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Off the cuff: One hates to rag on one particular player. But that was one of the worst single games by a Carolina starting player as I can remember, at least offensively. Of course I'm talking about Danny Green. He missed layups, an alley oop dunk attempt, short jumpers, three pointers, everything. He was one of 12 on the day and missed all five of his three-point attempts. He did hit two free throws to tie it late and could have changed the storyline had he made the three at the buzzer to send it into overtime.

Hansbrough is only three points shy of passing J.J. Redick to be the leading scorer in ACC history. It's a shame he couldn't break the record in the ACC championship game rather than in the first round of the NCAA tournament against Left Handed State University or somebody. During the Florida State game, he passed Sam Perkins as the leading rebounder in UNC history.

The game-winning points came after a supposed foul by Ed Davis on Toney Douglas. Coach Williams, who had a good angle on it, thought Douglas just slipped down. TV thought it was more important to show Williams' reaction rather than a replay to show whether or not it really was a foul. Slowing down the play with Tivo seems to show that Williams may have been right.

There have been various television technical problems during the tournament but no one ever addresses them. Whether cable or satellite, there have been little glitches in picture and sound. I understand that the cable system in Winston-Salem went out altogether. Those outside the ACC viewing area watch the tournament on ESPN but that signal is blacked out in the Raycom viewing area. Usually the cameras are the same but the production and announcers are different. Not sure if ESPN viewers had the same technical issues but the problem should have been addressed to viewers.

Carolina was just not going to win the ACC tournament without Lawson unless Green or Frasor could come through shooting the ball. Inside men Ed Davis and Deon Thompson were good, and Ellington and Hansbrough did all they could. Next year's starting point guard Larry Drew did fine but, in Lawson's absence, the shots needed to come from Green and Frasor. Frasor took one shot and sank only two of four free throws while Green scored one basket and two free throws.

We'll see if Carolina's strategy of saving Lawson for the NCAA tournament will pan out but it takes a lot of luck to win the NCAA tourney. If Lawson could have played and didn't because Coach Roy Williams considered the tournament a "big cocktail party," it will be a shame. One of the best teams in Carolina history could finish the season without the ACC title or the NCAA title. The pressure is on. As Coach Wiliams said after the game, "There's no tomorrow now."

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ACC Tourney: Seminoles 73, Heels 70
Fla. St. hits threes, Carolina doesn't

Florida State, behind 27 points from Toney Douglas, hit threes to defeat No. 1 North Carolina (which didn't hit much of anything) 73-70 to make it to the finals of the ACC tournament. (3/14)

Struggling all day without injured point guard Ty Lawson, UNC still was tied at 69 with two minutes to play. Bobby Frasor gave Carolina a brief lead at 70-69 with 1:03 to play as he hit one of two free throws. With 47 seconds to play, UNC's Ed Davis fouled Douglas, who sank both free throws to give the Seminoles a 71-70 edge.

Tyler Hansbrough, dribbling in traffic, lost the ball with 19 seconds to go. Carolina fouled in desperation. With a one-and-one situation, FSU's Derwin Kitchen, a weak free throw shooter, sank two free throws for a 73-70 advantage.

Wayne Ellington, who earlier sank Carolina's only three of the second half, missed a hectic, contested three and Danny Green, who got the rebound, hoisted up a wild three at the buzzer that also missed.

With Lawson out, Green picked a bad time to go cold as he hit only one of 12 shots on the day, including zero of five from behind the arc. As a team, the Tar Heels shot only 37 percent for the game while the Seminoles shot 49 percent for the game but 67 percent, including six of 11 three pointers, during the decisive second half.

Carolina, which led 30-21 at one time in the first half and held a 32-29 lead at the half, was outscored 13-2 during a three-minute span at the end of the first half and beginning of the second half.

A three by Douglas from the corner gave Florida State a 34-32 lead early in the second half. The Seminoles worked the lead up to five before Carolina countered with six straight points, highlighted by a Hansbrough to Davis dunk, to take a 46-45 lead.

But once again, threes hurt the Tar Heels as Douglas drained one and shortly thereafter Deividas Dulkys popped another one to give Florida State a 51-46 lead.

Midway through the second half, Carolina tied it at 55-all on free throws by Hansbrough but just 17 seconds later the Seminoles' Kitchen hit a three to put Florida State up 58-55.

The Tar Heels stayed four or five points back most of the rest of the way. After Ellington drew the Heels to within a point at 66-65 with the Heels' first three of the second half, the Seminoles countered with a three of their own by Chris Singleton to get back up 69-65.

Ellington sank a jumper off the dribble and Green hit two free throws to tie it at 69 with 2:03 to go. From there, Carolina hit one of two free throws while Florida State hit four of four free throws.

Florida State finished with eight three pointers while Carolina managed four but were only four of 15 on the day.

Ellington, 24 points, and Hansbrough, 22 points, kept the Heels in the game offensively while 11 steals, including five by Hansbrough, kept the Heels in it defensively.

Carolina, now 28-4, is still expected to get a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament. Florida State, which had lost 10 straight to UNC, is now 25-8 and plays for the ACC tournament title Sunday afternoon.

Boxscore

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