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(03/17/08 4:00am)
Slideshow: Tar Heels win ACC title
CHARLOTTE - No. 1 North Carolina went into the weekend as the top seed in the ACC Tournament- and came out as ACC Champions for the second year in a row.
It marks the first back-to-back tournament titles for the Tar Heels since 1997 and 1998, and it pushes their total to 17 - one ahead of Duke.
(02/25/08 5:00am)
North Carolina has an uncanny ability to get to the free throw line - and a convenient knack for making shots once it gets there.
In Sunday's 89-73 win against Wake Forest, the Tar Heels shot 34 free throws, making 26. WFU made just eight of its 17.
And there were more difference-makers in the game than just free throws - Tyler Hansbrough's 29 points and Danny Green's 15 points and nine rebounds off the bench, for example. But the performance at the line sure didn't hurt, and fouls were a big part of the win.
"Our style of play, the other team is going to get in foul trouble," UNC coach Roy Williams said. "It's not just the guys in striped shirts because we're going to throw the ball inside, we're going to attack the basket, and we're not going to shoot 3-point shots all the time."
That strategy payed dividends Sunday as all five Demon Deacon starters finished the game with three or more fouls. Wake Forest's tallest player, 7-foot Chas McFarland, picked up his fourth foul just 48 seconds into the second half. He managed to finish the game but was on the court for only 22 minutes.
"I mean, we still did our things, but just that big guy - he's long; it helped us open some things up inside," said Hansbrough, who benefited from McFarland's foul trouble by getting to the line.
The Tar Heels' ownership of the charity stripe has become a recurring theme this season and one that could prove pivotal come March.
No. 1 Memphis shoots an abysmal 58.5 percent from the line, good for last in the nation in Division I men's basketball. Such a poor performance could come back to bite the Tigers in March - it cost them against No. 2 Tennessee on Saturday.
What plagues teams like Memphis could be UNC's saving grace. Of the top 10 teams in the nation, UNC ranked second in free throw percentage coming into Sunday's matchup, shooting 75.6 percent.
But it's not as if the Tar Heels are going 7-for-10 from the line every night. Going into the game, UNC was tied for first in the nation in free throws made with 537 and eighth in attempts with 710. The other half of that statistic is how few free throws the Tar Heels typically allow their opponents.
The most glaring example this season thus far was the Clemson game in Chapel Hill. The Tar Heels were 31-for-36 from the line. The Tigers were 1-for-7.
UNC's ability to get to the line and convert is something Green said he feels comes from experience and is something that will help immensely for the rest of the season.
"Free throws are big; it's key. It means a lot to this team," he said. "I think free throws are a mental thing, and we're mentally tough enough down the stretch that we're going to hit free throws."
Contact the Sports Editor
at sports@unc.edu.
(02/22/08 5:00am)
When Wake Forest head coach Skip Prosser died July 26, 2007, then-assistant coach Dino Gaudio lost his best friend.
He had coached with Prosser for 17 years at both the high school and college levels, five of them at Wake Forest. Two weeks after Prosser's death, Gaudio stepped up to a podium to announce he would take the place of his longtime mentor.
"This is a very bittersweet moment for me," Gaudio said at the time.
"I love Wake Forest, and I love the Atlantic Coast Conference. But I also love Skip Prosser, and to become the head coach under these circumstances is not what I had envisioned.
"But I am also thrilled that I have been entrusted with the future of Deacon basketball."
And to the surprise of many, the future has started a little early in Winston-Salem.
Picked by the ACC media to finish 11th in the conference this preseason, Gaudio has led the surprising Demon Deacons (16-8, 6-5 ACC) to fifth place in the ACC, just a half-game back of Clemson and Maryland for third.
Fresh off one of Wake Forest's biggest wins in the past two seasons - an 86-73 upset win against then-No. 2 Duke on Sunday - Gaudio has his very young team primed to earn its way into the NCAA Tournament this March, a feat that seemed quite a stretch just a few months ago.
"To try to motivate these kids this season, we've talked a lot about going to the tournament and how important these games are," Gaudio said during Monday's ACC teleconference.
"We talk a lot about it because it's their goal and our goal right now, where this program is. At the beginning of the year, they picked us 11th in the league. Just between us in this locker room, this is what we should try to do - prove the naysayers wrong."
The Demon Deacon starters for much of the season have been two freshmen and three sophomores - a three-guard lineup that has allowed WFU to utilize its speed to flummox opponents, the most recent example being Duke.
The backcourt tandem of freshman Jeff Teague and sophomore Ishmael Smith has been the catalyst so far this season. Gaudio said the two aren't as talented as NBA phenom and former Wake Forest star Chris Paul, but the new coach sounded confident in thinking the two could beat the NBA All-Star endline to endline in a race.
"When Skip was here he would always say, 'The older I get, the faster I want to play,'" Gaudio said. "He would love coaching these two guys. He brought Ish along his freshman year, and he recruited Jeff. They're very, very fast with the ball."
WFU brings its speed to the Smith Center on Sunday to face No. 3 North Carolina. UNC coach Roy Williams said at a news conference Tuesday that he has immense respect for Gaudio, who also has been a head coach at Army and Loyola (Md.).
"Dino has been fantastic," he said. "I think not even . having anything to do with games won or games lost. I mean, how can you be put in a tougher situation?
"And one that's personally more difficult for him than anybody because that was his best friend in the whole world. So I really admire him for the way he's handled the team, yes, but even more so the whole scenario."
With both UNC and the Demon Deacons coming off big wins and WFU battling for postseason positioning, it could be a tight battle. And Gaudio is no stranger to the competitiveness of conference play.
"In terms of the ACC, you don't have to tell anybody in this league that anybody could beat anybody on a given night," he said.
Contact the Sports Editor at sports@unc.edu.
