In the 2008 Atlantic Coast Conference Championship Game, the top seeded North Carolina Tar Heels will face the Clemson Tigers at Charlotte Bobcats Arena in Charlotte, North Carolina. This page will provide play-by-play live coverage of this game.
ACC Championship Live Coverage Live Play-by-Play Coverage
Commentary in ITALICS - All times listed are remaining in half
North Carolina defeats Clemson 86-81
KC Rivers scored game high 28 in loss for Clemson and Trevor Booker added 12. North Carolina was led by Wayne Ellington's 24 points. Tyler Hansbrough added 18 as UNC had 4 players in double figures.
Second Half
0:02: Oglesby hits first, hits second, and misses third, but lane violation called as clock expires
0:02: Oglesby fouled on 3-point shot by Thomas, which means 3 shots for Oglesby, as Thomas fouls out
0:09: First shot from line missed by Ginyard and second shot is good = 86-79 UNC, TIMEOUT
0:09: UNC steals ball and then foul called on Clemson
0:15: Ginyard to the line for two shots: misses the first one and makes second to make it 85-79 UNC... TIMEOUT
0:16: Mays at the line: misses first one and misses second - foul on Clemson
0:16: Hansbrough called for a foul
0:17: Missed free throw but ball goes out of bounds off UNC
0:19: Stitt hits running jumper and is fouled by Lawson = 84-79 UNC
0:25: Lawson makes first free throw and makes second to give UNC 84-77 lead - TIMEOUT CLEMSON (their last)
0:25: Oglesby misses a 3 and Lawson gets rebound for UNC and is fouled
0:41: Ellington makes first and misses second
0:41: Foul by Perry - Ellington will shoot two shots
1:02: UNC misses but Lawson gets loose ball and gets ball knocked out of bounds - TIMEOUT CLEMSON
1:41: Oglesby makes first and misses second = 81-77 Clemson trails by 4
1:41: Foul away from ball on Thomas (his 4th)
1:49: Lawson misses first and makes second = 81-76 UNC
1:49: Perry called for foul
2:01: Booker misses shot - still 80-76 UNC
2:50: Hansbrough rejected by Booker
3:10: Booker makes jumper and UNC breaks press
3:27: Lawson misses first free throw and makes second - 80-74 UNC
3:27: Clemson gets lay up to cut it to 5 point deficit but commits foul
3:45: Hansbrough makes both free throws: 79-72 UNC
3:45: TV TIMEOUT
3:55: Rivers makes 3 pointer for Clemson, then Booker commits foul at other end
4:11: Hansbrough called for offensive foul
4:19: Mays makes first free throw and misses second
4:19: Mays grabs missed shot and is fouled
4:45: Booker on turnaround jumper for Clemson = 77-71 UNC
5:03: Thompson makes first free throw for UNC and then misses second, rebound to Clemson
5:04: Stitt makes first free throw and misses second - then Booker commits foul on rebound - 76-69 UNC
5:04: Stitt drives lane and draws foul on Lawson
5:22: Hansbrough gets feed inside and puts it home: 76-68 UNC
5:39: Ball knocked out of bounds off Clemson
5:54: Perry at line makes first, cuts it to 74-68 UNC; misses 2nd
5:54: Perry draws a foul on Green, that is Green's 5th for UNC
6:12: Ellington hits 2 point shot - 74-67 UNC
6:22: Rivers misses 3 point attempt - out of bounds to UNC
6:53: Rivers hits another 3 following a turnover - then Thomas called for offensive foul
6:50: Mays called for a travel violation
7:18: Perry hits put back, Mays gets block and Rivers hits 3 - suddenly 72-64 UNC
7:46: Foul on Green - TV TIMEOUT - Could be lights out here for Clemson - UNC on a 9-2 run to expand lead - Clemson showing impatience and UNC's Lawson has been the difference in this half
8:02: Green hits 3 and give UNC 13 point margin... 72-59
8:25: Charging foul on Clemson
8:44: Potter turns ball over and Lawson at the other end scores again, first double digit lead of the game for UNC 69-59
9:05: Clemson still missing shots in 2nd half, three straight inside the key, and UNC gets rebound
9:35: Steveson on an inside jumper - 67-59 UNC
9:41: Foul on Mays - Lawson has been great for UNC this half
9:54: Potter scores for Clemson
10:17: Lawson blows past his man off the dribble and scores on layup. Back to 8 point lead for UNC
10:27: TV TIMEOUT - Clemson trails because they are not hitting shots like they did in first half, and UNC is breaking the press easily with over-the-top passes and ball handling by Lawson. Rivers leads all scores with 22 points. UNC is getting 21 from Ellington and 14 from Hansbrough, who has asserted himself in 2nd half.
