March 27, 2008

Complete Game Notes in PDF Format

NEW ORLEANS --- North Carolina (32-2) continues its fourth consecutive run to the Sweet 16 when the top-seeded Tar Heels face fourth-seeded Louisville Saturday at 11 a.m. CDT at the New Orleans Arena in New Orleans, La. Carolina advanced to the regional semifinals with an 80-66 win over eighth-seeded Georgia on Tuesday. Louisville (26-9), an at-large qualifier from the Big East Conference, advanced with a 80-63 win over fifth-seeded Kansas on Tuesday. Carolina is ranked No. 2 in the AP poll and the coaches' poll. Louisville is ranked No. 19 in the AP poll and No. 21 in the coaches' poll.

AT A GLANCE
Records: North Carolina 32-2, Louisville 26-9
Rankings: North Carolina is ranked No. 2 in both the AP poll and the ESPN/USA Today coaches' poll. Louisville is ranked No. 19 in the AP poll and No. 21 in the coaches' poll.
TV: ESPN. Eric Collins (play-by-play), Carolyn Peck (analyst) and Beth Mowins (sideline) have the call.
Radio: Tar Heel Sports Network, a division of Learfield Communications. Brad Heller (play-by-play) and Jan Boxill (analyst) have the call.
Websites: TarHeelBlue.com (UNC), UofLSports.com (Louisville)

LOUISVILLE SERIES NOTES
• North Carolina is 2-0 all-time against Louisville.
• UNC and Louisville have never met in the NCAA Tournament. Both previous games in the series were played on neutral courts - an 86-71 win in Anchorage, Alaska, in 1985 and a 72-67 win in Myrtle Beach, S.C., in 1996.

CAROLINA IN THE NCAA TOURNAMENT
• UNC enters the tournament as a No. 1 seed for the fifth time in school history and the fourth season in a row. Carolina was also a No. 1 seed in 1997.
• Carolina is in the regional semifinals for the 14th time in school history. UNC sports a 5-8 record all-time in the regional semifinal round, but the Tar Heels have won three straight Sweet 16 games.
• The Tar Heels are now 19-17 all-time in NCAA Tournament games played away from Chapel Hill.
• Carolina is now 35-14 in NCAA Tournament play in 16 total appearances under head coach Sylvia Hatchell. • UNC has an all-time NCAA record of 37-18 in 20 overall appearances and was the 1994 NCAA Champion.

CAROLINA IN LOUISIANA
• Saturday's game will mark the first for North Carolina in New Orleans.
• UNC has played just two games all-time in the state of Louisiana. The Tar Heels defeated Northwestern State, 96-79, in Baton Rouge on Nov. 28, 1986 - Sylvia Hatchell's first game at UNC. Carolina lost the next night to LSU, 79-63, in the Tar Heels' one all-time meeting against the Lady Tigers.

STREAKS
• Carolina has won 23 of its last 24 and 15 in a row. The Tar Heels also won all 14 ACC regular season games, marking the first undefeated run in school history.
• Louisville has won 13 of its last 15 games overall since losing five of seven in January.