(01/22/08 5:00am)
It was wake-up time for the Tar Heels on Saturday. After two of the team's last three ACC victories came by a combined total of three points, then-No. 1 North Carolina finally took the plunge.
UNC (18-1, 3-1 in the ACC) dropped its first game of the season to Maryland (12-7, 2-2) at the Smith Center, 82-80.
It was Maryland's first win in Chapel Hill since 2003.
"It's one game - we're not going to jump off the top of a building," UNC coach Roy Williams said. "But it's an alarm clock for (the team) and shakes them up a little bit, and if it works out that's good."
In recent weeks there have been questions about whether close wins have overshadowed the team's mistakes.
Williams said that he didn't think that was the case at Clemson because of how well his team played in the closing minutes but that it could have been true for his players after beating Georgia Tech.
"Some people can say that it does, I don't know," he said. "I don't know what goes into the psyche of 19, 20, 21-year-old guys. If I did, I'd never lose."
Following their close win Wednesday at Georgia Tech, the Tar Heels came out of the gate sluggish.
In the first half, UNC's offense looked stagnant, often settling for jump shots by big men. Guards seemed to stand around and force up shots, as evidenced by the team's shooting - just 35.1 percent for the half.
In the second half, the Tar Heels were much more aggressive driving to the basket, and though the team didn't shoot much better, they battled all the way back and took a two-point lead with 8:01 left in the game - UNC's first since midway through the first half.
North Carolina had several chances to win at the end of the game. After Maryland's Bambale Osby put the Terrapins up 82-80 with 21 seconds remaining, Tar Heel forward Tyler Hansbrough was streaking toward the basket, but point guard Ty Lawson didn't let the alley-oop fly.
"I shouldn't call that play if he doesn't feel comfortable throwing it, because Tyler was wide open six-inches from the rim - that would've tied the game," Williams said. "But Ty wasn't comfortable throwing it, so as a coach I've got to get him a play that he does feel comfortable with."
UNC had four more shot opportunities in the last 14 seconds, including Hansbrough's missed three-pointer at the buzzer, and the Terps rushed the court as Maryland point guard Greivis Vasquez screamed at the student section.
Forward James Gist led the Terrapins' effort for much of the game, taking over at times and ending with 22 points and 13 rebounds.
"We didn't front the post the way we wanted to," said North Carolina forward Danny Green, who finished with nine points and eight rebounds. "They were getting a lot of easy baskets because they were getting a lot of one-on-one. Our guards weren't getting down in there and doubling."
Maryland now has won two straight against the Tar Heels, dating back to last season. Now No. 5 UNC heads to Miami on Wednesday to try to bounce back from the loss.
Hansbrough, who finished with 17 points and 14 rebounds, agreed with Williams' alarm clock metaphor.
"It could be a wake-up call for us," Hansbrough said.
"It's better now than in March."
UNC travels to Miami next to take on the Hurricanes on Jan. 23.
Contact the Sports Editor
at sports@unc.edu.
(01/18/08 5:00am)
It couldn't last forever.
Two of No.1 North Carolina's three ACC victories were by a total of three points. Saturday, the Tar Heels (18-1, 3-1 in the ACC) couldn't keep up the close play as Maryland (12-7, 2-2) edged out a win at the Smith Center, 82-80, for the Tar Heels' first loss of the season.
It was Maryland's first win in Chapel Hill since 2003.
"Well I haven't done a very good job with this basketball team the last couple weeks," UNC coach Roy Williams said. "We've been living on the edge, and it caught up with us today."
But it's not as if the Tar Heels didn't have a chance. UNC took a four-point lead with just more than two minutes left in the game, and it looked like Maryland had lost the momentum. But the Terps continued to fight back.
With 51 seconds left in the game, UNC forward Tyler Hansbrough tied the game at 80. On the other end of the court, Maryland forward Bambale Osby put the Terps back up two after Tar Heel forward Danny Green lost his balance trying to intercept the pass.
The following sequence of plays included a missed 3-pointer by UNC guard Wayne Ellington that was rebounded by Green, put back, missed, rebounded again and knocked out of bounds. Eleven seconds remained on the clock, and Williams called a timeout. Ellington missed a jumper that Hansbrough rebounded, but a scramble for the ball resulted in a jump ball - with possession UNC.
With 1.7 seconds left, Hansbrough had a good look at a 3-pointer for the win, but it bounced off the rim as the Terps ran onto the court.
"I always think my shots are going in," Hansbrough said. "But it just didn't happen like that."
James Gist led the Terrapins' effort, dominating the paint early and often with 22 points and 13 rebounds - taking over the game at times.
"You have to congratulate Gist particularly, 22 and 13," Williams said. "We didn't do a good job in the post defense, we didn't help down from the front. We didn't stop the penetration."
Green agreed.
"We didn't front the post the way we wanted to," Green said. "They were getting a lot of easy baskets because they were getting a lot of one-on-one. Our guards weren't getting down in there and doubling."
Maryland point guard Greivis Vasquez helped spark the offense as well. He turned the ball over six times in the game, but he also scored 12 points and had 11 assists. Early in the first half, he exchanged barbs with the UNC student section after hitting a 3-point shot, prompting a chorus of boos whenever he touched the ball the rest of the game. After the final seconds ticked away, he screamed at the fans as the team rushed onto the floor.
Williams said that he was angry at his team's lack of transition offense in the game and that he felt Maryland probably outran the Tar Heels.
"We had one time two guys give me the tired signal running back on defense," he said. "That should never happen. If you're going to be frickin' tired, tell me on offense, don't tell me as you're running back and the other team's laying it up on the other end."
In the first half, UNC's offense looked stagnant, often settling for jump shots by big men. Guards seemed to be standing around and forcing up shots, as evidenced by the team's shooting - just 35.1 percent for the half.