10:27: Hammond misses a 3 and the ball goes out of bounds to UNC
10:45: Stitt hits tough runner in lane to cut deficit to 6 and then they force a turnover
11:09: Clemson calls its 2nd TIMEOUT - They trail by 8
11:25: Hammonds scores for Clemson, but UNC again breaks the press and gets an easy basket
11:59: Mays scores on a put back, but UNC answers on a fast break over the top
12:28: Clemson misses a 3... then following a steal by Hammonds, Green of UNC fouls him
12:44: Green makes a great spin move for UNC, 8 point UNC lead
13:06: Clemson turns ball over
13:24: Hansbrough slams home a loose ball following a block by Clemson
13:36: Nice backdoor play gets Rivers a lay-up for Clemson
13:48: UNC scores again, as Green hits a layup inside following an offensive rebound on free throw miss, to take 6 point lead... TIMEOUT CLEMSON = 55-49 UNC - Biggest lead of the night for UNC
14:01: Hansbrough draws foul on Booker and goes to the line: makes first and misses 2nd shot
14:13: Turnover by Clemson on interior pass attempt
14:26: Foul on Hansbrough on a rebound by Booker
15:06: Rivers misses 3 and Hansbrough scores at other end inside for UNC, they lead 52-49
15:25: Ellington misses first free throw and also 2nd
15:25: Rivers turns ball over and Oglesby, who just checked back in, commits 3rd foul
15:35: UNC scores as Ellington gets fouled on layup and hits bonus free throw: 50-49 UNC
15:40: Rivers gets shooters touch on 3 pointer
15:59: Foul on Green leads to a TV TIMEOUT
16:16: Two shots coming for Rivers - makes first and makes second = UNC leads 47-46
16:26: Hansbrough hits basket and is fouled - makes bonus free throw
16:54: Another turnover leads to a fast break layup by Hammonds
17:15: Ellington misses 3 and Clemson struggling to establish offense
17:28: Mays misses inside shot but then Perry slams home the rebound
18:00: Lawson breaks press and takes the ball right to the basket for a lay-up = 44-40 UNC
18:09: Booker misses again
18:25: Ginyard helps break the press and scores for UNC = 42-40 lead for UNC
18:38: Foul on Mays
18:40: Booker misses shot underneath and UNC gets ball
19:09: Turnover by Clemson and Ellington hits jumper off glass to tie game at 40
19:19: Another turnover by UNC
19:41: Perry makes first and misses second - 40-38 Clemson
19:41: Perry is fouled by Thompson - shooting 2
Clemson starts with ball
Halftime
Clemson leads North Carolina 39-38 at the half
Clemson being led by KC Rivers with a game high 15 points at the half, while Trevor Booker has 6 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 blocks
North Carolina is led by Wayne Ellington with 14 points, while Tyler Hansbrough has just 6 pionts in the first half.
Clemson is 14 of 33 (42%) from the field, including 6 for 15 on 3-pointers.
North Carolina is 17 of 39 (44%) from the field, including 3 of 8 on 3-pointers.
No one in serious foul trouble, only Oglesby for Clemson and Thomas for UNC have 2 fouls.
