GU - UNC The Rematch Pre-Game Discussion

[DanMcQ]

Let's Go Hoyas!


Loads of Pre-Game article links on HoyaSaxa.com Front Page


HoyaSaxa.com Pre-Game Report


GUHoyas.com East Regional Finals Game Notes


Wash Post - Camille Powell: A matchup of historic proportions

"From the start, we have to create a tempo that's beneficial to us," Georgetown junior guard Jonathan Wallace said. "We can't get into a run-and-gun matchup because they are just too deep. A lot of teams fault themselves if they try to do that early. They are going to make runs, but we have to hang around and wear them down with our size."

Georgetown 7-foot-2 junior Roy Hibbert is five inches taller than North Carolina's tallest players (Hansbrough, and freshmen Brandan Wright and Alex Stepheson). But the 6-foot-9 Wright actually has a longer wingspan than Hibbert; Wright says his is 7 feet 5, which is an inch longer than Hibbert's. Hansbrough may be shorter than Hibbert, but he is strong and physical.

"Once the ball gets thrown into him, he's not passing it," Hibbert said. "He's very good around the basket. He's very good at getting his own rebounds. I'm going to have my hands full."

Said Georgetown forward Jeff Green: "They have Tyler Hansbrough and Brandan Wright, who are both tough guys down low. They are tough to deal with so it is going to be hard to outmuscle them."

Hibbert has been known to stay up late to watch classic Georgetown games; the night before the Hoyas beat Marquette on Feb. 10, he watched a telecast of the classic 1985 Georgetown-St. John's encounter known as "the sweater game." But Hibbert won't be doing that Saturday night with the 1982 championship game.

"I've watched it before," Hibbert said. "We don't have ESPN Classic in our hotel room, so I won't be watching that, unfortunately. I'll be in bed."

Wash Post - Camille Powell: Fathers and Sons - College Glory, Family Legacies Intersect As Georgetown Plays for Final Four

"It was frustrating for me," said Ewing Sr., who stepped down from his assistant coach position with the Houston Rockets to watch his son play this season. "Big John called me and said, 'Let him have the relationship with his coach that your mother and father let you have with me.' But it was hard to sit here and see him not playing."

John Thompson Jr., meantime, said he tries not to dole out advice, coach-to-coach, to his son, John Thompson III. But father-to-son, well, that's different. "The father has the right and license to meddle anytime he wants to," Thompson Jr. said.

At the Big East tournament, Thompson Jr. and Ewing Sr. sat behind the Georgetown bench. Toward the end of the Hoyas' win over Pittsburgh in the championship game, Thompson III waved to his father in the crowd.

"He was yelling something at me for the prior two minutes and I couldn't hear what he said," Thompson III explained in the postgame news conference. "I finally turned around and said, 'For the first time in your life, you can't talk loud enough that I can hear what the hell you are saying.' "

Wash Post - Michael Wilbon: 25 Years Ago - Jorden, Worthy, Ewing, Oh My!


Wash Post - Mike Wise: 25 Years Later, Thompson's Compassion Is a Fading Memory to Brown


Wash Post: Hoyas Preview


Wash Times - Barker Davis: Hoyas hope height hinders Heels' offense

"There's no way we can beat them in a track meet," said 7-foot-2 Georgetown center Roy Hibbert, the player who personifies the Hoyas' strategic identity. "We can't let them establish their up-tempo pace."

NY Post - Mike Vaccaro: TOASTIN' THE 'TOWN: HOYA SUCCESS AN INSPIRATION TO OLD RIVALS LIKE ST. JOHN'S

March 25, 2007 -- HE WAS just like every other St. John's fan Friday night, suddenly thrust into the uncomfortable and unfamiliar place of not only rooting for Georgetown, but admiring the Hoyas, too. It isn't easy reversing gears like that, going against a lifetime of loathing, but there he was, yelling at the television as Jeff Green's shot went down, pleased that the refs didn't see that extra half-step, all but waving a Hoyas banner at the final buzzer.

"What a great college basketball game," Lou Carnesecca said yesterday afternoon, the sandpaper voice on the other end of the telephone in 2007 sounding just as splendid and just as strong as it sounded in 1987, and 1977, and 1967. "And, wow, what a great college basketball team. Wow."

[Highsmith]

Mr. Hansbrough, meet Mr. Hibbert. Mr. Wright, meet Mr. Green. This is going to be fun. GO HOYAS!!!!

[GUJook97]

Bring it on ! We'll learn a lot from the USC game. UNC brings a lot of depth, I think we will have to steal some minutes from Crawford and Rivers. With that comeback, I think UNC becomes the "talking heads" favorite, and we are back to the underdog role. No problem for me.

[Admin]

What, the rematch of the 1995 regionals?

[naijahoya]

CBS just announced 5:05PM tipoff

[MCIGuy]

For about a year now I've been envisioning this.