In the second half, the Tar Heels were much more aggressive driving to the basket, and though they didn't shoot much better, UNC battled all the way back to a one-point lead with 8:01 left in the game - UNC hadn't led since midway through the first half.
Maryland gave UNC its largest deficit at home - 11 points - early in the second half, and though the Tar Heels recovered on a spirited run to tie the game and even take the lead, they didn't have enough left in the tank.
Maryland has now won two straight against the Tar Heels dating back to last season. UNC heads to No.21 Miami this Wednesday to try to bounce back from the loss.
"It could be a wake-up call for us," Hansbrough said.
"It's better now than in March."
Contact the Sports Editor at sports@unc.edu.
(01/15/08 5:00am)
Normally before games, North Carolina coach Roy Williams tells his players he just wants to win and eat.
Saturday before the N.C. State game, he did things a little differently.
"(Coach Williams) said that he wanted to beat State so bad that he would rather beat them than eat," Tar Heel junior forward Marcus Ginyard said.
So while the rest of the team set up food deliveries for after the game, Williams declined any post-game delicacies.
"I guess he doesn't like steak too much," UNC forward Deon Thompson said.
A plethora of records
While much of the focus Saturday went to UNC forwards Thompson and Danny Green setting new career bests - Thompson's 16 points and Green's 14 rebounds - several other Tar Heels had record days of their own.
UNC point guard Ty Lawson hit a career-best four 3-pointers en route to his 16 points.
After going 7-for-8 from the free throw line Saturday, North Carolina forward Tyler Hansbrough passed four ACC legends in career free throws made - UNC's Phil Ford (560) and Sam Perkins (561) and Duke's Art Heyman and Grant Hill (both at 558). Hansbrough has now made 564 free throws out of 736 attempts, tied for 14th place in ACC history with Duke's Jim Spanarkel.
Another free throw-related record was set on Saturday by UNC guard Wayne Ellington, as well.
Ellington is now the No. 1 free throw shooter in Tar Heel history in terms of percentage. He became eligible after he made his hundredth career free throw, during Saturday's game against the Wolfpack. After going 4-for-4 against N.C. State, he is now 101-for-116 in his career, good for 87.2 percent. Shammond Williams sits at second with a percentage of 84.9.
North Carolina is now 17-0 for the first time since the 1997-98 season. That year, the Tar Heels lost the next game to Maryland in overtime. UNC's next test this year is Georgia Tech at Atlanta on Wednesday.
Thomas solid against 'Pack
UNC senior point guard Quentin Thomas has taken some heat for turnovers and questionable decision making in the past. But when Lawson came out of the game Saturday with a right ankle sprain, Thomas stepped up his game.
Thomas played 13 minutes and had four points, four assists and most importantly, zero turnovers.
Ellington said Thomas' play is an asset to the team.
"It was great for Q to succeed," Ellington said. "For Q to come off the bench and give us that spark, just like Danny Green. . Just to give us that spark offensively and defensively."
Contact the Sports Editor
at sports@unc.edu.
(01/14/08 5:00am)
It's hard to see how No. 1 North Carolina could get any better, but flashes of brilliant defense in Saturday's win against N.C. State set a new standard.
The Tar Heels put together one of their best defensive performances of the season - particularly in the first half - something North Carolina coach Roy Williams said he's been preaching all season.
UNC forced 17 turnovers, eight of which came off steals. The Wolfpack shot an abysmal 17.6 percent from the field in the first half as UNC blocked more shots - eight - than N.C. State made -- six.
"You definitely can't take all the credit," UNC junior Marcus Ginyard said. "They definitely missed some tough shots inside, but I think that just being there with the hands up, contesting, boxing out - that's something that's going to wear on a team, and they might not be making as many shots."
The Wolfpack only managed 13 points in the first half - the fewest allowed by UNC in a half in 10 years, and the second-fewest in the last 29.
"I don't think anyone can beat us if we play defense like we did in the first half," said North Carolina forward Deon Thompson, one of the stars of the defensive effort.
Thompson scored a career-high 16 points along with three blocks. The blocks were part of a great performance with weak-side help defense. Whenever it looked like N.C. State had a lane to the basket in the first half, it seemed like someone was always there to contest the shot or swat it away.
"We wait for the big man to make a move, and once he makes a move, we try to dig down and make him kick it back out, and they didn't do a good job of it in the first half," Tar Heel junior Danny Green said.
Green had a career day of his own, notching his first double-double of the season. He filled up the stat sheet with 13 points, 14 rebounds - a career high - six assists and four blocks - tied for his personal best. It was his all-around effort that set the tone in the game.
"I said the other day that I feel like I have six starters, and I feel like Danny is playing really good basketball for us," Williams said. "I had a session with Danny and Deon (Friday), and we talked more about defense than anything else, really."
The talk seemed to have paid off. Better defense is something Williams has talked about after several wins this season, and Green said the comments have gotten the team more focused.
"The whole team pretty much picked it up in practice, just talking and communicating," he said. "We know what we've got to do to get better, and that's getting better on the defensive end. That's little things, boxing out and just playing our principles the right way coach asks us to. So we did that tonight, and it worked out for us."
Williams said he wasn't pleased with the defense in the second half - the Wolfpack shot 58 percent from the field - but the first-half effort was finally some of what he was asking for.
"When we play defense, are really swarming, doing what we are supposed to do and listening to the scouting report, then I think we are pretty doggone good," he said.
And with the defense clicking on all cylinders to match the offense, the Tar Heels are a pretty tough team to crack, as was apparent against the Wolfpack.
"We're the No. 1 team in the nation and, I guess, for a reason," Thompson said.
"If we just play how we're supposed to play, then that's the way it should be."
Contact the Sports Editor at sports@unc.edu.
