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Roy Williams was ‘scared to death’ vs. Indiana, but rest of Elite Eight is shaking Roy Williams was ‘scared to death’ vs. Indiana, but rest of Elite Eight is shaking
(about 7 hours later)
PHILADELPHIA — Roy Williams was angry. Really angry.PHILADELPHIA — Roy Williams was angry. Really angry.
In the final 90 seconds of the first half of an East Region semifinal on Friday night, he had watched his team give up an open three-pointer to Indiana’s best shooter, Yogi Ferrell; commit a sloppy turnover; foul to give up two more points; and then not get off a good shot before the buzzer. In the final 90 seconds of the first half of an East Region semifinal Friday night, he had watched his team give up an open three-pointer to Indiana’s best shooter, Yogi Ferrell; commit a sloppy turnover; foul to give up two more points; and then not get off a good shot before the buzzer.
As his players headed to the locker room, Williams stood in front of the North Carolina bench and let them have it. Then, for emphasis, he picked up a towel and slammed it to the ground.As his players headed to the locker room, Williams stood in front of the North Carolina bench and let them have it. Then, for emphasis, he picked up a towel and slammed it to the ground.
“I was scared to death,” he said later.“I was scared to death,” he said later.
[Roy Williams and the emotional toll of Tobacco Road][Roy Williams and the emotional toll of Tobacco Road]
Thanks to that five-point mini-burst to end the half Indiana only trailed the Tar Heels, 52-41. That’s how good Carolina had been for the first 18 minutes against the team that won the Big Ten regular season title and then handled Kentucky — a team many thought capable of going to the Final Four — last weekend in Des Moines. Thanks to that five-point mini-burst to end the half, Indiana only trailed the Tar Heels 52-41. That’s how good Carolina had been for the first 18 minutes against the team that won the Big Ten regular season title and then handled Kentucky — a team many thought capable of going to the Final Four — last weekend in Des Moines.
The 11-point margin was as close as Indiana would get. Carolina cruised into the Elite Eight with a 101-86 post-midnight victory that wasn’t nearly that close.The 11-point margin was as close as Indiana would get. Carolina cruised into the Elite Eight with a 101-86 post-midnight victory that wasn’t nearly that close.
“If they play like that,” IU Coach Tom Crean said, “even remotely close to that, they’re going to be very, very hard to beat.”“If they play like that,” IU Coach Tom Crean said, “even remotely close to that, they’re going to be very, very hard to beat.”
[Paige and Tar Heel blitz Hoosiers to advance][Paige and Tar Heel blitz Hoosiers to advance]
Notre Dame and Coach Mike Brey, the team and coach standing between UNC and its first Final Four since 2009, know first-hand what Crean is talking about. Sixteen days ago, Notre Dame and Carolina faced off in the ACC semifinals at Verizon Center. The halftime score that night was 41-22. It didn’t get any better in the second half for the Irish. The final was 78-47. Notre Dame and Coach Mike Brey, the team and coach standing between UNC and its first Final Four since 2009, know firsthand what Crean is talking about. On March 11, Notre Dame and Carolina faced off in the ACC semifinals at Verizon Center. The halftime score that night was 41-22. It didn’t get any better in the second half for the Irish. The final was 78-47.
Which is why, when the teams meet here Sunday night in the region final, few people will give Notre Dame much of a chance to pull an upset.Which is why, when the teams meet here Sunday night in the region final, few people will give Notre Dame much of a chance to pull an upset.
“That’s understandable,” Brey said. “When they’re on, they’ve got all those weapons. But I think I’ll reach back to last season and our experience with Duke. Remind them about that. Getting blown out by 30 one game doesn’t necessarily tell you what’s going to happen the next game.”“That’s understandable,” Brey said. “When they’re on, they’ve got all those weapons. But I think I’ll reach back to last season and our experience with Duke. Remind them about that. Getting blown out by 30 one game doesn’t necessarily tell you what’s going to happen the next game.”
The Irish were blown out of Cameron Indoor Stadium in early February last season, losing 90-60 to the Blue Devils. A month later, when the teams met in the ACC tournament semifinals, they turned the tables for a 74-64 win. That was a Duke team that went on to win the national championship. That gives Brey something to cling to going into Sunday. The Irish were blown out of Cameron Indoor Stadium in early February last season, losing, 90-60, to the Blue Devils. A month later, when the teams met in the ACC tournament semifinals, they turned the tables for a 74-64 win. That was a Duke team that went on to win the national championship. That gives Brey something to cling to going into Sunday.
[Scores, highlights and more from the NCAA tournament][Scores, highlights and more from the NCAA tournament]
That said, this appears to be a Carolina team that is on a mission from Roy. Picked No. 1 in preseason polls, the Tar Heels stumbled through the first two-thirds of the season. Marcus Paige, their senior point guard who was picked by many as a possible national player of the year, missed the first six games with a broken right hand and never seemed to find his shooting rhythm. Blessed with great size throughout the lineup and an all-American big man in Brice Johnson, the Tar Heels seemed to forget at times that they were almost unguardable in the low post. That said, this appears to be a Carolina team that is on a mission from Roy. Picked No. 1 in preseason polls, the Tar Heels stumbled through the first two-thirds of the season. Marcus Paige, their senior point guard who was picked by many as a possible national player of the year, missed the first six games with a broken right hand and never seemed to find his shooting rhythm. Blessed with great size throughout the lineup and an all-American big man in Brice Johnson, the Tar Heels seemed to forget at times that they were almost unguardable in the low post.
