Game Blog: Carolina drops Gonzaga, 98-77
Lawson looks for an open man during the NCAA Regional Semifinal game at the FedExForum in Memphis, TN, Friday March 27, 2009. Photo by Todd Melet.
Mar 28, 2009
3:52 left in the second half - Carolina is up by 27:
Heels lead 95-68 - is there a mercy rule in the NCAA Tournament?
Hansbrough now has a double-double with 23 points and 10 rebounds and counting.
The Heels are going to finish with four players scoring 15 points or more (Hansbrough, Lawson, Green, Ellington) - that's impressive offensive balance.
Oklahoma might have the best player in the country, but I think Carolina's supporting cast is better than that of the Sooners. Should be a really good game Sunday night.
7:51 left in the second half - Carolina leads 82-66:
Carolina has done a better job on the boards lately, mostly because Gonzaga is taking even more perimeter shots from before without players under the basket to get the boards - the Heels now have a 31-22 advantage there.
It's gotten a little sloppy for Roy Williams' team here, but that is only natural with such a large lead. Turnovers are now even, and the team's shooting percentage has dropped to a measly 55% - yes, I'm kidding - 55% percent for a game is nuts.
11:35 left in the second half, Carolina leads 76-57:
Gonzaga forced Carolina to take a timeout after going on a 12-2 run, but two Bobby Frasor threes (yes, Bobby Frasor threes) and a Wayne Ellington layup after a nasty Ed Davis block has widened the margin again.
North Carolina has the ability to hang nine points on you quicker than anyone else in the nation.
That 9-0 run took 40 seconds.
Just when you think you're making a run, all of a sudden you're farther back than ever.
Carolina up 66-49 with 15:01 left in the second half:
The Heels are blowing this one open. Danny Green just hit a three, his second of the night, to hand the Heels their biggest lead of the evening - 21 points. Green is having another typical quiet stat-stuffer of a night - 10 points, six assists, three steals.
59-42 Carolina: 18:12 left in the second half
It's a 6-0 run for the Heels to start the second half, and the Zags already look like they're panicking. Quick threes, unwise alley-oop tries, bad defense, etc...Gonzaga needs to turn it around quick before it becomes the third blowout victim of the day.
Meanwhile, how can you not be impressed with Carolina. When the Heels are clicking like this, it's not a stretch to understand why people thought they could go unbeaten this year.
15-3 Carolina in points off turnovers.
It's halftime in Memphis and Carolina leads 53-42:
Gonzaga closes the half on a 10-4 run to make it respectable, but the Heels still lead by double digits.
The 53 points Carolina scored are the most Gonzaga has given up in the first half this year.
The Zags are second in the country in field goal percentage allowed, right behind Memphis, but let's be honest, the WCC doesn't have a team like Carolina.
Lawson leads the Heels at the break with 17 points - I'd say his toe is at about 98%.
Hansbrough, Ellington and Lawson are a combined 13-18 from the field - throw Danny Green in there and you can make it 15-21.
The Heels are being out-rebounded 16-13, but still lead in the turnover category 7-2.
Yes, Carolina went cold and Gonzaga closed the gap at the end, but I still don't think the Zags have anything for 'em.
3:53 left in the first half, Carolina up 48-32:
This game is over. Gonzaga just dropped one of its cheerleaders - they can't even do that right tonight.
I'm sorry to Gonzaga fans, and I'm sure I'll hear about it from people for saying that in the first half, but the Zags absolutely cannot stop Carolina. They're picking up lazy fouls and they don't have the depth to deal with that.
Nothing short of a brain freeze by Carolina will allow them back in this game.
The Heels are still shooting almost 70% from the field - that's absurd.
The only thing anyone in Carolina blue could possibly be upset about right now is the free throw shooting - the Heels are 6-14 from the line, but come on...just enjoy your win and get ready for Sunday night.
5:26 left in first half, Carolina up 45-32:
Big trouble for Gonzaga as its point guard, Jeremy Pargo has picked up his third foul - he'll have to sit for the rest of the half. Lawson and Ellington each have two for the Heels, but that's not a concern unless one of them picks up a third before halftime.
Ty Lawson has scored 36 points in his last two halves, and this first half isn't even over yet. Someone should stub his toe every year for the rest of his life.
Carolina finally turned the ball over on Ellington's offensive foul, but their offensive efficiency has been nothing short of unreal.
For Ellington, his last basket gave him 23 straight games with double digit points.
7:56 left in the first half, Carolina up 35-25 - Lawson has been excellent:
Lawson already has 12 points on the night - including one of his patented and-ones.
The difference in the game is turnovers - Carolina has none, Gonzaga has five that have led to a dozen points for the Heels. Carolina hasn't played this well on offense in a while, but they can't shake a Gonzaga team that is keeping pace because of its 52% shooting.
Seven different Heels have scored, including Tyler Zeller who gave Roy Williams a couple of good minutes.
Something has to give here - this game is a track meet right now, and both teams are shooting well. Carolina loves this pace, and they play at it better than anyone, so you have to figure that eventually the Zags will fade away.
11:40 left in the first half: 23-16 Heels
The Zags have missed their last four shots while the Heels keep on rolling. Lawson adds another layup to his score sheet to go with a pair of rebounds and assists.
Carolina has to love the fact that Gonzaga is sticking to taking outside shots when their big men take the ball.
Mark Few's team is trying to test Lawson every chance they get to see if his toe will hold up on defense, particularly in transition, but he's been up to the task so far.
14:53 left in the first half - Lawson looks good and the Heels are up 19-12:
Ty Lawson has a pair of threes and two assists in the early going, as Gonzaga can't stop the Heels. Carolina scored on seven of its first nine possessions, but a hot start from behind the three-point line is keeping Gonzaga in the game.
Roy Williams wasn't happy with the two early foul calls on his team - he's just lucky the second was on Hansbrough and not Danny Green because that would have sent Green to the bench early with two fouls.
Carolina hasn't been great on defense (Zags shooting 80% from the field), but it never is - if they can score on almost every possession, they won't have to be.
Jeff Capel has taken a seat near the press to scout his next opponent - he has to be feeling good about his team's chances.
7:53pm - Almost game time: We're about ten minutes away from Carolina vs. Gonzaga - the winner will play Oklahoma for a chance to go to the Final Four. The Sooners looked spectacular in their dismantling of Syracuse, so either one of these teams will have their hands full with Jeff Capel's team when they advance.
Early word out of Memphis is that Ty Lawson looks like he's moving well and that the Zags appear to be sporting a never-before-seen all black uni. Carolina's point guard showed up to the arena in the sandal he was wearing for the ACC Tournament, but has since swapped it for his regular basketball shoe.
Both teams have multiple future NBA players, but Carolina is the favorite.
Should be a good one tonight - as always, check in here for updates throughout the game.
