March 30, 2008

NEW ORLEANS --- North Carolina (33-2) seeks its third consecutive Final Four appearance when the top-seeded Tar Heels face second-seeded LSU Monday at 6:32 p.m. CDT at the New Orleans Arena in New Orleans, La. Carolina advanced to the regional final with a 78-74 win over fourth-seeded Louisville on Saturday. LSU (30-5), an at-large qualifier from the Southeastern Conference, advanced with a 67-52 win over third-seeded Oklahoma State on Saturday. Carolina is ranked No. 2 in the AP poll and the coaches' poll. LSU is ranked No. 6 in the AP poll and No. 5 in the coaches' poll.

AT A GLANCE
Records: North Carolina 33-2, LSU 30-5
Rankings: North Carolina is ranked No. 2 in both the AP poll and the ESPN/USA Today coaches' poll. LSU is ranked No. 6 in the AP poll and No. 5 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), LSUSports.net (LSU)

LSU SERIES NOTES
• North Carolina is 0-1 all-time against LSU.
• UNC and LSU have never met in the NCAA Tournament. The only previous meeting was a 79-63 LSU win in Baton Rouge in 1986, Sylvia Hatchell's first season in Chapel Hill.

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 advanced to the regional semifinals for the 14th time in school history. UNC now sports a 6-8 record all-time in the regional semifinal round, and the Tar Heels have won four straight Sweet 16 games.
• The Tar Heels are 3-2 all-time in regional final games, with wins coming in 1994, 2006 and 2007.
• Carolina is now 36-14 in NCAA Tournament play in 16 total appearances under head coach Sylvia Hatchell.
• The Tar Heels are now 20-17 all-time in NCAA Tournament games played away from Chapel Hill.
• UNC has an all-time NCAA record of 38-18 in 20 overall appearances and was the 1994 NCAA Champion.

CAROLINA IN LOUISIANA
• Prior to Saturday, UNC had 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 24 of its last 25 and 16 in a row. The Tar Heels also won all 14 ACC regular season games, marking the first undefeated run in school history.
• LSU has won 20 of its last 22 games overall.