ATLANTA — Once again Tyler Hansbrough was forced to explain himself.
It wasn't for anything he did on the court — for the second year in a row he willed North Carolina to victory against Virginia Tech in the ACC Tournament.
No" it was because another year was not enough to improve his celebratory routine.
Hansbrough admitted he ""overdid"" the limb-flailing gallop after his game-winning jumper last year. So after scoring UNC's last six points and making two key defensive plays down the stretch Friday"" he simply took off for the locker room.
Except there was no locker room in the direction he was running.
""I ran to the wrong tunnel"" Hansbrough said with a grin. I was just excited.""
He can be forgiven" after the game he had. Once again when the ACC Tournament rolled around Hansbrough put the Tar Heels on his back. He bettered his tournament high (set last year against VT) with 28 points including 18 in the second half to advance UNC to the second round.
But the play of the game wasn't on the offensive end. With his team up by one and five seconds on the clock" Hansbrough got his hands in on the ball to tie up VT's J.T. Thompson.
Possession arrow: North Carolina.
""Oh man" he had some big-time plays for us today" Wayne Ellington said.
But Hansbrough wasn't done. He hit two free throws to all but seal it, then got a hand in A.D. Vassallo's face on a final attempt at a buzzer-beater.
All those free throws that he hit and getting to the free throw line" it was clutch" forward Deon Thompson said. He definitely carried us those last few minutes.""
After the season that point guard Ty Lawson had for UNC" Hansbrough at times was lost in the mix — at least as much as a four-time first-team All America can get lost in the mix.
But many fans" media members and even teammates have begun to take for granted the results that Hansbrough produces.
""He's so consistent" Bobby Frasor said. It's like having filet every day" I guess. It kind of gets old.""
Here's a quick look at what Friday's output did for Hansbrough's career numbers.
--With those 28 points" he has now racked up 2745 for his collegiate career — just 24 behind J.J. Redick for first place on the ACC career scoring list.
--He passed Loyola Marymount's Hank Gathers for 17th place on the NCAA scoring list.
--His eight rebounds moved him into 11th place all-time on that ACC list.
But the numbers alone don't capture the importance of the game Hansbrough had.
Some context is needed too.
His run of six straight points in the first half followed by a charge he drew sparked a UNC run that brought the Tar Heels within two.
After the break" he scored 10 in a row for the Tar Heels to keep them in the game during the six minutes when no other UNC player could find the net.
And those final six points sealed the deal to deliver his Ty Lawson-less team into the semifinals.
""It's just amazing to see how he competes" how he battles and how big-time he is and he showed that again today Frasor said. He's a big-time player" and he's legendary. That's all you can say.""
