CORONADO, Calif. — The nation’s basketball-fan-in-chief appeared to enjoy the first college hoops game on an active aircraft carrier.
President Barack Obama sat courtside and watched No. 1 North Carolina beat Michigan State 67-55 Friday in the Carrier Classic on the flight deck of the USS Carl Vinson.
Harrison Barnes scored 17 points and John Henson had 12 points and a career-high nine blocked shots as the Tar Heels put their size advantage to good use. Michigan State’s Draymond Green had a career-high 18 rebounds.
Obama watched intently, chatted with his wife, Michelle, and service members seated near him, and at one point appeared to check his BlackBerry. When the game ended, he applauded and then shook hands with coaches Roy Williams and Tom Izzo.
“He said, ‘Good luck.’ I told him, ‘Good luck.’ He’s got some pretty important things coming up in the next year, also,” said Williams, the Tar Heels’ coach.
Both coaches said the Carrier Classic worked.
“I absolutely loved it,” Williams said. “We had some scary moments. We were worried about the weather for the last week.”
Fitting with the Veterans Day theme, the Tar Heels and Spartans had U.S.A. rather than their names on the backs of their jerseys, which had a camouflage design. At dusk, the game was paused for the lowering of the American flag. When the game ended, the players gave their jerseys to servicemen.
In a nod to the troops, Williams and his staff wore combat boots and cargo pants.
The Carrier Classic featured slam dunks and fast breaks on a court plopped down where jet fighters normally scream into flight.
“It took a while, but at some point you didn’t even realize you were outside until the play slowed down,” Henson said. “It was fun. My excuse was sometimes I felt like the boat moved a little bit when I shot. That’s why I missed.”
The Tar Heels have beaten Michigan State six straight times, including in the 2009 national championship game.
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