Now the real season starts. Live blogging after the jump.
7:39 PM: I guess Cornell is Duke's Nicholls State.
7:42 PM: FSN runs too many commercials for a game that was supposed to tip off 12 minutes ago.
7:43 PM: Game plan for UNC: Play 40 minutes. Amen to that.
7:45 PM: Fairy even start. Nothing overtly bad to complain about other than the fact Deon Thompson got used by Mays on the first possession of the game.
7:47 PM: Dear. Lord. Lawson just went the length of the court got the hoop and some harm. That is insane.
7:48 PM: Oliver Purnell going for the Sydey Lowe plan of blinding the Heels with a bright colored blazer.
7:49 PM: UNC doing a great job of getting points off the pressure defense from Clemson. Clemson manages two quick baskets to go up three. UNC is missing way too many close shots. They are getting transition looks but not finishing. Clemson 13 UNC 10.
7:51 PM: The pace is very fast and while UNC likes it this way, I worry a little about the thinning of the Heels' depth from losing Frasor and Stepheson as well as the possibility that QT will be limited.
7:52 PM: Clemson compete for a national title? Heh, okay Oliver....BTW Gavin Grant on line 2, he is upset you stole his line.
7:53 PM: They are letting Ginyard have anything he wants which may not be a good thing.
7:55 PM: Nice defense, as the announcers said, a shot clock violation is going to be unusual in this game.
7:56 PM: Looks like they are dropping a double team down on Mays which allowed an open three that was missed. Once again UNC is getting nice looks and missing the shots.
7:57 PM: Quentin Thomas is in. The test is on.
7:58 PM: They opt to not double Tyler and he makes them pay with the nice hook shot. Great help defense from Danny Green.
7:59 PM: Ah! Nice look for Graves, really wish he would have hit that to maybe get him on track with a shot of confidence.
8:00 PM: Hmmm. Ty Lawson might have to play the whole game. Pressure really got to the Heels and even when they got into the half court they were completely out of sync and turned the ball over. UNC up one at the second TV timeout.
8:03 PM: By my count that is about the fourth time Ginyard has gone to the rim and missed a layup.
8:04 PM: Grab the freaking rebound. Ball hits the floor because no one from UNC was in position for the board.
8:05 PM: The infamous Clemson FT shooting rears its head.
8:06 PM: Palming? They called palming on QT? He really cannot catch a break.
8:07 PM: Two fouls on Lawson. We are about to get into one of those bad scenarios I discussed earlier.
8:08 PM: Hansbrough is not touching the ball enough. UNC is down two and all of the offense has been Lawson driving the lane with Ginyard doing the same. Thompson has shown up but that is about it. Game tied at 22.
8:09 PM: Good news: Ellington made a nice pass to a cutting Thompson to the basket. Bad news: Thompson got fouled and did not hit the shot and only made 1 of 2 FTs.
8:10 PM: I love Marcus Ginyard but he has to be looking to give the ball up because he just is not converting. UNC now up five as Clemson appears to be dazed a bit.
8:12 PM: Oh, this is the Summer of Deon version. Clemson opts for the TO as UNC goes up six which benefits UNC since Lawson is on the bench resting. He gets this 30 second TO and the upcoming TV timeout.
8:15 PM: Bad play QT. Sould have hit Green on the wing. It feels like UNC is one huge basket or two from giving Clemson huge mental and instead they just gave up six straight points on two turnovers to tie the game. Lawson was out for close to four minutes because the TV timeout did not come due to the lack of a dead ball. UNC 29 Clemson 29 at the 3rd TV timeout.
8:19 PM: I think UNC can handle this pace better than Clemson but UNC needs to hit some of the easy shots they have had. Hansbrough hits two FTs to put UNC up two.
8:21 PM: I know the announcers think Oglesby launching threes from 25 feet is cute but I call it abject stupidity and if Purnell is a good a coach as people say he would rip him for doing it.
8:22 PM: Final TV timeout with the game tied at 31.
8:24 PM: Mike Copeland with the huge slam!
8:25 PM: I was shocked the three did not fall for Danny Green. Ellington answers the Oglesby three and Green with the offensive putback. UNC now up four.
8:26 PM: Nice steal by Ellington on the Clemson break. Copeland could not make the clean pass to Hansbrough in position.
8:27 PM: UNC is not rebounding the ball through this stretch here. Graves misses another three that could not have been more wide open. UNC down 1 with 40 seconds left.
8:29 PM: Graves misses the game tying three at the buzzer and Heels go to the locker room down three.
At this point if UNC had made half the chippies they have had this game would be in control. The Heels also had Clemson against the ropes up 29-23 and had numerous chances to extend. Clemson is not shooting well and in that I mean they are seriously bricking a lot of their shots. I think the defense has been fine but the offense has not quite clicked owed to the fact QT has been in so much.
