*box score
*tarheel.com
*tarheel insiders
Update:After a a two year absence, the Tarheels won their first round NCAA tournament game against Air Force and will now play Texas (3) tomorrow at 8pm. The final score was 63-52, but as the cliche goes, it was much closer than that. In fact Air Force led throughout much of the first 25 minutes with a combination of good defense and a motion offense that primarily produced three pointers or easy layups off of backdoor cuts.
Apparently Melvin Scott and Rashad McCants were the brains behind UNC shaving their heads prior to the Air Force game. I just hope the reserves have enough time to regrow their hair before they have to go on job interviews.
UNC shot only 41% from the field, but that was more a function of Air Force's style of play. With no player taller than 6'8" and a coach from the Princeton school of "slow the game down," the Tarheels struggled early, but seemed to make adjustments at halftime that righted the ship.
Sean Mays led all UNC scorers with 14 points, and Jackie Manuel added 10 points and his usual strong defensive showing. Next up is Texas, and this game should be a complete 180 in terms of pace of play. It will also be a chance for the Heels stick it to Rick Barnes one more time for his anti-Dean Smith sentiments (from the perspective of a Heels fan, don't forget).
One other thing -- was it just me or did Costanza's long-time nemesis, Lloyd Braun, coach Air Force last night under the alias, Joe Scott?
