When you look at the scoreboard, you may think that Washington State's strategy of slowing the pace of the game down against North Carolina worked. The Tar Heels scored just 68 points, 42 points below their NCAA tournament average.
However, that strategy only works if you can score more than you allow. Washington State was nowhere close to that ... losing 68-47.
The slow down game may have worked in the Tar Heels favor as their defense was the story. UNC held WSU to just 31% shooting ... including just 2-of-16 from the three-point line. They also dominated the boards (42 to 28). If not for State's Aron Baynes shooting (6-of-8), the Cougars would have shot 12-of-49 (24% to you and me) and been blown out of the water.
And that little thing about Tyler Hansbrough held to just two points at the half? He ended the game with 18 points and 9 boards after going the first 18-plus minutes of the game scoreless.
North Carolina will move on to face the winner of the Tennessee-Louisville game this Saturday. The taste of their meltdown against Georgetown in last year's East Regional final has left the team bitter ever since.
(Hat tip to Awful Announcing)