(01/10/08 5:00am)
View the slideshow
UNC-Asheville's 7-foot-7-inch center Kenny George had a night as big as he is, but that won't be what people take away from the game.
Instead the enduring image from the night is 6-feet-9-inch North Carolina forward Tyler Hansbrough posterizing George on a thunderous tomahawk dunk.
(04/27/07 4:00am)
The academic year ends on May 8 with the last day of exams. But for some athletes the year is far from over.
While most students are relaxing at home or working summer jobs, many sports continue training and playing games long after the rest of the student body has left campus.
The baseball team, for example, has eight regular season games after the May 8, for instance.
The ACC Championships come next for the team, then the NCAA Regionals and Super Regionals followed by the College World Series, if things go well for the Tar Heels.
UNC (35-9) as of April 25, looks poised to make another run at a championship this summer, with many starters back from last season's CWS squad.
"It's hard to get there - it may be the most difficult championship to get to," coach Mike Fox said. "It helps to play at home (in the NCAA Tournament), we learned that last year."
The Tar Heels have freshman Alex White and redshirt sophomore Luke Putkonen to pitch two games in any potential postseason series on the road.
"That's where playing in the ACC helps you," Fox said.
"If you happen to get to a Super Regional, you have to go to Alex White and Luke Putkonen and say, 'Look, you pitched at N.C. State, you pitched at Florida State, you've pitched in some of these tough environments, it's no different.'"
Fox said he thinks that the ACC is better from top-to-bottom this season and that a return trip to Omaha, Neb. is anything but assured.
"It's difficult to go back from year to year - you gotta be good and you gotta be lucky."
Many other teams begin their championship races after school is over, as well.
The men's and women's lacrosse teams' NCAA Tournament first rounds begin May 12 and 13, respectively.
The NCAA Tournament for the tennis teams begins May 11..
The women's and men's golf teams begin their NCAA Tournament runs on May 10 and 17, respectively.
As for track and field, the NCAA Outdoor Championships don't even begin until June 6 in Sacramento, Calif.
This summer could be a good one for UNC, considering the success of many of the sports during the spring - particularly tennis and lacrosse.
By the time the rest of the student body comes back in August, there could be a few more championship T-shirts to buy.
Contact the Sports Editor at sports@unc.edu.
(04/26/07 4:00am)
Two pitches into the bottom of the first inning in Wednesday's matchup with High Point, the No. 6 North Carolina baseball team had a one-run lead. Four batters in, the Tar Heels already had three hits, upping the score to 2-0.
"We were just happy to get on the board first," UNC shortstop Josh Horton said. "Anytime you can do that for your starting pitching, it helps a lot and lets them relax out there and throw some pitches."
The Tar Heels (35-9) garnered only two more hits the rest of the game - though one was a Horton solo home run - and edged the Panthers 3-1 at Boshamer Stadium.
Many of the offensive woes could be attributed to High Point pitcher Eammon Portice. The junior had struck out 91 batters prior to the contest, and rang up six Tar Heels on Wednesday. His unique delivery - he turns his back entirely away from the plate before swinging back around to throw the pitch - caused problems for UNC all night.
"He just had really good stuff," Horton said. "He was throwing a split-finger that was probably the best we've seen all year. Not many people even have that pitch at this level."
UNC coach Mike Fox said he was glad his team put up runs in the first inning against the Panthers' ace.
"Sometimes you've got to get to those guys early, because you saw what he did in the middle of the game after he kind of got into a rhythm," Fox said.
The UNC pitching staff combined to throw a solid game. Starter Mike Facchinei and relievers Rob Wooten, Matt Danford and Andrew Carignan allowed only four hits and one run to the Panthers (23-22).
Wooten got the win, his second of the year.
"That's just the confidence the coaches have in us," Wooten said of the number of pitchers in the contest. "They know they can throw anybody out there and they can get the job done"
The story of the game arguably was UNC's ability to keep High Point's Randy Schwartz out of the game. Schwartz came in with eight home runs and 51 RBIs - either tied with or better than any Tar Heel. But he struck out in all four of his at-bats Wednesday.
Wooten said pitching coach Scott Forbes noticed Schwartz wasn't making great contact against breaking balls, so the pitchers capitalized on it.
"He's a good hitter, and good hitters have those days, but we made good pitches at the right time today," Wooten said.
UNC has now reversed a three-game losing streak by winning three straight and heads to N.C. State this weekend with high hopes.
"It's going to be a very intense series," Wooten said. "We can't wait to get down there and play the best we can. If we do that, things will take care of themselves."
Contact the Sports Editor at sports@unc.edu.
(04/25/07 4:00am)
The No. 6 North Carolina baseball team has a little momentum rolling again.
After losing three in a row, including one to lowly Campbell (then 7-31), the Tar Heels claimed their first victory at Florida State since 2003 on Sunday. Tuesday night, that momentum picked up some steam as UNC plowed over ECU 10-0 at Boshamer Stadium.
"It seems like we're starting to put things together after this weekend," freshman Dustin Ackley said.
It was the Tar Heels' (34-9) sixth consecutive victory over the Pirates (28-13).
Sophomore pitcher Adam Warren kept up his stellar play, allowing only three hits in seven shutout innings. It was his eighth win in as many starts. His record (8-0) and ERA (1.80) are the best of all of North Carolina's starters.
"I just kind of had my stuff working tonight," Warren said. "Just throwing strikes and letting our defense do the work - they're giving me run support, so it's easy to go out there and relax."
Freshman Tim Fedroff said Warren has been solid on the mound all season.
"It seems like (Tuesday) especially he really didn't miss much at all," he said. "I looked up at the scoreboard and saw they only got three hits, I was just like, 'Wow.'"
