March 27, 2008

By Lauren Brownlow

The Basics

No. 1 Carolina (34-2, 14-2) will face No. 21 Washington State (26-8, 11-7), the four-seed in the East Regional semifinal in Charlotte, North Carolina on Thursday night. Carolina's 34 wins tie a school record. Carolina is coming off of a 108-77 win over the No. 9 seed, Arkansas last weekend. It extended Carolina's winning streak to 13 games and 16 of its last 17 games. Washington State beat No. 5 seed Notre Dame 61-41.

Carolina is making its NCAA-record 22nd Sweet 16 appearance. Carolina has won seven straight regional semifinal games. Carolina is 6-0 in Charlotte Bobcats Arena and 7-0 in NCAA Tournament games played in Charlotte. The last time Carolina played in Charlotte in the NCAA Tournament was in 2005 when it won its first and second-round games against Oakland and Iowa State.

Game Time: North Carolina vs. Washington State, 7:27 PM.

Last Time: This will be the first meeting between the two teams.

Radio Coverage: Tar Heel Sports Network coverage begins at 6:30 PM.

Injury Report: Ty Lawson is still recovering from a sprained ankle. Marcus Ginyard is playing through a stress reaction in his left foot. Bobby Frasor tore his left ACL and is out for the season.

Storylines

Imposing Carolina's will offensively: The Tar Heels have shot over 60.6% in both NCAA Tournament games, including 67.7% against Arkansas, and has shot 49.3% or better in six of its eight games with Ty Lawson back. The Tar Heels also had 42 assists on 88 field goals in the ACC Tournament. But in the first two NCAA Tournament games, Carolina has averaged 110.5 points, 34.5 field goals and 26.5 assists. The Tar Heels also turned it over 47 times (15.7 per game) in three ACC Tournament games and have turned it over just 16 times in two NCAA Tournament games (8.0 per game). "We were being unselfish with it, and I keep talking to our guys about `move yourself and move the ball intelligently.' Sometimes we stand and watch one guy try to beat his guy, but when we move ourselves and move the ball - we have good shooters, we have guys that can score," Williams said.

Washington State has a very tough, disciplined defense that is more than capable of playing 35 seconds of defense in a halfcourt setting and is not prone to breakdowns. Teams have managed to score 70 or more points against Washington State just six times this season; the Cougars are 3-3 in those games and 0-1 when allowing 80 or more points (UCLA scored 81 in the Cougars' first loss this season). However, the team is 12-0 when allowing 50 points or less and 7-0 when it's 60 or fewer points. Their two NCAA opponents have averaged 40.5 points per game. The Cougars have allowed a team to shoot 50% or higher from the floor just six times this season and are 3-3 in those games. They are a 9-4 when allowing 40-49% shooting and 14-0 when holding opponents to 40 percent or less. Two of those 14 wins have come in the last two games; their last two opponents have shot 29-of-105 from the field (27.6%). "On the defensive end, they guard you. You don't get an easy shot. There are a lot of teams that their defense is really strong for the first pass or the second pass and the third pass, and then all of a sudden it starts breaking down. I think each time Washington State is prepared to guard you for 35 seconds," Williams said.

So the question that all the pundits have been asking is which style of play will be forced onto the other team? While Washington State has allowed more than 80 points just once (in a loss), Carolina has been held under 80 points in just seven out of 36 games this season. The Tar Heels are 6-1 in those games, however, beating Davidson in the season-opener, BYU in the Las Vegas Invitational and beating Ohio State on the road. It wasn't until the Duke game on February 12th that Carolina failed to break the 80-point mark again, losing for only the second time that season in the second game without Ty Lawson. Two games later, Carolina got out of Virginia with a one-point victory after scoring just 75 points. Carolina scored just 76 at Duke in a win and then scored 68 in a narrow win over Virginia Tech in the ACC Tournament.

Carolina scored just 14 points off of its fastbreak in the first two games of the ACC Tournament and just 11 points off turnovers. After breaking Clemson's press with ease in the ACC title game and scoring 34 fastbreak points, Carolina has now averaged 28.3 fastbreak points in the last three games and 22.0 points off turnovers. While the Cougars will present a unique challenge in terms of their ability to get back on defense and not hurt themselves with mistakes, Carolina has been winning so convincingly because it has imposed its will on opponents. "I think it's going to be really tough for them to dictate the tempo of the game, especially the way we like to play. We like to push it, even if they do make a basket. We like to get it out of the net quick and push it right back up your back. So regardless of what they do, we're still going to attack them, no matter what," Wayne Ellington said.

