Clemson Basketball: Big win vs. UNC, Big step forward for the program

The OP stat of the game: W 83-64

(from The Big Lead)

Now for some celebratory morning links:
Andy Katz- Don't disocunt Clemson's win
ACC Now- Roy's Unlucky Tie?
Raleigh News&Observer- Stitt, Booker lead Clemson over North Carolina notice the subtle verb
Greenville News- Tigers run down Heels
Can Clemson turn win against Heels into something that lasts?
USAToday-No 19 Clemson snaps 10 game losing streak to No.13 UNC
The State- Tigers run over the Tarheels
UNC player and coach quotes regarding the game

Vegas even expected the Tigers to win with the line moving between 6.5 and 7 before the game. However, I don't think anyone, even the team expected such a resounding victory.

From the outset of the game, the Tigers established themselves as the aggressors. They kept the pressure on throughout the game and found what had been missing, the heavy foot pressing down on the accelerator and a mental toughness that has been absent.

Maybe it started before the game in tents on the lawn outside Littlejohn.
Maybe it started on the street during theUNC crash.
Maybe it started with the loss to Illinois, as Andy Katz suggested.
Maybe it has been going on all along with the 0-for Chapel Hill, the 0-vs. UNV for T. Booker's career.
Maybe it is that argyle running down the UNC jerseys.

Maybe it is all of these things. Whatever it is, the win last night was huge. Not just in terms of the score, 83-64. Not just in terms of the color and volume of Roy's tie.

(Raleigh News & Observer)

Roy's reaction to the game:

"I just coached a poor game tonight. They had a tremendous sense of urgency and tremendous passion. We went down 7-0 and I almost called a timeout and I have never done that in my life. We turned the ball over 15 times, had two veterans that couldn't pass and catch. There is no reason but to say that the head coach did a poor job.

"We need to have a better sense of urgency and poise. It was the veterans tonight that had trouble. I want to congratulate Clemson and Oliver Purnell. We came in and wanted to do a good job on Booker and Stitt tonight and they both had 11 in the first half. It all just goes back to the head coach."

"Clemson showed what aggressive means. They had a great sense of urgency and poise and we need to play with that type of aggression and poise. I know that I keep saying the same thing, but I just don't have a lot to say." 

It is not the same indictment that Coach K made when Duke lost last year in Littlejohn, but isn't too far off either.

 OP tells the team to Sack it up. (Go Upstate)

OP had the team ready last night. And the win will hopefully do wonders for our seemingly slipping toughness.
But now, "It's always satisfying when you beat a Duke or a North Carolina or any team like that with a storied program, but I don't look at it that way. This is an early ACC win, which is good for our team, but you don't see me smiling yet." - Oliver Purnell. 

Not even just a little? 

Enjoy it for the rest of the day. Its back to work for a Saturday, 12pm tip-off in a newly confident NCSU team.


Go Tigers!