ECU traveled well, making up a little less than half of the packed house. The Pirate fans were loud - for the first inning and a half. Then the Tar Heels brought in five runs on five consecutive hits in the bottom of the second.
"Before the game I looked up in the stands and it looked like there was more purple than there was blue," Fedroff said. "I was thinking, 'Is this a home game for us?' But that early lead really helped, and Adam shut them down."
UNC piled on four more runs in the third inning, and Bryan Steed tacked on a solo home run in the eighth to finish off the scoring.
Fedroff led the way for the Tar Heels, finishing the night 2-4 with four RBIs, including a three-RBI triple to lead off the scoring in the third inning.
"Timmy's one of those freshmen we have that we really like," UNC coach Mike Fox said. "He's a big time competitor - he really gets his money's worth up there offensively."
This weekend, the Tar Heels travel to Raleigh to battle N.C. State in a three-game series. The Wolfpack fell out of the rankings after being swept by Georgia Tech over the weekend, but were ranked No. 25 before the drop.
Fedroff, a New Jersey native, hasn't experienced the rivalry firsthand, but said he expects a battle.
"From what I hear . it sounds like it's a big rivalry," he said. "I'm really looking forward to it."
Contact the Sports Editor at sports@unc.edu.
(04/11/07 4:00am)
"After thinking about things, and talking with my parents, I've decided it'd be best to take my skills to the NBA - I'm sorry."
UNC point guard Ty Lawson accepted the Coaches Award for most assists with that statement, followed by a long pause.
"Nah, I'm playin', I'll be back next year."
It was a night of laughs and good news for Tar Heel faithful as the basketball team held its annual banquet Tuesday to honor its seniors, but it was two underclassmen who stole the show.
Lawson and sophomore Tyler Hansbrough both announced they'll don a Tar Heels jersey for at least another season, and Hansbrough, not to be outdone by Lawson's antics, toyed with the crowd as well.
"I cut a deal with Coach (Roy) Williams that I'd be back my junior year - only if we fired coach (Joe) Holladay," Hansbrough said, which brought laughter and a retort from Williams' assistant coach of 14 years - "That was cold-blooded, Tyler."
After the banquet, Hansbrough made it clear that he wasn't joking.
"I've definitely decided that I will be back for my junior year," he said. "I feel personally I'm not ready for the next step in the NBA."
He admitted his heart skipped a beat when Lawson initially said he was jumping to the NBA.
"Yeah he got me, he got me pretty good," Hansbrough said. "I was like, what's wrong with this guy?"
Williams said he wasn't fooled so easily.
"I'm a lot more savvy than Tyler is," Williams joked. "Does that surprise you? Gosh, you don't have very high regard for my savvy."
ACC Rookie of the Year Brandan Wright made no announcement, but said through an athletics department spokesman that he isn't close to deciding. The deadline to declare for the NBA Draft is April 29.
Hansbrough - who was named team MVP at the banquet - and Lawson both revealed they thought about jumping to the pros, but the decision was simple in the end.
"I just like college basketball too much, and being a college player and living the college life," said Lawson, who added that uncertainty of where he'd be drafted was a key factor. "I thought maybe like a day or two about it, but it wasn't really close."
Williams said the two players made their decisions 10 or 12 days ago, but they didn't want to announce it until today so there wasn't any extra pressure on Wright to commit too early.
"Brandan, like a kid, he's hoping if he ignores it it'll go away, and I told him it's not gonna go away," he said.
With Hansbrough and Lawson playing another year, the team returns at least three of its five starters - freshman guard Wayne Ellington has said he will return next year as well - and the outlook for next season is already bright.
"Winning a National Championship would be a big deal of why I came back," Hansbrough said. "I don't want to cut it short right now when I feel like we have a chance to do that."
Contact the Sports Editor at sports@unc.edu.
(03/29/07 4:00am)
On the surface, there's not much difference between the 2005-06 and 2006-07 Tar Heels.
Last season, the North Carolina women's basketball team won 33 games. Three Tar Heels averaged double-figure points, and another was close. UNC won the ACC Championship and made it to the Final Four. It also failed to reach the title game after losing to eventual champion Maryland.
This season, UNC has won 34 games - a school record. Three Tar Heels average double-figure points, and two others are close. UNC won the ACC Championship and has reached the Final Four for only the third time in school history, where it'll battle Tennessee on Sunday.
So what is it about this team that can succeed where last year's failed?
"Our balance," UNC coach Sylvia Hatchell said, plain and simple.
She went on, commenting on forward LaToya Pringle's increased production, guard Rashanda McCants' improved play, guard Alex Miller's starter-like attitude off the bench and the contributions of other key role players.
"We don't have one star - we have a lot of good players that play well," Hatchell said. "The beauty of the game and the beauty of our team is five players playing as one, and we talk about that a lot."
It doesn't take long to see why the coach feels that way. First-team All-American Ivory Latta's points average has gone down 2.1 per game, and her assists have gone down 0.9 per game. But four other players average more than two assists per game. And Pringle's and McCants' production has increased in a year by a total of eight points an outing. Even senior Camille Little has stepped her game up, averaging 2.2 more points per game than last season.
The ball is getting spread around, and Pringle said that's no accident.
"I just feel like everybody's gonna have to play well in order to win and advance," she said. "I think our team takes the challenge of stepping up, especially in the postseason, because we're playing better competition as we move forward."
Hatchell said her team's understanding of what it takes to win has been key, along with a family attitude in the locker room.
"We have a spirit and a chemistry about our team that not every team can say that they have," she said. "But our players know it, they feel it; I think that's one of the reasons for our success."
Part of the reason for the Tar Heels' continued success has been the team's style of play - "Carolina Basketball." Pressure defense, fast breaks, transition points and speed, speed, speed. And Latta said she wouldn't have it any other way.
