Tar Heels on road, Blue Devils at home

North Carolina takes on improved Clemson

By: By Bill Cole | JOURNAL REPORTER
Published: January 13, 2010

Every day of the season has been a learning day at North Carolina, for the players and for Coach Roy Williams.

The demands of building a team invigorate Williams even after 22 years on the job. The work in replacing four starters and all but two of the key members of last season's NCAA championship team has been a little more than he expected.

"I'm enjoying putting the team together, but I'm not enjoying some of the lapses that we have in our concentration," Williams said. "But that's part of (the process)."

This North Carolina team (12-4, 1-0) will have another experience today when it plays at Clemson (13-3, 1-1) in its first ACC road game of the season. Tipoff will be at 9 p.m.

The inconsistency Williams has seen is reflected in UNC's record. The Tar Heels are unbeaten in 11 home games but have won only once in five games away from the Smith Center. UNC also needs four wins to join Kentucky as the only major-college programs with 2,000 all-time victories.

Wins at Clemson were once nearly automatic for many ACC visitors, but Coach Oliver Purnell has built the program, and Littlejohn has become a difficult arena for unprepared teams. Williams wants his team to play smart, make sound decisions and play suffocating defense -- things North Carolina hasn't been able to do in every game.

"The frustration that I've had this year is repeating the same thing over and over," Williams said. "The kids are understanding that part, and they're understanding that we're holding them accountable."

Only two Tar Heels, swingman Marcus Ginyard and forward Deon Thompson, have extensive ACC road experience. Ed Davis, last season's top reserve, has some.

Point guard Larry Drew is a sophomore but said after Sunday's 78-64 win over Virginia Tech that he is still learning his position. Five highly touted but inconsistent freshmen will play their first game in a hostile ACC arena.

"I think as long as we do hold them accountable, and they do the little things that we think are so important, it's going to help our team," Williams said. "I think we have that meaning across to them. They accepted it and they understand it, but it doesn't mean that our job's over with.

"We should always try to be able to give them more information and continue to teach them and continue to coach them. Right now we've given them a lot of information, but it's up to them to be accountable."

Thompson and Davis will have to contain Clemson's Trevor Booker, one of the ACC's top inside players. Booker leads all active ACC players with 927 rebounds and 226 blocked shots, and his relentless play forces fouls and can make teams go deep into their bench. Booker has improved his shooting and can hit mid-range jump shots and an occasional 3-point shot.

"I think Booker is one of the best players in college basketball period, not just the ACC," Williams said. "We know we're going to a tough place to play a tough team."

UNC has won its past 10 games against Clemson, including the past three in Littlejohn. Purnell knows that UNC has been up and down this season but fears the threat facing his team.

Purnell said he sees a talented UNC team that is gaining experience and confidence and getting better.

"I just remind everyone that last year they were 0-2 (in the ACC) coming out of the blocks," Purnell said. "I think everybody fully expects them to get better as the year goes along."

bcole@wsjournal.com