No, there was nothing wrong with your television. The game featured the debut of Carolina's "throwback" uniforms, meant to commemorate the 1957 national championship team. Like that squad, the unis featured a red-and-white checked waistband and crimson-white-and-blue piping around the collar and arm holes. (Unlike in '57, however, Carolina's players were not wearing short-shorts.)
Two of FIU's players played high school ball at North Carolina prep schools. Guard Antoine Watson went to Laurinburg Institute and Raleigh's Milestone Prep, and forward Marvin Roberts also went to Milestone. The two were junior college teammates last season in Oklahoma.
New FIU coach Isiah Thomas coached the game even though his mother had heart surgery Monday morning. "My mom raised me to basically fight, just as I'm trying to put it into our team,"' Thomas said. "Last night, when I was speaking to her, she just said she doesn't want to die, and she's going to fight to live. She told me to go to work and fight for our team. My mom put a lot of fight in me, and she's fighting for her life, and I appreciate everyone saying a prayer."
