The All-American, who had the hot hand in the first round, had ice in his veins for the semifinals as he wills his undefeated team into the championship game.
Rosenbluth Clinches Win Over Deacs In Final Seconds. 61-59: Win Is 26th
Tar Heels, Gamecocks Meet In Finals Tonight
By LARRY CHEEK
Special To The Daily Tar Heel
RALEIGH—All-America Lennie Rosenbluth sank a hook shot with 46 seconds left here last night and added a clinching free throw to give North Carolina's hard pressed Tar Heels a nerve shattering 61-59 win over the Wake Forest Demon Deacons.
The come from behind win moved the top seeded Tar Heels into the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament finals against South Carolina tonight.
Carolina did it the hard way in racking up their fourth win of the year over Wake Forest. With only 55 seconds left in the pressure packed scrap, the Deacons led by one point, 59-58. With their hopes of qualifying for the NCAA playoffs faintly glimmering, the UNC cagers call on their high scoring captain in an effort to pull the game out.
Rosenbluth, calm as ice water with the end of UNC's -25 game game unbeaten streak apparently in sight, took a pass, drove in to- ward the foul line and connected on a sweeping hook shot to put the Tar Hels up by one. 60-59. Fouled on the play, he dropped in the charity toss to give the Tar Heels their final margin.
Carolina led all the way until Jim Gilley sank an important pair of free throws to put the Deacons ahead. After Wake had tallied the opening basket Rosenbluth hit two
in a row to make the score 4-2.
Carolina steadily increased their margin until they held an 11-point lead, 30-19 at the 4:19 mark. Wake Forest staged a spirited rally at this point and pulled within 4 points, 33-29, at intermission.
Wake closed to within 2 points at the beginning of the second half, but the Tar Heels managed to build their margin back up to 51-44 with 7:45 left. But the Deacons slowly began to narrow the margin with Jack Williams doing the damage.
With 1:57 to go, Carolina led by three, 58-55, but a field goal by Olin cut it to one. The Bob Cunningham was called for charging, and Gilley sank what could have been the game winning free throws.
But it was not to be as Lennie Rosenbluth hit what was perhaps the most important shot of his life. After Rosey scored, Wake guard Ernie Wiggins missed a game tying shot, and Joe Quigg got the rebound. Carolina froze the ball the rest of the way, and it was all over.
Although Carolina won the ball game, Wake Forest walked off with shooting percentage honors. The Deacons hit 21 of 40 shots for 52.5 per cent as compared to Carolina's 38.8.
Joe Quigg, Pete Brennan and Bob Cunningham did a terrific job on the backboards as UNC pulled down 45 rebounds compared to only 21 for Wake Forest.
Rosenbluth hit 23 points to take scoring honors for UNC, while Williams had 24 for the Deacons.
McGuire Still Nervous After Close Win Over Deacons
By BUZZ MERRITT
Special To The Daily Tar Heel
It was the second time in two nights that Lennie Rosenbluth had been the object of a backslapping, gladhanding attack.
The first time he had been hot-handed enough for an ACC tournament scoring record.
This time he exchanged the heat for ice water.
Minutes after he had hooked in a bucket and added a free toss to win UNC's way into the tourney finals, he sat in a happy dressing room and explained:
"Nah, you don't think about it. They're one ahead with 55 seconds left, then you get ahead by one. You can't think about the free throw."
Coach Frank McGuire had called time out between Lennie's bucket and the free toss. What'd they talk about?
"Coach just said to make it and we'd be two ahead and all they could do in the regulation game is tie it up," he simplified. McGuire was as shaken as it possible for the dapper Irishman. "You know, I couldn't even write my name on the way down here. A kid asked for an autograph and I couldn't write my name."
"We played about the same as in the other games with them. To beat a club like theirs, with Murdock, Gilley, Wiggins and the rest, four times in a season you have to have to go some. I don't even like to play them, one, but four times, whew!"
"We played poorly after we built up that early lead and let them catch up. But when you can lead them 11 points, then go behind with 55 seconds left and still win, you're a good ball club."
Somebody asked about defense, a man-to-man which was airtight in the opening minutes. McGuire called to Bob Cunningham.
"Tell 'em what I said about defense before the season, Bob."
Pupil Bob said, "You said if our defense improved we wouldn't lose a ball game."
Across the way Deacon Bones McKinney turned the text to boxing and preached a sermon on the evils inherent in meeting the champ.
"Remember the Louis-Walcott fights. You've got to knock out the Champion in order to win a decision. You can't win a decision from a Champion," the disappointed Bones almost whispered.
"I'll be glad to answer your questions but I don't have anything to say," the usually vocal Bones said.
"I will say that I'll be pulling for Carolina all the way. Frank is a fine coach and deserves anything he might get, including all the coach of the year awards."
[Both articles from The Daily Tar Heel, March 9, 1957]
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