Washington State's opponents have averaged 51.8 points per game in the Cougars' 26 victories this season and 70.0 points in their eight losses. Opponents have shot 38.8% from the field (19.1 field goals on 49.2 attempts) and 30.7% from beyond the arc (5.3 three's on 17.2 attempts) in the Cougars' 26 wins. But in the eight losses, Washington State's opponents have shot 49.4% from the field (24.5-49.6), 43.1% from beyond the arc (5.5-12.8) and have also shot 51.5% from two-point range compared to 43% in the 26 wins. So the Cougars are not giving up more shooting opportunities even in their losses - but the opponents that have beaten them have had to make the best out of the opportunities that they have. "They like to force everybody to the middle where they have great help. So that's a good defense. They help out a lot and they have great athletes, so their defense is real good. If we just run and keep it to our game plan we'll be able to run against them as long as we stop them from scoring and get rebounds, don't let them beat us on the boards. So I think we can still run against them," Ty Lawson said.

Washington State is averaging 23.4 defensive rebounds in its 26 wins this season and just 17.4 in its eight losses. Opponents have averaged 11.0 offensive rebounds in Washington State's eight losses compared to just 8.7 offensive boards in Washington State's 26 wins. Carolina will need to get at least the occasional offensive rebound and stick-back to beat the Cougars. Also, Washington State has allowed opponents to get to the foul line just 11.9 times per game in its 26 wins compared to 20.5 attempts in the eight losses. So Carolina will need to assert itself in the paint on offense and be aggressive.

Being patient on defense: Carolina's game against Arkansas was indeed a tale of two halves defensively. Carolina held Arkansas to just 35.7% shooting in the first half, Carolina's best half of defense since holding Duke to just 34.1% in the second half. But Carolina then allowed Arkansas to shoot 58.1% in the second half, its best percentage allowed in a half since Boston College shot 60.7% in the first half. "You've got to get the guys to help you a little bit and they've got to miss some open looks. Everybody does not make every open shot they have. So if we can get some teams to miss some open ones and then guard them better some other times, it really helps us," Williams said.

The Cougars are somewhat unfairly portrayed as a defense-only squad that likes to keep games low-scoring. Washington State is more than capable of scoring, having scored 70 or more points in 14 games this season (going 13-1 in those games). But more importantly, Washington State will wait to take the shot that it wants to take; the team shoots 48 percent from the field on the season and 49.6% in its 26 wins. In two NCAA Tournament games, the Cougars have shot a combined 51.5% from the field. "Looking at their stats, it seems like everyone on their team shoots really good. I think it's just because they run their offense so well and they always get the shot that they want. That's why defense is going to be so important for us. It's that patience and communication within our team that's really going to be the big key for us," Hansbrough said.

In an extension of what Hansbrough said, this team is going to have to be both patient and alert on defense. Washington State, much like Carolina in a way, is waiting for opponents to let up in any small way on the defensive end so that they can exploit the mistake and get an easy basket. The Cougars will set screen after screen after screen and if Carolina's guards don't fight through or the defense has a miscommunication about how to handle the screens, Washington State will have already scored. It could be five seconds, it could be 25 seconds but if this team breaks down on defense, the mistake will be exploited.

"That's going to be a huge test for this team. I think it's going to be great because we have a lot of people saying that we're not that defensive team when we're forced to play defense for the whole shot clock. I know Washington State is hoping for us to break down at some point and that's how they feel like they're going to get those easy baskets and that's how they feel like they're going to score on us," Ginyard said. "So it's a huge challenge for this team and it's going to be a great test for this team. But I think that we can be disciplined enough and that we can be mentally tough enough defensively to stop them."

This is also a Cougar team that does not turn it over, averaging 10.2 turnovers in their 26 wins and just 10.4 in their eight losses. Washington State turned it over 39 times in two Pac-10 Tournament games (19.5 per game) but has turned it over just 20 times in two NCAA Tournament games. Washington State's opponents have averaged 21.8 defensive rebounds (and 32.8 rebounds total) in the Cougars' eight losses compared to 19.4 rebounds and 28.0 total rebounds in their 26 wins. "That's what we get our breaks off of - defensive stops, steals, making them take one bad shot, limiting them to one bad shot, boxing out, we get the rebound and push it. So that's how we get our offense going," Danny Green said.

