.C. — North Carolina and Clemson played a pair of thrillers this season in ACC basketball.

Today, they play for the ACC title at 1 p.m. on WRAL.

Clemson has never won the ACC Tournament and has only been in the finals once, in 1962. Carolina defeated N.C. State last season for the championship.

UNC needed a last-second shot by Tyler Hansbrough to beat Virginia
Tech 68-66 Saturday in the semifinals at Charlotte Bobcats Arena. The second game was nearly as thrilling, with Clemson ousting Duke 78-74. The Tigers, normally horrific foul shooters, made seven of their final eight free throws down the stretch to preserve their win.

While Carolina is the No. 1 seed and has history on its side, the Tigers are a talented team more than capable of unseating the Tar Heels. Clemson is well-coached under Oliver Purnell and has a deep, talented team that loves to press and run. Today’s game is likely to be a full-court affair, as UNC coach Roy Williams also prefers an aggressive pace.

The Tar Heels won 90-88 in overtime in Clemson, S.C., on Jan. 6 when Wayne Ellington hit a three-pointer with 0.4 seconds left.

Carolina needed two overtimes to beat Clemson 103-93 in Chapel Hill. The Heels were down 15 in that game before rallying.