Top-seeded North Carolina faces true road trip in second round
In 2005, her top-seeded Tar Heels had to beat No. 6 seed Arizona State in Tempe, Ariz., in a regional semifinal. In 2004, only an opening loss to Middle Tennessee prevented a second-round game with Notre Dame in South Bend, Ind. And in 2003, they lost to Colorado in Boulder, Colo., in the second round.
This year, being the top team among the No. 1 seeds in the NCAA tournament didn’t help.
Instead, the top-ranked Tar Heels (30-1) must play No. 8 seed Vanderbilt (21-10) in the second round of the Cleveland Regional on the Commodores’ home floor Monday night where they enjoy strong support.
“I don’t think the other No. 1 seeds are having to do this,” Hatchell said Sunday.
“This is the second year we’ve had to do this, and this year we are the No. 1 seed yet we’re having to play a team like Vanderbilt on the road in the second game, and it’s the second year in a row we’ve been the No. 1 seed and had to do that.”
No. 1 seed LSU (28-3) plays ninth-seeded Washington (19-10) in the San Antonio Regional in the other game here.
Hatchell was in a similar position on this same court in 1998 as No. 2 seed playing Tennessee in the Mideast Regional final. In a game considered the true national championship, North Carolina lost in a gym painted orange by Lady Vols’ fans.
“This is one area that should’ve been changed a long time ago,” Hatchell said.
Vanderbilt coach Melanie Balcomb can sympathize with Hatchell — to a point. Her Commodores (21-10) lost to North Carolina 87-67 on Dec. 20 on a neutral court in Myrtle Beach, S.C., in a game in which they trailed by as much as 33.
“If you go by the tradition of what the men’s brackets have done, what the women’s brackets should do, what people have earned, I don’t think that’s a situation that anybody wants to be in or maybe deserves to be in,” Balcomb said.
She coached an eight seed in 1999 when Xavier went to top-seeded Connecticut in 1999 and lost 86-84.
“We’re just pleased that we’re at home,” Balcomb said.
The Commodores are busy working their cell phones, trying to make as many new friends around campus before tipoff. They average 4,043 per game and rode that support Saturday night in pulling out a 76-64 victory over Louisville to advance.
“It’s just such an energy booster,” Vanderbilt guard Caroline Williams said. “When you hear the whole crowd, it gets you up. It definitely changes.”
North Carolina’s fun-and-run attack didn’t click much in a lackluster 75-61 victory over UC Riverside in the first round. Hatchell promised her Tar Heels will play better against Vanderbilt after watching the Commodores play in the first round.
“Meeting up with them in December, it gives us a little edge,” North Carolina senior La’Tangela Atkinson said.
LSU coach Pokey Chatman wants her Tigers to play better than they did in downing Florida Atlantic 72-48. LSU’s target this season is reaching the national title game after coming up short in the national semifinals the previous two years.
LSU and Washington have met only once before — in 1991-92. These Huskies already are coming off a mild upset in their 73-69 victory over eighth-seeded Minnesota. Pulling off what might be the biggest upset in school history would send them to the regional semifinals for the first time since 2001.
The Huskies showed poise with only six turnovers in a tight game with Minnesota, and they also led the Pac-10 with 17.6 offensive rebounds per game. Junior guard Cameo Hicks said they know LSU is stocked with great players, coaches and lots of tournament experience.
“The big key for us is going to be poise and making sure we handle the ball well. If you look at the stat sheet, we handled the ball excellently against Minnesota. We only had six turnovers. That’s going to be huge for this team, making smart passes and playing together,” Hicks said.
Chatman may be more worried about her Tigers.
“It’s a huge difference, just the mentality of carrying it from the huddle to the court. We were better today, but it wasn’t hard to be better,” she said.