First Half
0:00: Lawson had shot blocked by Booker and then he missed 3-pointer at buzzer
0:10: Clemson trying for last shot but ball gets knocked out of bounds - TIMEOUT UNC
0:33: Thompson hits baseline shot for UNC to cut it to 1
0:54: Rivers again for 3 to put Clemson up 3
1:08: Ball knocked out of bounds, UNC retains possession then Ginyard misses from inside
1:35: Lawson scores on put back shot for UNC to tie it at 36
2:01: Rivers hits another 3 for Clemson from the corner to give Clemson 36-34 lead
2:14: UNC carelessly turns it over again in front court - 10 turnovers already in half
2:35: ANother UNC turnover as Clemson presses in back court and then misses a 3 pointer
2:55: Clemson responds with Booker layup
3:35: Missed shot by Ellington, but then Clemson turns ball over and UNC scores on fast break
3:50: Booker hits inside shot to make it 32-31 UNC and then Rivers tries to get another steal but goes out of bounds - TV TIMEOUT - Great back and forth action from both teams - official letting a lot go
4:10: UNC takes lead back at 32-29 - Green scores on layup
4:14: Stitt misses 3 for Clemson
4:36: Hansbrough tries to save deflection and crashes into bench
4:46: After getting shot blocked by Mays, Hansbrough hits jumper
5:06: Rivers fouled by Green - misses both free throws
5:17: Foul on UNC - Thomspon's 2nd
5:24: Mays scores on put back shot following UNC turnover
5:45: Rivers misses 3 but Clemson rebounds and then loses ball out of bounds - UNC leads 28-27
6:25: Stepheson banks first free throw in and misses 2nd - rebound Clemson
6:25: Stepheson fouled by Booker
6:55: Carolina had 3 shots inside and missed, then Stepheson blocks Booker's shot
7:05: Hammonds misses shot and ball goes over backboard
7:18: Thomas scores to tie the game at 27 a piece.
7:44: Backcourt violation - TV TIMEOUT - Clemson leads 27-25 - Clemson knocking down several 3's to keep the lead, and Booker is very active at both ends for the Tigers. Meanwhile, Ellington is 5 for 6 shooting with 12 points to lead all scorers so far.
7:55: Booker just made another block, taking ball off the glass, his 3rd
8:09: UNC turns ball over but then so does Clemson
8:31: Booker misses for Clemson
8:50: Ellington hits baseline jumper to cut deficit to 2
8:53: Hansbrough blocked from behind by Booker
9:10: Booker scores lay-up for Clemson right down the middle of the court
9:52: Thomspon misses for UNC - rebound Clemson - but then Ellington comes back with alay-up for UNC
10:07: Rivers knocks down another big 3 for Clemson = 25-21 Clemson
10:45: Rivers hits 3 to give Clemson lead back and then Clemson forces another turnover with full court trap
11:05: Stitt knocks down 3 following UNC turnover in backcourt
11:17: Stitt fouled - misses first shot - gets shooter's roll on 2nd = 21-17 UNC
11:45: Ellington hits 3 in the corner for UNC = 21-16 Carolina leads
11:57: TV TIMEOUT - 18-16 UNC lead - Ellington leads Carolina with 7 points, while Oglesby has 6 to lead Clemson - Clemson hanging tough but needs to do better job on offensive boards
12:03: Oglesby misses shot and then gets called for a holding foul - his 2nd foul
12:11: Foul on Thomas - his 2nd foul
12:24: Stephenson scores on a rebound put back shot
12:45: Potter misses a 3 point shot and Oglesby gets called for reach in foul
13:07: Danny Green for UNC gets a 3; UNC 16-13 lead
13:23: UNC tried to hurry down court for another 3 - missed and then Clemson turns ball over on travel
13:44: Oglesby hits another 3
14:02: Oglesby answers with a 3 to tie it at 13-13
14:20: Ellington hits 3 pointer from side
14:35: Stitt makes first and then second = Game tied at 10-10
14:35: Foul called on Thomas for UNC - two shots for Stitt
14:45: Thompson misses for UNC and ball knocked out of bounds
14:59: TV TIMEOUT - 10-8 UNC leads - The action is fast and furious
15:19: Clemson blocks shot - then misses consecutive three pointer shots
15:48: UNC scores again - Ellington scores again on great interior pass from Lawson
16:05: Hammonds hits jumper for Clemson
16:18: Stepheson misses inside shot
16:35: Hansbrough draws foul on Mays
16:54: Rivers hits layup for Clemson - 8-4 UNC
17:17: Ellington goes strong to the hole - 8-2 UNC
17:50: Hansbrough hits again
18:08: Hansbrough hits jumper: 4-2 UNC
18:34: Ginyard dunks it home to tie the game
18:49: Hansbrough called for foul on Rivers... Rivers makes first free throw and then second
18:58: Block shots by Hammonds, but then Carolina regains ball on another block
19:37: Booker misses running shot
Opening Tip: Clemson wins the tip
Pre-Game
- 1:00 PM ET: Awaiting the introduction of the starting line-ups and the opening tip-off.
ACC Championship Live Coverage Bracket
- This is the 55th ACC Championship Tournament. North Carolina is currently tied with Duke for the most all-time tournament championships with 16. Clemson has never won the tournament championship in school history.
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