European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - March 26, 2007, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Monday March 26 2007 s t ars and stripes Page 31 Mcaa tournament East regional heels ride freshman into final is hoyas North Carolin Georgetown matchup recalls 1982 title game decided by Jordans late hoop by Ben Walker the associated press East Rutherford no a Quad Ter Century ago North Carolina freshman Michael Jordan hit a shot to beat Georgetown in one of College basketballs most thrilling games because of freshman Brandan Wright and a bruising 180 run these tar heels will get a Chance to play the hoyas too trailing by 16 Points in the second half the to seeded tar heels pulled off their biggest comeback of the season Friday night rallying to beat Southern California 7464 in the East regional semifinals it was a fantastic comeback to say the least coach Roy Williams said i knew we  give up at halftone i didst throw any chairs i did get a Little heated by our intensity about our Effort and about our concentration but i personally never lost Faith in our kids spurred by Williams hollering and sparked by Wrights offensive rebounding the tar heels 316 turned it around despite the struggles of stars Tyler Hansbrough and to Lawson i didst know it was an 180 run Wright said when our team can make spurts like that we really Are going to be hard to Stop the Victory set up a tasty regional final Sun Day North Carolina is Georgetown a re match of the 1982 championship game that Jordan won in the closing seconds earlier at the Meadowlands coach John Thompson m and Georgetown beat Vanderbilt 6665 on a Las second shot Thompson was a youngster sitting behind the hoyas Bench As his dad coached Georgetown in that epic game at the super dome the 25 years it seems to have gone by fast the elder Thompson said at court Side Friday night Ive talked to Michael kidding him that i made his career Hansbrough was born three years after that game but has heard the Story i think i do know a Little bit about it he said those Guys did come Back to watch us play a game and for the reunion i think we watched a video on them it was pretty inspiring for us the tar heels and hoyas have split four games since that title matchup including North Carolinas Victory in the 1995 Mcaa tournament in this game the tar heels we rent motivated about duplicating history no something else stirred Mem to avoid becoming the first no 1 seed to lose this March probably coach Williams Yelling Lawson said fifth seeded us 2512 led 4933 with left before it All fell apart trojans coach Tim Floyd threw his program onto the court after a Call in the final minute and was whistled for a technical foul the tar heels won their seventh in a Row and it was notable previously their biggest comeback was 12 Points against Winthrop Wright scored twice on offensive rebounds Winslow North Carolinas Brandan Wright goes up for two Between us defenders Taj Gibson left and Rouse an Cromwell during the second half of Friday nights Mcaa tournament game to get the tar heels within 5749 and then was a key part of the big run that put Carolina ahead for the first time since the opening minute that a very Good team especially when they Are in the flow trojans freshman Taj Gibson said i just knew it was going to be a Tough one to win North Carolina reached the round of eight for the second time under Williams who won the 2005 title with the tar heels Wright finished with 21 Points and nine re Bounds to offset Hansbrough lfor6 shoot ing for five Points and Lawsons four Points Gibson had 16 Points and 12 rebounds for the trojans but foul trouble took him out of the game for much of the second half Nick Young and Lodrick Stewart each scored 15 Georgetown advances thanks to greens Basket by Tom Canavan the associated press East Rutherford no Down by one Point with 14 seconds left in the game and a berth in the East regional final on the line John Thompson Iii wanted the Ball in the hands of Jeff Green it was a no brainer for the Georgetown coach who has resurrected the hoyas basketball program in three years Green is his Money player the big East conference player of the year with Roy Hibbert hav ing fouled out Green was one Guy who could step up and create for himself and others turns out Green might have taken a step too Many in banking in an of balance shot with 25 seconds to play but nobody seemed to care after Georgetown posted a 6665 Victory Over Vanderbilt on Friday night the seventh straight Victory for the hoyas 296 moved them into the regional final against to seeded North Carolina 316 on sunday the tar heels Rode a late spurt to beat no 5 seed South Ern California 7464 in a game that lacked the drama of George towns Victory on his winning shot Green squeezed Between two defenders spun and banked in his shot from the right Side to put the hoyas into a regional final for the first time in 11 years yeah i like to have the Ball in my hands in the games you know cause i have Confidence in myself that i can make plays said Green who scored 15 Points in willing to do whatever it takes to try to win the game Green added if that having the Ball in my hands or making another play to get my teammate open hopefully in one of those top players that can make those plays at games replays appeared to suggest Green travelled by