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Top-ranked Tar Heels face upset-minded Tigers in ACC final

Sun 16th, March 2008

Charlotte, NC (Sports Network) - The top-ranked North Carolina Tar Heels gun for their second straight ACC Tournament title today, as they take on the Clemson Tigers in the championship game at Charlotte Bobcats Arena.

UNC, winner of the ACC regular season crown, is not only attempting to win its second tourney title in row, but also establish a new record for this event with a 17th all-time championship. The top-seeded Tar Heels began their journey with an 82-70 triumph over ninth-seeded Florida State in the quarterfinals before pulling out a dramatic 68-66 win over fourth-seeded Virginia Tech in the semifinal round on Saturday. UNC's winning streak has now reached 10 games, as it remains in command for a No.1 seed in the upcoming NCAA Tournament.

As for Clemson, it kicked off tourney play with a convincing 82-48 triumph over 11th-seeded Boston College in the quarterfinals and then it upset second- seeded and seventh-ranked Duke, 78-74, in the semifinals on Saturday. With the win on Saturday, the Tigers snapped a 22-game losing streak to Duke and in the process advanced to their first ACC Tournament title game in 46 years. Clemson lost in its only final appearance in 1962 and it has gone just 16-54 all-time in this event.

The Tigers and Tar Heels were involved in a couple of thrillers during the regular season, with UNC prevailing 90-88 in overtime and 103-93 in double- overtime. UNC has now won eight consecutive meetings with the Tigers, holding a commanding 120-19 lead in the head-to-head series.

Clemson knocked down 50.9 percent of its shots from the field and held Duke to a dismal 6-of-26 effort from long range, as it pulled out the four-point win on Saturday. Trevor Booker led the charge with 18 points and seven rebounds, while Cliff Hammonds posted 17 points and three steals. James Mays had 16 points and four helpers, and K.C. Rivers chipped in with 10 points. For the season, Rivers tops the roster in scoring at 14.3 ppg and he is also snaring 6.3 rpg and shooting 40.3 percent from three-point range. Hammonds checks in with 11.7 ppg and 4.1 rpg and he is distributing a team-best 3.9 apg. Booker puts forth 11.1 ppg and a team-best 7.5 rpg and he is followed by Mays, who turns in 11.0 ppg and 6.9 rpg. Terrence Oglesby chips in with 10.5 ppg off the bench for the Tigers, who are netting a solid 79.5 ppg as a team.

Tyler Hansbrough showed why he was voted the ACC Player of the Year, as his jumper from the corner with 0.8 seconds remaining lifted UNC to a thrilling 68-66 victory over Virginia Tech on Saturday. The All-American finished with a game-high 26 points and nine rebounds, while Wayne Ellington and Marcus Ginyard tallied 15 points and 10 points, respectively. For the season, Hansbrough leads the ACC in both scoring and rebounding, as the National Player of the Year candidate averages a double-double with 23.1 ppg and 10.3 rpg. Ellington hits on 41.6 percent of his three-pointers tries for an average of 16.5 ppg, while Ty Lawson produces 12.4 ppg and a team-high 5.2 apg. Danny Green has provided the team with a spark off the bench and he turns in 11.6 ppg and 4.8 rpg. Overall, the Tar Heels are an elite scoring and rebounding team, averaging a healthy 88.8 ppg and grabbing 11.3 rpg more than their opponents.

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