They’re Partial to May Madness

North Carolina was missing its leader, but a goal still was obtainable when Sean May took charge.

The All-American junior center provided an even bigger inside presence while standout junior swingman Rashad McCants sat out the last four games of the regular season because of an intestinal disorder.

May helped the Tar Heels -- seeded first in the Syracuse Regional -- win their first outright Atlantic Coast Conference championship since the 1992-93 season, which was also the last time they brought a national title to Chapel Hill.

The Tar Heels open the NCAA tournament Friday in the Charlotte Coliseum against Oakland of Rochester, Mich., and they have refocused on trying to reach the Final Four in St. Louis after their disappointing performance in the ACC tournament.

The proximity of archrival Duke might provide motivation.

Duke won the ACC tournament and also was sent to the Charlotte subregional as the top-seeded team in the Austin Regional. The Blue Devils recently have had more tournament success than the Tar Heels, but things could change with May playing at the highest level of his career.

May’s father, Scott, was the 1976 NCAA player of the year for undefeated Indiana, and North Carolina expects Sean to lead the way.

“Sean became a lot more aggressive when Rashad went out, and you could really see it,” senior forward Jawad Williams said. “In turn, he picked up his scoring and his rebounding at the right time. He came through for us.”

North Carolina (27-4) held a one-game lead over second-place Wake Forest with four games remaining when it learned McCants probably wouldn’t play again until the postseason. One of the nation’s best shooters, McCants led the ACC in scoring as a sophomore and had been selected to several All-American teams.

His scoring average decreased from 20 points to 15.8 this season because of the Tar Heels’ improved depth, but McCants remained the team’s key player on offense. Opponents defended McCants closely, and his shooting opened opportunities for the Tar Heels’ inside players.

“Rashad does so much for the team, just being in the game, because they have to stay on him,” May said. “I love to have him out there because he makes me better.”

May fared well without McCants, North Carolina winning its last seven regular-season games, six in conference play, and the title by one game over the Demon Deacons.

May, who had at least 12 points and 10 rebounds in the Tar Heels’ last eight games, scored 22 points and took 11 rebounds Feb. 27 in the team’s 85-83 victory at Maryland and had a career-high 32 points with 12 rebounds in only 30 minutes March 3 when the Tar Heels beat Florida State, 91-76..

May had his best performance, however, against Duke on the last day of the regular season at Chapel Hill -- 26 points and a personal-best 24 rebounds in a 75-73 title-clinching victory.

The Tar Heels overcame a nine-point deficit with three minutes remaining. Many in a record crowd of 22,125 in the Dean E. Smith Center rushed the court to celebrate, and May was at the center of things.

“He stepped up with Rashad out,” freshman forward Marvin Williams said. “I mean, he dropped 26 and 24 on Duke, so what more could you ask for?”

May averaged 20.3 points and 14.9 rebounds in North Carolina’s strong run. He tops the team in scoring at 16.5 points, finished second in the ACC in rebounding at 10.7 and provided exactly what the Tar Heels needed.

“We really missed Rashad because he’s such a focal point of our offense,” May said. “We knew we had an opportunity in front of us to do something that hadn’t been done here in a long time, so we had to take advantage of the opportunity.

“I felt I had to do more for the team. Not necessarily picking up the load scoring, but just doing more for the team and more with my individual play. I was also able to score more, and it helped us.”

Some would say May was born to play a leading role.

His dad led Indiana to a 32-0 record and the 1976 national title. Scott, a successful businessman in Bloomington, Ind., and Sean speak daily about basketball and life.

“He’s my biggest critic,” Sean said. “He stays on my case, but it’s great for me to have that support system from somebody who has been there and has already done the things I’m trying to do.”

Hoosier fans were aghast when May, the Indiana high school player of the year as a senior at Bloomington North High, chose North Carolina over his father’s alma mater. Sean figured he would have to endure daily comparisons to Scott if he attended Indiana, and isn’t college about spreading one’s wings?

Prep All-Americans May, McCants and point guard Raymond Felton were the key members of a Tar Heel recruiting class rated among the nation’s best.

With the freshmen making major contributions, North Carolina, which finished 8-20 in the 2001-02 season, started 5-0 in 2002-03 and won the preseason NIT title. May averaged 15.3 points and 8.7 rebounds in those games.

Then on Dec. 27, he suffered a broken left foot in practice and was sidelined until March 15. Lacking an inside presence, North Carolina, which had participated in a record 27 consecutive NCAA tournaments, finished 19-16 and was left out of the field for the second consecutive season.

Coach Matt Doherty was fired, and Roy Williams left Kansas to rebuild at his alma mater. With May’s help, it didn’t take long.

The Tar Heels were 19-11 last season and advanced to the second round of the NCAA tournament. May, who averaged 15.2 points and 9.8 rebounds, became the first sophomore in a decade to lead the ACC in rebounding.

Williams challenged the 6-foot-9 center to get in better condition, and May responded, adding muscle to his 266 pounds.

“Coach Williams is a big part of my success,” May said. “If you just think about his career, he’s always had very good big guys. His big guys have been talented and they’ve flourished in his offense.

“He has really helped me this year, especially getting into shape and really understanding the importance of what my play has to be. He needs me to play harder and play less minutes.”

The presence of freshman Marvin Williams enabled the coach to reduce May’s workload from last season, and May mentors his backup.

“He’s such a role model and such a nice guy,” Marvin Williams said. “I’ve probably learned more stuff off the court than on the court from Sean.

“I watch him play and there are so many things that he can do, and he just carries himself with class. That’s what I like so much about him. He’s always there for you whenever you need him for anything.”

May provides insight for all the Tar Heels.

“Sean is such a smart player, he’s a student of the game, so he helps us in other aspects than just scoring and rebounding,” Jawad Williams said. “A lot of players just go out there and play, but Sean is one of those guys who thinks ahead of the play.”

Many ACC coaches expected top-seeded North Carolina to win the ACC tournament, but it lost to Georgia Tech in the semifinals after struggling to defeat Clemson.

May’s double-double streak ended against Clemson, but he bounced back with 17 points and 11 rebounds in the loss to Georgia Tech. McCants returned in the ACC tournament but was limited to 37 minutes combined in the two games.

“We got fat and happy,” May said. “The good thing is that we have another chance to get it going again in the NCAA tournament.”

The Syracuse and Austin regionals are on the same side of the bracket, so North Carolina and Duke could meet in the Final Four. That’s an intriguing thought to May, though he won’t look that far ahead.

“We have so much talent on this team, but talent doesn’t always win,” he said. “We have to put that talent together and win.

“We’ve all got to take care of business. That’s what we have to be about now.”

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Like Father, Like Son

The college records of Scott May, an All-American with Indiana in the 1970s, and his son, Sean, a standout for second-ranked North Carolina:

*--* SCOTT MAY Season G FG% PPG RPG 1973-74 28 492 12.5 5.4 1974-75 30 510 16.3 6.6 1975-76 32 527 23.5 7.7 SEAN MAY Season G FG% PPG RPG 2002-03 11 472 11.4 8.1 2003-04 29 463 15.2 9.8 2004-05 31 543 16.5 10.7

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