picking up his Pivot foot none of the three officials saw it that Way no Green said when asked about a possible travelling Viola Tion there were a lot of Guys in there i probably got pushed they didst Call it the play was Good and that All i can say Vanderbilt Forward Ross Nelt Ner want complaining about the Lack of a Call and he was Dou ble teaming Green with Shan Fos Ter on the play i didst really see anything Neltner said Well watch the tape but its inconsequential at this Point Vanderbilt 2212 had one last Chance to win but a Long three Pointer by Alex Gordon did not come close with Green con testing the shot the sixth seeded commodores had taken a 6564 Lead with 179 seconds to play when Dan Cage hit two free throws after being fouled while grabbing the re bound of Patrick Ewing hrs missed jumper after setting up a play during the timeout Jessie Sapp took the inbound pass and gave it to Green at the foul line and let the 6foot9 Junior Forward go to work Well the play was to try to look for the backdoor Green said then after that just try to get something toward the Basket when i went into my move i kind of fumbled it a Little hurried up tried to find it pick it up just tried to get it up off the Glass and it went in that was a Good play a Fum ble play a Bumble play i had to make i got Lucky and it went in equally impressive was the hoyas ability to win without hib Bert he fouled out with to play with 12 Points and 10 re Bounds mostly in the second half Down the stretch his team mates made up for his absence Green converted a three Point play Sapp hit his Only two baskets and Jonathan Wallace made a big jumper with 63 seconds left to give Georgetown a 6461 Lead Derrick Byars the coaches pick As Sec player of the year Cut the deficit to a Point with two free throws with 488 seconds left and Cage put Vandy ahead with his free throws that set the stage for George towns Best player to come through with its big Man Only Able to sit and watch he is our Best player Sapp said so we gave it to him and said take us to the next round Green did freshman Dajuan Summers added 15 Points for Georgetown including three three pointers in the second half Cage and Byars had 17 Points apiece to Lead Vanderbilt looking to reach the regional final for the second time in school history opening round mud Arena Niagara 77 Florida 69 East regional first round thursday March 15  Boston College 84 Texas tech 75 Georgetown 80 Belmontes Michigan state 61 Marquette 49 North Carolina 86 Eastern Kentucky 65 at Sacramento Calif Washington state 70 Oral Roberts 54 Vanderbilt 77 George Washington 44 at Spokane Wash Texas 79 new Mexico state 67 Southern California 77 Arkansas 60 second round saturday March 17 at Winston satan no Georgetown 62 Boston College 55 North Carolina 81 Michigan state 67 at Sacramento Calif Vanderbilt 78 Washington state 7420t sunday March 18 at Spokane Wash Southern California 87 Texas 68 regional semifinals Friday March 23 at East Rutherford no Georgetown 66 Vanderbilt North Carolina 74 Southern California 64 regional championship sunday March 25 at East Rutherford n j Georgetown 296 is North Carolina 316 South regional first round thursday March 15 at Lexington by Louisville 78 Stanford 58 Texas 68 Pennsylvania 52 Ohio state 78 Centra Conn state 57 Xavier 79 Brigham young77 at Columbus Ohio Virginia 84 Albany by 57 Tennessee 121 Long Beach state 86 at new Orleans Memphis 73 North Texas 58 Nevada 77 Creighton 71 of second round saturday March 17 at Lexington by Ohio state 78 xavier7l of Texas 72 Louisville 69 sunday March 18 at Columbus Ohio Tennessee 77 Virginia 74 at new Orleans Memphis 78 Nevada 62 regional semifinals thursday March 22 at san Antonio Memphis 65 Texas 64 Ohio state 85 Tennessee regional Chi saturday i at san a Ohio state 92 Memphis 76 Midwest regional first round thursday March 15 at Buffalo by Maryland 82 Davidson 70 Butler 57 old Dominion 46 Friday March 16 univ 67 Georgia tech wis 76 Texas Christi 63 at Spokane Wash a Throp 74 notre Dame 64 Oregon 58 Miami Ohio 56 at new Orleans Purdue 72 Arizona 63 Florida 112 Jackson state 69 second round saturday March 17 at Buffalo by Butler 62 Maryland 59 univ 74 Wisconsin 68 at Spokane Wash Oregon 75 Winthrop 61 at new Orleans Florida 74 Purdue 67 regional semifinals Friday March 23 at Edward Jones dome St Louis Florida 65 Butler 57 Oregon 76 univ 72 regional championship sunday March 25 at St Louis Florida 325 is Oregon 297 West regional first round thursday March 15 at Buffalo by Virginia Commonwealth 79 Duke 77 Pittsburgh 79 Wright state 58 at Sacramento Calif Urcla 70 Weber state 42 Indiana 70 Gonzaga 57 Friday March 16 at Chicago Kansas 107 Niagara 67 Kentucky 67 Vifian ova 58 at Columbus Ohio Virginia tech 54 Illinois 52 Southern Illinois 61 holy Cross 51 second round saturday March 17 at Buffalo by Pittsburgh 84 a Commonwealth 79 of at Sacramento Calif Urcla 54 Indiana 49 sunday March 18 at Columbus Ohio Southern Illinois 63 Virginia tech 48 at Chicago Kansas 88 Kentucky 76 regional semifinals thursday March 22 at san Jose Calif Kansas 61 Southern Illinois 58 Urcla 64 Pittsburgh 55 regional championship saturday March 24 at san Jose Calif Kansas 334 is Urcla final four at the Georgia dome Atlanta National semifinals saturday March 31 Ohio state 343 is Georgetown North Carolina is National championship monday april 2