Baynes ends strong
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – By halftime of the NCAA East Regional semifinal, college basketball’s likely Player of the Year had scored all of two points – both on free throws. Certainly it seemed like a recipe for disaster for top-ranked North Carolina.
Except that the Tar Heels already led Washington State by 14 points.
That would grow into a 68-47 defeat and the end of this latest Cougars run, one game deeper into the tournament than they reached a year ago. The manner in which they lost – shooting a dreadful 32 percent – and the fact that they’re bidding goodbye to three program-building seniors left for few positives on which to reflect, though there was one.
That would be the performance of center Aron Baynes, who concluded an up-and-down junior season with a considerable personal up – playing North Carolina’s Tyler Hansbrough to a standstill.
“I didn’t think they had an answer for him down there at times,” said teammate Kyle Weaver. “When he’s scoring inside, that makes it easier for us. He took a big step in the right direction tonight.”
Baynes finished with 14 points on 6-of-8 shooting, along with eight rebounds and a pair of steals. Hansbrough – after missing all four of his shots in the first half – had 14 of his 18 points when Baynes fouled out with 6:52 remaining, and had nine boards and three turnovers, all in the first half.
Two quick buckets in the second half got Hansbrough going – and helped keep the Cougars from mounting a comeback. But the 6-foot-9 junior still only made 6 of 15 shots.
“I just tried to make him play over a body the whole time,” said Baynes. “I knew he was going to score points, but I tried to do the best I could to stay out of foul trouble and make it tough on him.”
Coach Tony Bennett lauded his big man for showing “his physical toughness – and this was a game where physical toughness was going to be at a premium, and he met the challenge.
“He was engaged and locked in and I think he probably impressed some people. He’s played against some offensively good interior guys in Brook Lopez and Kevin Love, and playing against (Notre Dame’s Luke) Harangody. That helped prepare him to play. He certainly stepped up and was the one guy offensively that was a bright spot.”
Coming home
The Cougars will return from Charlotte by charter today. They are scheduled to leave North Carolina this morning and are expected to arrive in Lewiston somewhere between 11:15 a.m. and 12:15 p.m.
Other seniors bow out
Senior Chris Henry came into the game with 41 seconds remaining and capped his injury-saddled WSU career with a 19-foot jumper with 12 seconds left, giving WSU its last points of the season.
Another senior, guard Jeremy Cross, also finished up the last minute of the game.
A low point
The 47 points Washington State scored were the fewest North Carolina has yielded in an NCAA tournament game since 1946. In the championship game that year, the Tar Heels lost to Oklahoma State 43-40.
The total was a season-low for WSU as was its 31.6 shooting percentage. The 3-point shooting percentage of 12.5 was also a season low. The previous-worst shooting night from long range was 3 of 15 (20 percent) against Mississippi Valley State.
On both sides
Kyle Weaver had three blocked shots, all three coming as he came from the weak side. He also was the victim of two high-profile rejections.
With about 13 minutes left, the 6-foot-6 Weaver drove the baseline and elevated for a two-handed slam. But 6-5 Danny Green met him at the rim and denied the attempt.
Seconds later Weaver attacked the basket on a fast break but his layup attempt was swatted out of bounds by 6-9 Alex Stepheson.
Fair warning
Before the game, North Carolina coach Roy Williams wrote six words on the locker room white board.
Tough enough, patient enough, poised enough.
“I told our guys ‘You’re going to be hit by a screen. You need to be tough enough and patient enough to get through it,’ ” Williams said. ” ‘Then you are going to be hit by another screen. You need to be tough enough and patient enough to get through it.’ ”
The Tar Heels were, though Williams wasn’t sure they were as good as the numbers indicate.