Growing up in Tampa, Fla., John Henson knew about Duke-North Carolina. Everyone does.
What freshman Henson didn't know about the combustible N.C. State-Carolina rivalry, he learned during the Tar Heels' 77-63 victory Tuesday night.
The discovery actually began over the weekend, in edgy practices that Roy Williams cooked up to refine the ragged Tar Heels, bruised by a three-game losing streak and first poll disappearance in four years.
"We tried to make it as competitive as it can be," Williams said. "I wasn't very nice to them, and they answered. They really did. I got on them a good bit after practice, but I think the toughness was there."
Henson, a 6-10 forward promoted as a potential one-and-done blur by some deranged recruiting analysts, resembled a staggering giraffe when recent opponents nudged his 195 pounds out of the way. If he wanted to soften the coach's curt analysis, State seemed like the best place to start.
"Coach Williams, I figured out he's not too fond of this school," Henson said.
The feeling remains mutual, judging from the hoots and homemade signs raised behind Williams' head. Williams tells players that he'd rather beat State than eat.
Tense finish defused
The Tar Heels fed their coach his favorite happy meal, tapping dormant emotions and tightening up the loose execution that had created a turnover stupor. The result: defensive starch and rebounding sweat. State (13-8, 2-5 ACC) shot 29 percent in the second half. Carolina controlled the boards 39-30.
The Tar Heels (13-7, 2-3 ACC) consequently escaped a virtual tie for last place and revived the drive for another NCAA bid. They also elevated Williams' record against State to 18-1, including his 5-0 appetizer at Kansas.
For the longest time, everything pointed toward a tense finish and away from any Henson impact. Shooting a free throw midway through the first half, Henson missed the rim, the net and nearly the entire lane. From then on, fans serenaded Henson with airball chants or ridiculed him with the nickname Gumby (which presumably referred to the animated clay character, long and green with a slanted head).
"It's sad, but I've done it before, so I'm kind of used to coming back on that," Henson said, grinning. "It was a good little experience hearing them yell airball every time I got in. You've just got to tune it out, man, because I heard they're crazy over here."
Animosity to spare
A Wolfpack freshman, Scott Wood, confirmed the diagnosis. Wood grew up in Marion, Ind., where beloved red-and-cream uniforms belong to the Indiana Hoosiers. He got a huge first dose of State's antipathy toward the Tar Heels.
"It's obvious they hate each other," Wood said. "On the court, the fans didn't like each other. They had some pretty nasty signs and stuff like that. If I had to compare it to something, I'd say IU-Purdue, but it's definitely different than that."
Wood nailed the opening shot of the second half but finished 1 for 9 with three points. "Couldn't throw the ball in the ocean," he said.
Henson didn't fare much better offensively, scoring two points on two shots, but he swatted away three Wolfpack attempts and riled the crowd, which screamed for goal-tending. At the other end, Williams lobbied Henson for goal-bending.
"He did take it to the basket with that funky little scoop shot kind of deal," Williams said. "I told him if it had been me with that, I would've dunked the dadgum thing, but I'm still 59 years old and dream about dunking it."
Henson, 1-0 in the Wolfpack lair, harbors more plausible dreams.
"I can't wait to come back," he said.
That makes it official: Gumby shall return.
lrawlings@wsjournal.com
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