"Our style of play is so fun - up and down the floor, fast-paced," she said. "I'm very happy to be the quarterback of this team - Peyton Manning, baby!"
If Latta can lead her Tar Heels past fellow No. 1 seed Tennessee - a team UNC beat earlier in the season, 70-57 - she will have the chance to go out on top, just like Manning's Super Bowl Champion Indianapolis Colts.
Contact the Sports Editor at sports@unc.edu.
(03/28/07 4:00am)
DALLAS - Look out, LeBron - Ivory's back.
Many fans might remember the fiery UNC point guard flexing her muscles at the Cleveland Cavaliers star, Latta's friend since they met at the McDonald's All American game in 2003, during the Tar Heels' Elite Eight victory against Tennessee last season. Now she'll have the same chance after UNC beat Purdue on Tuesday night, 84-72.
For the second year in a row - and just the third time in school history - the North Carolina women's basketball team is headed to the Final Four, where the Volunteers await redemption.
"I don't think it's hit me yet," Latta said, proudly sporting a freshly cut net around her neck. "I think when I get on the plane or get back to Chapel Hill I'll just bust out crying or something like that."
But to get to Cleveland, this year's site, No. 1-seed North Carolina (34-3) had to get through a talented and red-hot Purdue (31-6) team bent on getting revenge for a last-second NCAA Tournament loss to UNC last season.
Like the game against George Washington on Sunday, the contest was back-and-forth for the majority of the first half. But the Tar Heels went on a 12-0 run near the end of the period and entered the break up by seven points.
The second half featured runs from each team, but UNC always was able to hold off Purdue.
The Boilermakers cut the lead to as few as three points once, and four points several times, but UNC had answers.
Mostly, that answer came in the form of Larkins, named the Dallas Regional Most Outstanding Player. The junior forward dominated the paint, finishing with 29 points and 10 rebounds. Ivory Latta even got back to her high-scoring ways, chipping in 21 points.
"I know Ivory kept telling me, 'Hey, when you get down there and you have one-on-one, you need to turn and score and stop passing the ball out,' so I tried to focus on that more tonight," Larkins said.
But Purdue didn't go down without a fight, as senior forward Katie Gearlds did all she could to keep her team in it, finishing with 28 points.
"I left it all out there, but I just didn't do enough for my team to win," Gearlds said. "And it hurts, because I feel like I had nothing more in my tank."
Leading up to the game, Pringle talked about the need for an "X-factor." Tuesday night, that role was filled by UNC guard Rashanda McCants, who finished the game with 15 points.
"Rashanda is a great player, and she stepped up big for us," Latta said. "Her confidence is high right now, and that's exactly where we need it to be."
In the end, it was all smiles and celebration for the Tar Heels, as several players danced at midcourt with Athletics Director Dick Baddour.
The 2006-07 season has been one for the record books for the Tar Heels, as Latta has become the all-time leading scorer, and Pringle owns the single season blocks record. And with the win Tuesday, the team has 34 victories - the most in school history.
The team plans to win two more in Cleveland on James' home court.
Contact the Sports Editor at sports@unc.edu
(03/27/07 4:00am)
DALLAS - North Carolina can't get away from the rematches, and the matchup that could send the Tar Heels into the Final Four is another example.
Just two days after beating George Washington in the Sweet 16, a team that upset them 10 years ago in the same round of the NCAA Tournament, the Tar Heels will battle with a team that took them to the brink in the Sweet 16 last season.
It took a last-second bank-shot by UNC guard Ivory Latta to beat the Purdue Boilermakers for the right to play Tennessee in the Elite Eight in 2006. In 2007, the challenge could be even greater, as star Purdue forwards Katie Gearlds - who UNC coach Sylvia Hatchell compares to Larry Bird - and Lindsay Wisdom-Hylton put on a clinic against Georgia on Sunday.
Gearlds finished with 30 points and nine rebounds, and Wisdom-Hylton added 24 points and nine rebounds as Purdue took out the third-seeded Bulldogs.
Because each team's makeup is close to the same as last year, much of the talk leading up to the matchup has been about last year's contest.
UNC forward Erlana Larkins recalled her battle with Wisdom-Hylton.
"It was a great matchup - it was back and forth," she said. "It seemed like every time I came down and scored, she was hitting a fadeaway shot, or a jump hook in the lane or getting a put-back. So I just remember it being back and forth - she's a great player."
Hatchell recollected Latta's game-winning, high-off-the-glass layup - a play Hatchell had called for out of a timeout.
"Ivory's shot kissing the glass and going in - she drove down that right side, and it went high off the glass, and it went in the net - that's basically what I remember," Hatchell said.
Gearlds remembered the heartbreak after the game, which has left Purdue with a thirst for revenge.
"I think last year we felt like we should've won that game, and that's why it hurt so much," she said. "Ivory hit a tough shot on a really well defended play."
The physicality of the matchup has shown through in both teams' practices leading up to the game. Larkins said UNC forward LaToya Pringle has been preparing by "blocking everyone's shots like we aren't her teammates."
And Gearlds showed up to Monday's press conference with a fresh black eye, courtesy of fellow senior teammate Erin Lawless.
"Just watching them on film, they do everything hard - they come off the screens hard, they run the plays hard, they do a great job of it," Latta said of the Boilermakers. "This game is gonna be very physical, I can definitely tell you - it was physical last year. We need to stay focused on what we're trying to do, don't let that physical play affect us."
Pringle said that while the team's focus is on Purdue, the players always have the ultimate goal in the back of their minds.
"We go into each game and each round saying kind of, 'We've been there, done that,'" she said.
"We're looking forward to something we haven't accomplished yet - a national championship."
Contact the Sports Editor at sports@unc.edu.
(03/26/07 4:00am)
The Tar Heels made sure Sunday night that history didn't repeat itself.