8:36 PM: Quick stat check: Both teams shooting under 40%. Clemson outrebounding 25-24 and 11-7 on the offensive glass. Not many fouls called, CU-9 UNC-8 which is not beneficial to us. Tyler needs the ball in the post and needs to get fouled so he can get his 10 FTs in this game. Ellington leads Heels with nine which were very quiet
8:38 PM: Thanks FSN for bringing up the 1996 ACC Tournament loss to Clemson, I appreciate that. While you are at it can you please take some lemon juice and rub it in this paper cut on my left pinkie finger.
8:42 PM: Mike Giminski, Duke degree and all, is inept when it comes to reading a pronunciation guide. It's Hans-BRO Duke boy.
8:46 PM: Thee shots for Hansbrough.. That needs to change.
8:47 PM: UNC is going a good job keeping Clemson right there. I think the Tigers will start to wear at some point.
8:48 PM: The silence from Hansbrough is deafening.
8:51 PM: Sigh of relief. I thought that was a charge on Lawson. Not that I think it would have mattered much. Down five with 15 to go is no time to think about putting QT back in. Lawson just needs to be careful.
8:54 PM:UNC is benefiting from some stupid shot selection from Clemson.
8:55 PM: Ginyard is not an option on offense.
8:56 PM: Wayne. Ellington.
8:57 PM: Steck bumps Hansbrough and never touches the ball and that is not a foul?
8:58 PM: Not a good shot from Lawson.
9:00 PM: There is nothing available for Hansbrough underneath. UNC has to win without him here.
9:01 PM: Clemson 60 UNC 56 at the 2nd TV timeout. UNC is on the precipice a bit here. I would feel better if they could reel of a run and grab the lead back. The customary breaking point for a UNC opponent succumbing to the pace is inside of 10 mins.
9:04 PM: Ginyard found a shot he could hit finally.
9:07 PM: And we appreciate the fouling of Wayne Ellington while attempting a three. He hits all three. A stop here and a tie could shift the game.
9:08 PM: Here is the chance to change the game. Ah!!!! Pass a little off. Ginyard is just off everywhere on the offensive end.
9:09 PM: Opportunity missed, Clemson back up four and then a turnover.
9:11 PM: Rivers is killing us. Hansbrough finally gets the ball and delivers. Lawson just misses the layup after the foul. Clemson 70 UNC 67 at the 3rd TV timeout.
9:12 PM: Crunch time now. Let's see if UNC can step up despite all the problems and take control of the game.
9:16 PM: Lawson needs to calm down. I know he wants to push but there is a fine line between effective pushing of the ball and being out of control. And I am little tired of the announcers spinning everything that happens in an anti-UNC manner.
9:18 PM: Microcosm of the night on the two missed threes from Ellington and Green.
9:19 PM: How about a rebound guys!!!! Geez. Clemson is about to make UNC pay for letting balls slip away like that.
9:20 PM: I hate being right. This is not going to end well.
9:22 PM: Clemson's lack of FT shooting might be a saving grace.
9:23 PM: Wheels are off now. It will likely take a collapse from Clemson to pull this one out.
9:28 PM: Offensive rebounding is killing us. Clemson will not get cautious in an effort to kill clock which might result in more misses and you have to pull the rebound down in that case. Ellington has been "it" tonight. UNC down five with three minutes left.
9:32 PM: What does it take to get a foul call?!?!
9:34 PM: Danny Freaking Green. UNC within one.
9:35 PM: Let's see if Clemson is rattled.
9:36 PM: Big FTs for Tyler. A lead might be a killer mentally for Clemson. Missed the first. Ties the game at 81 on the second.
9:37 PM: Nice play to get the offensive foul. UNC now with a chance to get the lead for good.
9:40 PM: Green or Ellington should take the shot.
9:41 PM: Not the best look for Ellington but he still could have nailed it.
9:42 PM: I think I might be having heart problems ;)
9:43 PM: OVERTIME. I have no idea who this favors.
9:45 PM: Booker gone for Clemson. That is a huge break for UNC. Hansbrough with a chance to give UNC the lead. Misses the first and the second. Game stays tied. Not loving that trend.
9:47 PM: Four fouls on Lawson. He really needs to be careful here.
9:48 PM: Ellignton give UNC the lead and has 31. Huge game from him.
9:51 PM: Green posting up is not what I consider the first option. Looks like Lawson got the timeout to save the possession with UNC down one.
9:57 PM: Lawson with clutch FTs to take the lead. UNC should get the last shot if needed.
9:58 PM: Crap. Bad foul and Green is out. UNC will have 13 second regardless of what happens.
9:59 PM: This is Wayne Ellington's show, give him the ball and let him win or lose it. I can live with it.
10:03 PM: WAYNE ELLINGTON YOU ARE THE MAN!!!!!!
10:04 PM: 0.04 is a tip situation and UNC should be able to defend it.
10:05 PM: AND UNC ESCAPES LITTLEJOHN WITH THE WIN!