University of Missouri
North Carolina
Tigers Fall to Tar Heels
3/17/2000 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
March 17, 2000
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By JENNA FRYER
AP Sports Writer
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Brendan Haywood and Ed Cota led the North Carolina Tarheels to an 84-70 victory over the Missouri Tigers on Friday night in the first round of the NCAA South Regional.
Haywood had a career-high 28 points and 15 rebounds, and Cota had 10 assists to become only the third player in NCAA history to reach 1,000 for his career.
At first, it looked like MU sharpshooter Clarence Gilbert might run off with the game singlehandedly. He opened the game with consecutive 3-pointers, giving the underdog Tigers and the MU crowd an emotional boost.
But North Carolina quickly found an answer, taking advantage of its sizable height advantage - seven Tar Heels are 6-feet-8 or taller compared to just two for Missouri - by pounding the ball inside to the 7-foot Haywood.
"We wanted to use our strength, so I was just trying to get the ball inside," Cota said. "I guess that worked."
But Carolina coach Bill Guthridge had initially worried it wouldn't because first-year Missouri coach Quin Snyder - a former Duke player and assistant coach - was too familiar with it. It ultimately didn't matter because nothing could stop Haywood.
"I'm not going to say it was getting easier and easier, but I was using my will on them and I could definitely see them getting tired," said Haywood, who was 11-of-15 from the field.
North Carolina, which needs one more win to continue its streak of 28 straight 20-win seasons, will play the Stanford-South Carolina State winner in the second round Sunday.
Gilbert led Missouri with 16 points - but was just 4-for-15 from 3-point range - and Keyon Dooling had 13. Dooling was 1-for-7 from behind the arc.
"Some nights we can't miss and some nights we can't throw it in the ocean," Dooling said.
The Tar Heels, who lost 76-74 to Weber State in the first round of last year's tournament, led 41-31 with 1:19 to play in the first half. But ninth-seeded Missouri (18-13) finished the half with 10 straight points to close within three at 44-41.
But Haywood took early control of the second half, grabbing the rebound of Jason Capel's missed free throw and dunking, then scoring on a turnaround jumper 32 seconds later to give Carolina a 48-41 lead.
He and Cota then hooked up for Cota's milestone assist. With 12:11 to play, Cota whipped a line drive under the basket to Haywood, who dunked for a 59-49 North Carolina lead.
"I think it was our best game of the year," Guthridge said. "Of course, Cota and Haywood had unbelievable games."
Capel added 14 points and 11 rebounds for Carolina, Joseph Forte scored 13 and Kris Lang added 11.
Missouri found itself in trouble less then two minutes into the game when senior guard Jeff Hafer picked up two fouls in about two seconds. He was whistled for his first foul with 18:57 to play, then hit again at the 18:55 mark when he reached in on the inbound pass. Hafer played just 2:16 of the first half and failed to score or take a shot.