Then came an embarrassing loss at home to Duke — a blown lead late when everyone in light blue seemed to forget that Johnson was on the floor the last eight minutes. Since then the Tar Heels are 10-1, the only loss coming on the road to a Virginia team they then beat in the ACC tournament championship. North Carolina has won its three NCAA tournament games by an average of just under 17 points per game in spite of getting every walk-on in uniform (15 players got on the floor Friday) into games late while cruising to the finish. Then came an embarrassing loss at home to Duke — a blown lead late when everyone in light blue seemed to forget that Johnson was on the floor the last eight minutes. Since then, the Tar Heels are 10-1, the only loss coming on the road to a Virginia team they then beat in the ACC tournament championship. North Carolina has won its three NCAA tournament games by an average of just under 17 points per game in spite of getting every walk-on in uniform (15 players got on the floor Friday) into games late while cruising to the finish.
Like his mentor, Dean Smith, Williams thrives on telling his players that no one outside their locker room believes in them. Even Friday, Williams’s first postgame comment focused on people saying he ‘couldn’t coach the three well.’ Like his mentor, Dean Smith, Williams thrives on telling his players that no one outside their locker room believes in them. Even Friday, Williams’s first postgame comment focused on people saying he “couldn’t coach the three well.”
That wasn’t the case against Indiana. Paige, who had only been shooting 33 percent from beyond the arc for the season, made his first four to help the Tar Heels bolt to the lead before the Hoosiers really knew what hit them.That wasn’t the case against Indiana. Paige, who had only been shooting 33 percent from beyond the arc for the season, made his first four to help the Tar Heels bolt to the lead before the Hoosiers really knew what hit them.
“Marcus was making video game shots to start the game,” Crean said. “Their threes [7 of 8 in the first half] certainly hurt us but their postups later destroyed us.” “Marcus was making video game shots to start the game,” Crean said. “Their threes [7 of 8 in the first half] certainly hurt us, but their post-ups later destroyed us.”
That’s why the Tar Heels are so dangerous. If Paige and Joel Berry II — not to mention 6-foot-8 swingman Justin Jackson — are on from outside and the four legitimate big guys, led by Johnson, show up, they are virtually unbeatable.That’s why the Tar Heels are so dangerous. If Paige and Joel Berry II — not to mention 6-foot-8 swingman Justin Jackson — are on from outside and the four legitimate big guys, led by Johnson, show up, they are virtually unbeatable.
With the NCAA investigation of the academic scandals that took place at the school from 1993 to 2011 hanging over the school’s head like the sword of Damocles, this has been something of a desperate season at Carolina. No one knows what the NCAA will do when it finally completes its investigation this spring. Additionally, Paige and Johnson are seniors and Jackson might very well turn pro after his sophomore season.With the NCAA investigation of the academic scandals that took place at the school from 1993 to 2011 hanging over the school’s head like the sword of Damocles, this has been something of a desperate season at Carolina. No one knows what the NCAA will do when it finally completes its investigation this spring. Additionally, Paige and Johnson are seniors and Jackson might very well turn pro after his sophomore season.
The need to win now can cause a team to buckle under pressure — see Maryland — or it can cause a team to rise to its full potential at just the right moment.The need to win now can cause a team to buckle under pressure — see Maryland — or it can cause a team to rise to its full potential at just the right moment.
Brey knows he’s facing a team Sunday that is clearly clicking now on all cylinders. The Irish trailed Duke by 16 points midway through the second half in the ACC quarterfinals before rallying to win. They were down 12 to Michigan at halftime of their first round game in this tournament; down five to Stephen F. Austin with two minutes to play a week ago and down eight early in the second half of their 61-56 escape from Wisconsin on Friday. Brey knows he’s facing a team Sunday that is clearly clicking now on all cylinders. The Irish trailed Duke by 16 points midway through the second half in the ACC quarterfinals before rallying to win. They were down 12 to Michigan at halftime of their first-round game in this tournament; down five to Stephen F. Austin with two minutes to play a week ago and down eight early in the second half of their 61-56 escape from Wisconsin on Friday.
“Sometimes I think we just play the first half to get to the second,” he joked. “This isn’t a group that panics when it gets behind. They just kind of dig in and grind. Everyone talks about how much we score but really, we’ve been a grinding group when we’re at our best.” “Sometimes I think we just play the first half to get to the second,” Brey joked. “This isn’t a group that panics when it gets behind. They just kind of dig in and grind. Everyone talks about how much we score but really, we’ve been a grinding group when we’re at our best.”
Friday was certainly an example of that. The Irish shot 7 of 29 in the first half and somehow only trailed by four. They were down 56-53 with 20 seconds to go before a layup, a steal and another layup, a stop and another steal allowed them to score the last eight points and pull out another remarkable victory.Friday was certainly an example of that. The Irish shot 7 of 29 in the first half and somehow only trailed by four. They were down 56-53 with 20 seconds to go before a layup, a steal and another layup, a stop and another steal allowed them to score the last eight points and pull out another remarkable victory.
The only game in their last five in which they failed to come from behind to win was that ACC semifinal when the game was all but over by the second TV timeout. Brey knows his team can’t just play the first half to get to the second Sunday because if it does, the second won’t matter very much.The only game in their last five in which they failed to come from behind to win was that ACC semifinal when the game was all but over by the second TV timeout. Brey knows his team can’t just play the first half to get to the second Sunday because if it does, the second won’t matter very much.
Crean and Indiana can certainly attest to that. When Roy Williams is scared to death, his team is very scary.Crean and Indiana can certainly attest to that. When Roy Williams is scared to death, his team is very scary.
For more by John Feinstein, visit washingtonpost.com/feinstein.For more by John Feinstein, visit washingtonpost.com/feinstein.