Title | Division I Men's Basketball Championship First & Second Rounds |
Creator (LCNAF) |
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Publisher | National Collegiate Athletic Association |
Date | March 15, 1990 - March 17, 1990 |
Subject.Topical (LCSH) |
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Subject.Name (LCNAF) |
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Subject.Geographic (TGN) |
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Genre (AAT) |
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Language | English |
Type (DCMI) |
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Original Item Location | ID 2009-006, Box 7, Folder 7 |
Original Collection | Athletics Department Records |
Digital Collection | University of Houston Sports Championship Publications |
Digital Collection URL | http://digital.lib.uh.edu/collection/champ |
Repository | Special Collections, University of Houston Libraries |
Repository URL | http://info.lib.uh.edu/about/campus-libraries-collections/special-collections |
Use and Reproduction | Educational use only, no other permissions given. Copyright to this resource is held by the content creator, author, artist or other entity, and is provided here for educational purposes only. It may not be reproduced or distributed in any format without written permission of the copyright owner. For more information please see UH Digital Library Fair Use policy on the UH Digital Library About page. |
File Name | index.cpd |
Title | Page 117 |
Format (IMT) |
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File Name | champ_201306_035_111.jpg |
Transcript | North Carolina coach Dean Smith assembled the "greatest team of all time" in 1984, according to Virginia's Terry Holland. — 4-0 and 8-4 early. Then the Hoosiers reeled off six straight points to take a lead they would never lose. Perkins was getting his points inside, but the rest of the Tar Heels were cold. Jordan, especially, somehow could not shake that slow defender, Dakich, and never scored on one of his patented, back-door alley-oop dunks. North Carolina succeeded in forcing Hoosier turnovers but when Indiana did get into the frontcourt, its offense was efficient, effective and precise. The presence of Blab inside provided shots for Alford outside. And Robinson, despite his sprained foot, came off the bench to handle the ball against North Carolina's pressure and stick some shots of his own. As the game wore on and the Hoosiers stuck gamely to their lead, frustration began to mount among the Tar Heels. Alford, en route to a 27-point night, finally sparked the Hoosiers to a 59-47 lead with just 5:54 to play. But North Carolina was too talented — and too proud — to go quietly. With the Hoosiers opening the door by missing four straight one-and-ones, the Tar Heels charged back, scoring 10 unanswered points to cut the lead to just 59-57. Bedlam reigned in the Omni. "I didn't think the game had gotten away," Knight said later. "My only thought was that I didn't want to see the kids put forth that kind of effort and lose because of missed free throws." Ultimately, however, they won it at the free throw line. North Carolina made the mistake of fouling Alford and the nation's best free throw shooter — .913 on the season — knocked down six straight. Robinson added two more, then came Blab — Indiana's poorest foul shooter — with two at 19 seconds and finally, the clinchers, a pair by Giomi with five seconds to play. Indiana 72, North Carolina 68. In the end, shooting told much of the story. The Hoosiers had made 65 percent (24 of 37 shots) from the field. The Tar Heels, number two in the nation in field goal percentage coming in, had made only 42 percent of their tries. Perkins (26 points) proved to be North Carolina's only effective offensive player. Jordan fouled out with 1:11 to play with 13 points, seven below his average. "Vd have to say that Indiana is four points better than the greatest team of all time. Indiana played as well as any team I've ever seen." Terry Holland Virginia "Maybe that was the only time in five or 10 times we could beat them," Knight would say. "But we did what we had to do to win. We knew it was going to be tough, but there was a way. "Part of championship play is emotional preparation and involvement," he continued. "Maybe North Carolina didn't have that in total. We were not a formidable opponent. We had lost to some average teams." But on this night, they had upset a great team. "I've never felt," said Knight, "that you can't get something done. There has to be a way." Virginia's Terry Holland, who had declared North Carolina the best team ever, was asked what he thought in the aftermath of the upset. "I'd have to say that Indiana is four points better than the greatest team of all time," Holland admitted. "Indiana played as well as any team I've ever seen." Two days later, however, Indiana did not play that well. Holland's Cavaliers had more than a little to do with it, defeating the Hoosiers in the regional championship, 50-48, for the trip to the Final Four in Seattle. A 114 |