Not letting up: It sounds easier than it really is, but this Carolina team has, at times, let up on an opponent on one or both ends of the court before the game was actually over. Sometimes, Carolina has had to scrap its way back when it gets down early. Carolina will need to have a relentless approach to this game similar to the one it had in its first two NCAA Tournament games, assuming no lead is safe and just continuing to try to play Carolina basketball. Carolina won its first two NCAA Tournament games by an average of 35.0 points. But Washington State

This team has experience with what it is to let down in an NCAA Tournament game and be sent home prematurely. So this team has taken on a new attitude when it comes to NCAA Tournament play. "Coach Williams definitely stresses don't come out there slopping around. You come out there, it's Tournament time, we're going for the kill right from the get-go. That was the mindset from these past two games and it was pretty effective," Alex Stepheson said.

Arkansas was expected to give Carolina if not a stiff test, at least a tough game. But Carolina came out and got out to a 23-9 run to begin the game, and then when Arkansas scored at the 12:15 mark to make it 23-11, Carolina went on a 12-0 run to make it 35-11. When Arkansas cut it to 42-21, Carolina went on a 9-3 run. At the 11:56 mark in the second half, Carolina had allowed Arkansas to cut the lead down to 21 again and the Tar Heels responded with a 9-0 run in the next 1:18 and an 18-5 run in the next 5:15.

The media has talked all week about how well Carolina is playing in the Tournament. But the Tar Heels can't led their heads get filled with such praise, and it doesn't look like they are doing that. Williams was concerned with the slow starts that this team had in the ACC Tournament and encouraged Carolina to view the second half with Arkansas as if it were a 0-0 game.

"This team just came in very focused and just ready to play. We really laid it on them to start the game and we really tried to keep the hammer down on them. They tried to make runs back at us, but we continued to play hard and to push it back on them. You never really expect something like this, but things weren't necessarily falling for Arkansas today and things were going well for us. So when you put those two together, you can have a game like this," Ginyard said. "The huge thing about this team that is so encouraging about this team is that even after a game like this, even after we played so well, we're still looking for things that we can do better and that we can get better at."

This team's workmanlike attitude has gone overlooked somewhat as it has rolled over opponents painted as significantly less talented than the Tar Heels. But the Tar Heels will need to keep that attitude against a Washington State team that thrives upon other teams letting up and making mistakes. According to Ginyard, it's seeing how well this team is capable of playing last weekend that should drive this team to want to get better and continue to improve and stay hungry.

"I felt like I talked about this even in the beginning of the season - at certain points, you feel like this team could just do some really incredible things. It almost surprises you and even surprises the players on the team how well this team plays when we play together and we play smart," Ginyard said. "Right now, it shouldn't surprise anybody on this team how well this team can play. Seeing us play that well should be more incentive for this team to just get down and play better."

At The Game

Listening to the Tar Heel Sports Network at the game: The in-stadium feed in Charlotte Bobcats Arena will be on or around FM 87.9.

Watching At Home

Turn down the sound: If you're watching at home while listening to the radio or over the computer via Carolina All-Access, there will inevitably be some delay. For the reason - and a possible solution - click here.

A full list of THSN affiliates can be found here.

CBS coverage: The game will be available on CBS.

Names To Know

Tyler Hansbrough: Tyler Hansbrough's 17 points and ten rebounds marked his second double-double in the last three games and tied the Carolina record for double-doubles in a season with 18. Hansbrough shot just 6-of-14 from the field (42.9%), his worst shooting performance in the postseason so far and the worst since shooting 38.1% (8-of-21) at Duke without getting a free-throw attempt. But Hansbrough has averaged 20.8 points and 8.4 rebounds in five postseason games so far; 19.0 points and 8.0 rebounds in two NCAA Tournament games. He has also shot 55.6% from the field in two NCAA games and averaged just 28.5 minutes.

Much has been made of what the Washington State defense was able to do to the much-heralded Notre Dame forward Luke Harangody, limiting the Big East Player of the Year to 3-of-17 shooting and just ten points. Harangody did manage to pull down 22 rebounds out of Notre Dame's 38 total. "Tyler has been faced all year with people that are trying to stop him, sending two guys at him or three guys at him. One of his biggest areas of improvement is his ability to move the ball out of bad situations or his ability to shoot the ball before the bad situation gets there or his ability to step out on the floor a little bit more and not just be a post-up player," Williams said. "We need him to do all of those things tomorrow. Harangody was 3-for-17 and he did have 22 rebounds. But we need Tyler to have better numbers on the offensive end than that."

