Tar Heels Go Four Corners, Struggle

The four corners offense, designed by former North Carolina men's coach Dean Smith, was more than a mere part of UNC basketball.

It represented a successful, proud program, one led by players like Phil Ford, Walter Davis and Mitch Kupchak.

The four corners of 2002 is still symbolic. Unfortunately for the Tar Heels, it now highlights their inability to keep up with quicker, stronger opponents.

North Carolina dusted off the four corners Saturday in its 86-54 loss at Connecticut. But instead of using it to top another Tar Heel victory, coach Matt Doherty employed the offensive set in the closing minutes of the first half to keep his team from being blown out at Gampel Pavilion.

"They got on a run, and the crowd got into it, and I wanted to slow it down," Doherty said.

Considering the Huskies had clawed back from an early 11-2 deficit to take a 35-26 lead with 3:22 remaining, it made sense that the Tar Heels would want to take the air out of the ball to impede the UConn attack.

But in four shot-clock-draining possessions, UNC was unable to score. And on the other side of the court, the Huskies' Ben Gordon nailed two 3-pointers and Caron Butler finished a 3-point play at the end of the half.

The lead swelled to 18, and UNC's hopes to slow UConn quickly faded.

"I don't think it worked the way we would have liked for it to work," said UNC point guard Adam Boone. "I didn't think it was a bad move at the time because I felt we needed to spread out their pressure defense and maybe slow the game down a bit."

Ideally, the Tar Heels not only would have run time off the clock while in the four corners but also would have taken a good shot at the end of the possession.

But Brian Bersticker's off-balance jumper was the only shot UNC got during its first possession in the set. On the team's next trip, Orlando Melendez, then 4-for-16 in his career from behind the arc, missed a trey.

Brian Morrison turned the ball over on the Tar Heels' third possession in the four corners, and Bersticker missed a hook shot before Butler closed the half with his finger roll and subsequent free throw.

The Huskies outscored North Carolina 29-6 to end the half, and the experiment, which Doherty said he might use again in the future, failed.

Said UConn coach Jim Calhoun: "It's a good strategy if it works, but it takes the air out of you if it doesn't."

The Sports Editor can be reached at sports@unc.edu.