After the Hoyas lost to Florida nd learning that all the gators were returning and knowing who the Hoyas had coming in, I told myself that Gtown could get a rematch with Florida in the 2007 NCAA Tournament (specifically Final Four).

And to get to that Final Four I saw the Hoyas playing UNC (knowing what UNC was bringing in) in the East Regional Finals. Everything is falling into place. Its spooky.

Of course the Hoyas have to keep winning. Hopefully they will choose Sunday to finally bring their A game.

[DanMcQ]

admin said:

What, the rematch of the 1995 regionals?

Nice one, weisenheimer.

[MCIGuy]

gujook97 said:

Bring it on ! We'll learn a lot from the USC game. UNC brings a lot of depth, I think we will have to steal some minutes from Crawford and Rivers. With that comeback, I think UNC becomes the "talking heads" favorite, and we are back to the underdog role. .

I think you're right. If I had to wager all my money I too would probably have to go with UNC ::ducking for cover::

Maybe the underdog tag will get the Hoyas going again.

[sleepyjackson21]

We will have to bring our A game to win. Stay out of foul trouble and i think we can win. UNC plays almost exclusive man to man, so hopefully our offense will be in gear from the getgo.

[doublehoya]

We bring the best game we have played all year, we can do this -- anything less, and we still have a lot to be proud of, but the dance will probably end for the hoyas.

[happyhoya1979]

We proved today that we can win an 8 to 5 game, and the toughness and poise we will bring from this experience bodes ill for the Tar Heels.

[HoyaTejano]

Hansborough was something like 1-5 and played a minor role in the comeback UNC staged on USC.

Sunday. Sunday. Sunday.

[alleninxis]

This UNC team is not that good....it doesn't take an A game to beat them.
Sure it helps, but we shouldn't feel if we don't play our best we shouldn't show up

They lost what 5 or 6 in a bad ACC league this year, were down 16 tonight, had their hands full with MSU

Granted, we must play better than tonight to win, but UNC is not that good this season as people want you to believe.

[1984alloveragain]

THIS is the MEGA-MATCHUP WE'VE been ALL waiting for!!! HOYA SAXA BABY!!! CBS has been DREAMING of this as well. Notice how they made the USC game tonight last, to accomadate the West Coast viewers----but the game Sunday involving the west coast team (ducks), was put to the earlier start. They KNOW the ratings in this FINAL FIVE GAME will be OFF THE BOARDS. I'm gonna BE THERE to see my GTOWN HOYAS CUT DOWN THE NETS and AVENGE that 25 year FLUKE. Guys..... GIVE THE BALL TO THE LEADER AT CRUNCH TIME!!! JEFF, AKA MR. CLUTCH, should have taken the shot the last THREE to FOUR times down the Floor. I almost NEEDED to buy a new TV!! Tar Holes are going DOWN!!! OK, done channeling mr. LIC

[1984alloveragain]

PS. CREAM rises to the top as ONLY Major Conference Regular and/or Tournament winners are left in the Dance (with Memphis of that practically mid-major conference). Our chance to prove alll the know it alls wrong on Sunday... They were thinking acc would have two or three in the Great 8. PROUD of the HOYAS!!! YOU guys have EXCEEDED EVERY ceiling and goal I thought you guys could this year, going at least one or more steps ahead of last year in Regular season; BET, and now the Dance.. EVERYTHING from here is GRAVY boys----ALL the pressure should be on the tar holes. PHEW!!!!! HOYA SAXA ALL THE WAY TO ATLANTA!!!

[HooHoya]

This is a good UNC team, but not the best in recent memory. They are extremely vulnerable, though when they are playing well, they play very well (see tonight's second half).

Don't forget, though: UNC is a team that lost twice to Virginia Tech, and couldn't do any better in the ACC than tie with Virginia atop the conference.

In other words, they're very good at times, but not great.

[HoyaTejano]

I know they say that Bird-Magic started this March Madness stuff.

But I'll tell you something -- that night in the Superdome ushered in a freakin' revolution in basketball. Look at all the pros who came out of that final -- Jordan, Ewing, Worthy, Sleepy, etc. Remember the clip of Big John entering the Superdome and getting a roar of applause?

A game for the ages. Reprised.

It is time.

[C86]

In 87 I remember listening to a staticky Armed Forces radio broadcast saying that the favored Hoyas lost to Providence in the regional final.

In 89, I was living in Durham NC and watched as the favored Hoyas lost to Duke in the regional final.

Carolina's good, no doubt. But they're mortal. I'm glad we're the underdog.

[YB]

Heels play bad D, are young and take quick shots... If we exxecute our game we will have a good chance.

BE champs vs ACC champs. It's on, baby.

[FLHoya]

admin said:

What, the rematch of the 1995 regionals?

Wrong.

2003 NIT Elite Eight