Manuel impressive in Tar Heel rout

Jackie Manuel needed to find a new pregame routine - and fast.

The senior missed all four shots he took against Santa Clara in North Carolina's season opener, and his offensive woes improved only slightly during the Tar Heels' run to the Maui Invitational title.

Manuel bounced back in a big way Sunday, scoring 14 points - including 10 in the first half - to spark UNC to a rout of Southern California.

And when he emerged from the locker room after the game, he carried the secret to his success under his right arm - NCAA March Madness 2005.

"Tonight, I played video games for like three hours, just to keep my mind off the game and not think about anything else," he said. "Once it was time for us to come down here to the locker room, I told myself, 'Let's go. Let's get ready.'"

The strategy worked.

On top of his season-high 14 points, he grabbed four rebounds, including three at the offensive end, and he earned four steals.

And after one first-half sequence in which he completed a three-point play after a drive to the basket and immediately drew a charge on the Trojans' ensuing possession, the crowd began to chant his name.

"I hear it," he said with a laugh. "It feels good to hear people chanting your name. But I also try to stay focused and concentrate on the game."

That focus provided a spark for the Tar Heels on both ends of the floor.

Teammates and fans alike expect a high-energy performance from Manuel on the defensive end, where he has made his reputation. But while many observers might see the senior as a shut-down specialist, his teammates were far from surprised to see his shots falling against USC.

"Jackie's been doing the same thing all year," said junior Rashad McCants. "He may have surprised you guys because in a game situation he's more of a defensive stopper, but he's always our pressure-release guy as far as coming in and giving us a boost when we need it."

The energy Manuel provided on the offensive end likewise was not lost on those playing with him.

"He gets to the boards, he gets to the open spot and he gets loose balls," said forward David Noel. "He runs the floor constantly, constantly."

Even with the game well in hand, he went up for a hard dunk in the second half only to watch the ball slam off the back of the rim and bounce away.

Only then did he reveal the extent of his fatigue.

"He came out and said, 'Man, I'm tired,'" Noel said. "I'm like, 'I know. You look tired. But you kept running. That's all you've got to do to get points.'"

Running wasn't something the entire team was able to do consistently Sunday. Four games and three long plane rides in the course of a week took its toll on many of the players, but Manuel recovered more quickly than most of his teammates.

"He was really active today in the shoot-around," said Coach Roy Williams. "He was really alive. ... He probably feels better, quicker, coming back from Maui than anybody else."

Despite the Tar Heels' overall fatigue, however, Manuel helped spark his teammates to a strong defensive effort as a group.

North Carolina players repeatedly jumped into passing lanes and created fast-break opportunities for the entire 40 minutes. Nine different Tar Heels had steals against the Trojans.

"Defense wins games," said freshman Marvin Williams. "Defense wins games, and that's what Coach tries to stress every day."

Contact the Sports Editor at sports@unc.edu.