In Carolina's last six games (including the regular-season finale at Duke), he has averaged 4.7 made free throws on 5.8 attempts. In Carolina's first 30 games, he averaged 10.7 made free throws on 8.7 attempts. Washington State will be looking to double-team him at every opportunity; he has five assists in the last six games and three in the last two games. He will need to, as Williams said, make quick and good decisions about when to pass, when to dribble out, or when to power through double-teams.

Ty Lawson: Sure, Lawson looked like he was capable of playing a lot of minutes (he saw 28 against Clemson) but until the second half of that game, Carolina fans had not seen him do much of what he was capable of doing pre-injury. But since then, Lawson has passed both the eye test and the stat test. Lawson's capability to push tempo just through his sheer speed alone will be important as to whether or not Carolina will be able to impose its tempo on Washington State. His on-the-ball defense will also be very important as the Washington State trio of guards is not only very disciplined, but they can all shoot three-pointers.

In his first six games back from his injury, he shot 38.1% from the field, 23.1% from beyond the arc and averaged 8.2 points, 3.8 assists, 1.2 steals, 2.2 turnovers and 22.8 minutes. In the last two games in the Tournament, he has shot 59.1% from the field, 57.1% from beyond the arc and averaged 20.0 points, 5.5 assists, 2.0 steals, no turnovers and 21.0 minutes. Since Ty Lawson returned to the Carolina lineup, the Tar Heels have shot 54.3 percent from the floor. The Tar Heels have also averaged 21.5 assists in the last two games. "I think one thing is that when you get Ty back, you get some easier ones and then all of a sudden, that's a little deflating to the other team, and then they score and we come right up their backs and get a lay-up. Then it's a combination of things, our guys start moving a little bit better, and then all of a sudden, Q (Quentin Thomas) is in the game, and he keeps his head up and finds a guy wide open underneath for a lay-up. I think it's the kind of thing that's catching," Williams said.

Danny Green: Danny Green came into postseason play in Carolina's last four regular-season games averaging 15.8 points, 7.8 rebounds (2.8 offensive boards) and shooting 59% from the field and 47.6% from beyond the arc (10-of-21), also adding 2.3 blocks and 25.3 minutes. In Carolina's five postseason games, Green has shot 37.1% from the field, 27.8% from beyond the arc (5-of-18) and averaged 6.8 points, 2.8 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 0.8 blocks and 20.6 minutes.

If there is any cause for concern based on the way this team has played in the NCAA Tournament so far, it has to be the play of Green. The team shot 60.6% against Mount St. Mary's; without Green's 1-for-7, it shot 65.6 percent. Carolina shot 67.7% against Arkansas; without Green's 3-for-7, it shot 70.7 percent. Green shot 2-for-8 from the three-point line this past weekend; the team without Green shot 13-of-24 (54.2%). The team shot 68 percent from the field in both games while Green shot 28.6% (4-of-14). But a lot of his shots, particularly his three-pointers, have literally been going in and coming out again. Also, Green had eight points in the second half against Arkansas on 3-of-5 shooting (2-of-4 from beyond the arc), marking his most points and his most three-pointers in a half since the first half against Duke.

Green has been great all year long at doing the things that Carolina needs done to win games, including his seven blocked shots at Duke and hitting big three-pointers to come back from a large deficit at home against Clemson. This weekend was about people other than Green stepping up and contributing. But when it comes to crunch time, this team will need Green to make smart decisions and be that sparkplug off the bench that he has been all season long. With Green going well in addition to the rest of his teammates, this Carolina bunch would be essentially unstoppable.

Derrick Low: The 6-2 senior guard is the leading scorer for the Cougars (14.1 points per game) and leads the team in three-pointers made (90-of-230, 39.1%). He has attempted 109 more three's than the next-closest Cougar (Taylor Rochestie, who has attempted 121). Low also ranks third on the team in assists (1.6 per game), second in steals (1.5 per game) and second in free-throw percentage (78.4 percent). Low has averaged 14.5 points, 1.5 assists and one turnover in 32.9 minutes in Washington State's 26 wins and 12.6 points, 1.8 assists and 1.9 turnovers in 34 minutes in the Cougars' eight losses. He has also shot 38.2% from the field (33.3% from beyond the arc) in the Cougars' eight losses compared to 45.2% from the field (41% from beyond the arc) in their 26 wins.

