Heels Expect Tough, Difficult Game with Louisville

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Heels Expect Tough, Difficult Game with Louisville

Mar 28, 2008

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Charlotte, N.C. — North Carolina has blown out three straight opponents in the NCAA Tournament, but the Tar Heels aren’t sounding like they expect another easy game when they face Louisville in the East Regional championship Saturday night at 9:05 p.m.

UNC coach Roy Williams had high praise for Louisville coach Rick Pitino, who has rejuvenated the Cardinals program.

“Rick is really one of the great, great coaches in the game, not just in the college game," Williams said. “I love watching Rick’s clubs play. I wish I were good enough to play a full-court pressing defense and drop back into a zone. And I’ve seen his clubs play in many different ways.

“He has the whole package and he’s one of the guys I have a great deal of respect for.

“If we try to do something tomorrow we’ve done more than once, they’re going to know about it.”

Louisville likes to press teams and then often drops back into a zone defense. That style was effective in the East semifinals as the Cardinals knocked out No. 2 seed Tennessee.

Carolina players sounded confident they could handle a Louisville zone.

“We like to play against zone,” said UNC guard Wayne Ellington. “We worked on a lot of zone offense this year. I think we’ll be well-prepared.”

Still, the Heels expect the game to be decided inside, where All-America Tyler Hansbrough will face a stout interior game from Louisville.

“It’s going to war on the glass,” said Carolina forward Deon Thompson. “That’s where the game is going to be determined.”