College Basketball : SMU Wins as No. Carolina’s Tap-In Play Fails

Southern Methodist University faced the same situation with North Carolina Sunday as it did against giant-killer Chaminade last month, but this time the results were much different.

The Mustangs lost to the Silver Swords, 71-70, on a last-second shot, but SMU survived a last-second bid by the Tar Heels and took an 84-82 victory at Greensboro, N.C. SMU center Jon Koncak had a field day inside, scoring 31 points before fouling out.

With one second remaining, North Carolina’s Buzz Peterson missed the first of two free throws that could have tied the score. The Tar Heels then went for the intentional miss and hoped for a tap-in. The strategy almost worked as Kenny Smith got his left hand on the missed shot, but his tap-in attempt fell off the rim as the buzzer sounded.

The top 10 battle was a foul-prone with the Tar Heels (12-2) suffering the most. After forward Dave Popson and center Brad Daugherty fouled out with 10 minutes left, North Carolina was forced to play four guards against the taller and brawnier Mustangs (15-1).

Koncak asserted himself early for the 15-1 Mustangs, controlling the offensive and defensive boards and scoring 17 points in the first half.

Texas Tech 78, Rice 54--Senior forward Quentin Anderson scored 20 points to help guide the Red Raiders to a Southwest Conference victory at Lubbock, Tex. Tech, now 9-4 overall and 2-1 in conference, opened a 36-25 halftime lead on the strength of Anderson’s inside play.