Ten years ago, the fifth-seeded George Washington Colonials upset No. 1 seed UNC to go to the Elite Eight.
Sunday, the fifth-seeded Colonials (29-4) were faced with the same opportunity, but this time the Tar Heels (33-3) emerged victorious, 70-56, to advance to the Elite Eight for the third straight season.
"This team, they would love to be back in the Final Four and actually do better than they did last year," UNC coach Sylvia Hatchell said. "In the locker room it's like, 'OK, we got this one out of the way, let's get ready for the next one.'"
"We're happy to be where we are, but we know that we've got our work cut out for us with Purdue."
All week the focus was on the point guard battle that would decide the matchup - UNC's Ivory Latta versus George Washington's Kimberly Beck, both finalists for the Nancy Lieberman award presented to the nation's top point guard. In reality, neither guard shone in the game, and the spotlight was more on the play in the paint.
Erlana Larkins shook off a six-point performance from last week against Notre Dame by scoring 14 points, adding six rebounds and six assists. The story of the game was North Carolina's dominance on the boards. The Tar Heels outrebounded the Colonials 45-22, with 21 offensive rebounds.
"I think we were just being relentless going to the boards," UNC forward LaToya Pringle said. "We know that in order to win a championship we have to rebound, so we just took it personally on ourselves to rebound and win the board battle."
Pringle had an outstanding game, notching 16 points and 14 rebounds (a new career high) in addition to her four blocks in the first half, which helped her break the single-season record at UNC. Pringle has 116, two more than the previous record held by Dawn Royster.
"That's like a stat my mom keeps up with, so she called me before we came, you know, 'you need two to tie and three to break it,' so I was going for it this game. I knew I had it at halftime, and I was really excited."
For the first few minutes of the first half, it looked like the Tar Heels were in for another nail-biter as neither team could gain any advantage. But UNC broke the 10-10 tie just more than seven minutes into the half by breaking off on a 24-5 run, and the Tar Heels went into halftime with a 38-24 lead.
"It was early in the game, so I didn't know how it was going to turn out," Larkins said. "But I knew that if we kept swinging the ball and getting the ball inside doing our high-low game, that it wasn't going to stay that close for long."
The Colonials didn't put up much of a fight the rest of the way, and the Tar Heels cruised to a 14-point victory.
It just wasn't Beck's, or George Washington's, night. Late in the first half, UNC inbounded the ball with two seconds left on the shot clock. Beck stole the pass and drove toward the basket, only to have her layup roll around the rim and out. UNC forward Rashanda McCants grabbed the rebound and headed up the court, but Beck stole the ball again. She shot a quick jumper that bounced off the front of the rim, and Pringle grabbed the rebound and got fouled.
The Tar Heels did a pretty good job shutting down George Washington's stars, but guard Sarah-Jo Lawrence went on a late scoring charge and led all scorers with 23 points before fouling out with 3:18 left in the game.
Tuesday's Elite Eight opponent, Purdue, has a couple of formidable players the Tar Heels will have to look out for as well. Forwards Lindsay Wisdom-Hylton and Katie Gearlds led the Boilermakers to a decisive victory against Georgia on Sunday with 24 and 30 points, respectively, each grabbing nine rebounds as well.
"We're going to have to put some people on them that can keep them from getting all those good looks," Hatchell said of Purdue's stars. "With numbers like that, that's just incredible."
Contact the Sports Editor at sports@unc.edu.
(03/23/07 4:00am)
DALLAS - North Carolina has its eyes on the prize this postseason.
After the No. 1 seed's practice Saturday, the team broke the huddle by shouting in unison, "National Champs!"
But the Tar Heels aren't getting too far ahead of themselves, and their focus is on Sunday's Sweet 16 opponent, fifth-seed George Washington.
"We played them a few years ago," said UNC head coach Sylvia Hatchell. "They've always had some big post players that can score inside, and their guards are fundamental."
And one of those fundamental guards will be the focus on Sunday, Colonials point guard Kimberly Beck, who will match up against fellow Nancy Lieberman Award - presented to the nation's top point guard - candidate, UNC's Ivory Latta.
Beck, a junior, and Latta, a senior, are talented in their own ways, and both out-do one another in different categories.
Beck leads the A-10 conference with 5.4 assists per game, 1.1 more than Latta. Latta scores 16.3 points per game, 4.8 more than Beck. Beck has a 2.10 assist to turnover ratio, Latta a 1.23. You get the picture - it should be a highly contested matchup - but Beck said she's ready for the challenge.
"I just need to watch her and be in her face when she takes shots and not give her anything easy," Beck said of Latta. "But I also will be keeping in mind that there are four other people I need to concentrate on as well."
And that's precisely what makes this game even more interesting. While a lot of the focus will be on the point guards, the Colonials have two players that outscore Beck - sophomore Jessica Adair and junior Sarah-Jo Lawrence, who both average 13.1 points per game. UNC's Camille Little and Erlana Larkins average double-digit points as well, which provides for several interesting subplots.
George Washington (28-3), like North Carolina (32-3), has only lost three games, and will provide a tough matchup for the Tar Heels because of the quick pace at which both teams play. But Latta said her team is ready for the challenge, and ready to stay on track toward the goal the Tar Heels have had on their mind all along - a National Championship.
"I've spent my whole career here, and we have had our ups and downs and overcome some storms," Latta said. "We are ready for it and have bounced back and won the ACC Championship.
"I think we're on a roll right now, and just need to keep our focus and play with intensity and we'll get back to the Final Four."
Contact the Sports Editor at sports@unc.edu
(03/22/07 4:00am)
On the first day of spring, the North Carolina softball team had a little extra pep in its step.
The Tar Heels swept a double header against UNC-Wilmington on Wednesday, extending their school-record win streak to 22 games. The previous record was 15 consecutive wins, set in 2003.
