THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1997, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, January 29, 1997 TAG: 9701290669
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C2 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY FRANK VEHORN, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: 90 lines
If Carolina defeats Duke in Durham tonight, both teams will finish the first half of the ACC season with 4-4 records.
That, says Carolina forward Antwan Jamison, is the plan, too.
``After the start we had, it will be a great feeling to be 4-4,'' Jamison said.
``If the top teams in the league lose a couple of games, we could be right in the race at the end of the season, too.''
That may be a bit too much, but the mood among Carolina players has changed considerably since they began league play with three straight losses.
The biggest mood-changer was Sunday's win over Clemson.
Carolina's other two league wins were against North Carolina State and Georgia Tech, the two lowest-place teams.
Clemson, though, is a legitimate contender for the ACC title and had moved up to No. 2 in the national rankings. It was Carolina's first win over a ranked team since last January.
The Heels' biggest weakness this season had been defense, but that was the key to defeating Clemson.
``We showed the kind of defense we can play,'' Jamison said. ``I've said all along once we get to the point we need to be at that we're going to be a scary team.
``I think we are getting to that point right now. We definitely are ready to put on a run.''
WHO'S NEXT? While Carolina may be close to solving its problems, Duke approaches the halfway mark still looking for a fifth starter to go with Steve Wojciechowski, Trajan Langdon, Greg Newton, and Roshown McLeod.
Coach Mike Krzyzewski has tried six players at the other starting spot in the last six games.
Jeff Capel started against Wake Forest, Ricky Price against N.C. State, Chris Carrawell against Campbell, Nate James against UNC-Greensboro, Mike Chappell against Virginia, and Carmen Wallace against Maryland.
Capel, who broke out of an early-season slump with a 25-point game against N.C. State, says he prefers coming off the bench instead of filling the fifth starting role.
He's shooting 30.6 percent and averaging 7.6 points as a starter and hitting 44.8 percent and averaging 11.4 points in relief.
Capel credits his former high school coach, Ron Miller, for helping him solve his early-season shooting problems.
It was just a matter of keeping his right elbow tucked in when he shot the ball.
LOUD AND CLEAR: Clemson coach Rick Barnes says the message he got from back-to-back losses to Wake Forest and North Carolina is that his Tigers have to get more scoring from the low post.
``It is time for us to work on our offense and we have got to emphasize putting the ball in the post,'' Barnes said. ``We've got guys who can score in the post, but we've got to get the ball in there.''
Clemson, which had moved up to No. 2 in the polls before the double losses, plays Georgia Tech on Thursday night.
LOOKING AHEAD: So, what did Wake Forest coach Dave Odom have in mind when he scheduled games against Virginia Tech and Wofford on consecutive nights?
``We will be playing back-to-back games in the ACC tournament, and it's almost back-to-back in the NCAA tournament,'' Odom said. ``I am a firm believer that those kind of games can be good for you.''
Odom said he had not been pleased with his team's play in the last four games, but he thinks one of the reasons may be his players adjusting to juggling the starting lineup to include 7-foot-1 freshman Loren Woods.
Woods and 6-foot-10 Tim Duncan are working so well together that perimeter players are feeling left out.
``The inclusion of Loren has been good but now we've got to go back and accentuate the outside play,'' Odom said.
STAR STATUS: The latest evidence that Wake Forest's Duncan is the ACC's resident superstar this season is the consideration he's getting from game officials.
``If you breathe on his arm, it's a foul,'' says Florida State's Randall Jackson.
Meanwhile, officials look the other way when Duncan climbs over someone to make a block, some opponents say. Virginia's Chase Metheney might even be able to play a full game if he got the same consideration from officials.
COOL FROSH: Only once, in 1985, since freshmen became eligible in 1973 has the ACC not had at least one freshman average in double figures. It could happen again this year, though.
Kevin Morris of Georgia Tech and North Carolina's Ed Cota are tied for the lead among newcomers with 8.9 averages, followed by Wake Forest's Loren Woods, 8.4, and North Carolina State's Damon Thornton, 7.8.
Woods may emerge as a double-figure scorer now that he's moved into the Deacons' starting lineup. He's also the leading candidate for rookie-of-the-year.