In postseason play (including the Pac-10 Tournament), Low has been averaging 15.5 points, 1.5 assists, 1.8 steals and 34.8 minutes, shooting 42% from the field and 40% from beyond the arc (12-of-30) in four games. In two NCAA Tournament games, Low has shot 40% from the field, 31.3% from beyond the arc (5-of-16) and averaged 14.5 points, 3.0 assists, 2.0 steals and 1.5 turnovers in 34.0 minutes. Against Notre Dame, he had 18 points on 6-of-15 shots from the field and 2-of-9 from beyond the arc, adding three assists and three steals. The senior is also averaging 12.0 points in the second half of games in which the Cougars are tied or trailing at the half.

Kyle Weaver: The 6-6 senior guard is easily the most athletic and explosive player on the Washington State squad, also serving as the team's defensive ace. He is second on the team in scoring (12.2 points per game), second in rebounding (5.2 per game), first in steals (1.7 per game), second in defensive rebounds (4.1 per game) and first in free-throws made (122). He is also tied for second on the team in points per shot (1.46), ranks second in assists (4.3) and is fourth in field-goal percentage (47.4%). In the Cougars' 26 wins, Weaver has shot 49.8% from the field, 34.1% from beyond the arc and averaged 11.6 points, 4.9 rebounds, 4.4 assists, 1.7 steals and 2.6 turnovers in 32.9 minutes. He has also shot 53.8% from two-point range. In the Cougars' eight losses, he has shot 41.7% from the field (40.3% from two-point range) and 45.5% from beyond the arc, averaging 14.3 points, 6.1 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 1.8 steals and 3.3 turnovers in 33.4 minutes.

In postseason play (including two Pac-10 Tournament games), Weaver has shot 57.5% from the field, 42.9% from beyond the arc (3-of-7), 60.6% from two-point range and has averaged 17.0 points, 7.8 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 2.0 steals and 2.5 turnovers in 36.0 minutes. In the two NCAA Tournament games, Weaver has shot 61.1% from the field and 63.6% from the foul line, averaging 14.5 points, 8.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 2.0 steals and 2.0 turnovers in 35.0 minutes. He has also shot 68.8% (11-of-16) from two-point range. Against Notre Dame, Weaver had 15 points on 5-of-11 shooting and added nine rebounds, three assists, three steals, a block and just one turnover in 37 minutes.

Taylor Rochestie: The 6-1 junior guard has been the Cougars' most reliable three-point assassin this season, leading the team in three-point percentage (43.8%). He ranks third on the team in scoring (10.7 points per game) and second in three-pointers made (53). He shoots 47.6% from the field overall (third on the team), 80.4% from the foul line (first on the team) and is tied for second on the team in points per shot (1.46). But the point guard also leads the team in assists (4.8), assist-turnover ratio (2.8) and ranks third in steals (1.0).

Rochestie has shot 42-of-82 from behind the arc (51.2%) in Washington State's 26 wins and 11-of-29 (37.9%) in the eight losses. In the postseason (including the Pac-10 Tournament), he has shot 6-of-13 from beyond the arc (46.2%) but just 3-of-9 in two NCAA Tournament games. He has averaged 5.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, 8.5 assists, 1.0 steals and 2.0 turnovers in 38 minutes in the two Tournament games, however. Against Notre Dame, he had six points on 2-of-8 shooting (2-of-6 from beyond the arc) and added four rebounds, seven assists, two steals and two turnovers.

Quotables

"He (Marc Campbell) had everybody (in the crowd) telling him to. I don't know what he was holding back for. You don't have to tell me to shoot, I'll tell you that." -Tyler Hansbrough

"If my team plays well, we've got a chance to win in Siberia. If my team plays poorly, we've got a chance to get our butts beat in Chapel Hill, which we did twice this year." -Roy Williams

"I can see why he says that. I've watched the Crocodile Hunter. I've seen a thrashing croc. I've seen him thrash and I can see where he gets that from a little bit. Tyler is a great player. He just loves to play and it shows on the court how fierce he is." -Ty Lawson on Washington State's Australian forward Aron Baynes' statement that Tyler Hansbrough was like a `thrashing crocodile'

Lauren Brownlow is the managing editor of Tar Heel Monthly.