After a 7-8 start, the Tar Heels (29-8) have stepped up their play, and the big difference has been the offensive production. The team has scored nine or more runs in five of its last six games.
"We've been hitting the ball well lately, and it seems like we're having a lot of big innings," senior Anna Evans said.
Coach Donna Papa agreed.
"I always say hitting is contagious," she said. "One person hits, and it kind of opens it up, and we seem to do it in bunches in innings."
On Wednesday, North Carolina racked up 19 runs in its two games and could have had more if the softball mercy rule - an eight-run lead stops the game after the 5th inning - hadn't been put into effect in the first matchup.
Freshman Danielle Spaulding got the second start of her career - and first win - in the second game. She pitched a no-hitter into the fifth inning, notching a career-high eight strikeouts.
"It's great to have a freshman go out there and contribute like that," Papa said. "She hasn't really had a lot of game time, and so she did, I thought, an outstanding job with their hitters."
Sophomore pitchers Lisa Norris (17-6) and Amber Johnson (11-2) have been the aces of the squad this season, and if Spaulding proves to be a solid third option, the team sure wouldn't mind.
"If we can have three pitchers pitch like that for the rest of the season, it's going to be a great year," Evans said.
Evans has been a leader on the team during the win streak. Her batting average sits at .304 and she is second on the team in RBIs with 23. She knocked in four runs Wednesday, three in the second game.
Despite the recent success, the Tar Heels still haven't cracked the top 25, but Spaulding said it isn't something the team focuses on, and they play hard regardless of the polls.
"I think that no matter where you are in the rankings, you always have something to prove," Spaulding said, adding that the team deserves to crack the top 25 in the next poll.
Either way, the Tar Heels enter the heart of their season exuding confidence, and Evans said much of the success can be attributed to the team's family mentality.
"This is definitely the closest team that I've been on in my four years," Evans said. "We've had some great teams in the past, but this team is certainly special, and it's a lot of fun to play with this group of girls."
Spaulding shared that feeling.
"The chemistry is awesome on this team," she said. "I've never been on a team that gets along so well, so I think if we keep working hard, we'll go really far."
Contact the Sports Editor at sports@unc.edu.
(02/23/07 5:00am)
Senior Night was business as usual for the North Carolina women's basketball team.
The No. 4 Tar Heels dismantled Wake Forest, 96-47, at Carmichael Auditorium on Thursday in their last home game of the season.
It was the second-lowest point total UNC has allowed since giving up 40 to Delaware State on Dec. 28.
Though Wake Forest jumped out to an early 3-2 lead, the Tar Heels went on a 27-2 run on the way to a 45-20 halftime advantage.
UNC (27-2, 11-2 in the ACC) had six players score in double figures, while the Demon Deacons (9-18, 0-13) only had one.
Senior Camille Little made a night of it, notching 19 points, 15 of which were in the first half. She scored her first basket just two seconds into the contest on a nice pass by junior Erlana Larkins off the tip.
Little and fellow senior Ivory Latta were honored before the game. Both players walked arm-in-arm with their parents to half-court, though Little was followed by her extended family, including her grandmother, aunt, uncle and cousins. Latta added her own flair to the proceedings, of course, dancing, raising her arm to the crowd and throwing a few fist pumps Carolina Fever's way.
The duo met at midcourt, shared a laugh and a high five, and Latta mugged for the cameras.
Latta mugged the Wake Forest players as well, snatching four of the team's 18 steals in the game and even adding a block - part of a stellar defensive effort from the Tar Heels that forced 22 turnovers and held the Deacons to 32.8 percent shooting from the floor.
"We were very aggressive on the defense," Latta said. "I know coach kept emphasizing . playing great defense, and that definitely leads to a lot of great turnovers and points for us."
Freshman Jessica Breland had a solid game, as well, finishing with 14 points - the second most she's scored all season - and was just one rebound away from a double-double with nine.
"Breland had a really good game," UNC coach Sylvia Hatchell said, adding that good bench play is important down the stretch.
"Especially with Alex (Miller) and Jessica playing well, that's going to give us depth and help us as we get in to tournament time."
Wake Forest coach Mike Petersen said he thought Senior Night gave UNC extra incentive, something he said they don't need.
"They're a team that plays hard whether it's Senior Night or freshman night or Papa John's Pizza night," he said.
Latta and Little came out of the game for good with 4:37 to go in the game to standing ovations and chants of, "Thank you seniors."
"I'm glad that they appreciate us, because we appreciate them," Little said.
Carmichael wasn't sold out, but the fans that were there were boisterous for most of the game.
The game was well in hand for most the night, however, and Carolina Fever decided to break up one of the quieter moments in the second half by singing the Journey hit, "Don't Stop Believing."
Ironically, it seemed as if the Demon Deacons did right about that time, then down 35 points.
Though the outcome was never in question, Tar Heel fans still had a scare as Latta went to the locker room in the second half after taking an elbow to her left eye.
"It's fine," she said after the game. "It'll be right by Sunday."
Once the game ended, Latta and Little addressed the crowd.
"Thank you to all the fans," Little said. "All four years have been great here. It's sad to go, but we gotta get out of here."
Contact the Sports Editor at sports@unc.edu.
(02/22/07 5:00am)
For seniors Ivory Latta and Camille Little, it's the small things that will stick with them.
Four years of staying after practice to work on shooting. Four years of waking up early to run.
"Just putting on a Carolina jersey for the first time," Latta said. "I was in the mirror for five minutes looking at myself, like, 'This can't be true.' I think that's what I'm gonna remember for the rest of my life."
Tonight at 7 against Wake Forest, the former McDonald's All-Americans will take the court at Carmichael Auditorium for the last time. Senior Day ceremonies will begin at 6:45 p.m.