University of North Carolina Athletics
George Washington-North Carolina AP Preview
March 22, 2005 | Women's Basketball
March 22, 2005
GAME: No. 9 George Washington (23-8) vs. No. 1 North Carolina (28-3).
REGIONAL: Tempe, second round.
TIME: Tuesday, 7 p.m. EST.
SITE: Dean E. Smith Center; Chapel Hill, N.C.
Eight years ago, George Washington stunned top-seeded North Carolina in the NCAA tournament.
The Colonials get a chance to do it again when they meet the Tar Heels in a second-round matchup in the Tempe Regional.
George Washington upset North Carolina 55-46 in a regional semifinal in 1997 at Columbia, S.C. before falling one game short of the Final Four with a loss to Notre Dame. It was the deepest tournament run in school history.
"What made that weekend so special was that we played great against a terrific team," George Washington coach Joe McKeown said. "They were a No. 1 seed and had Marion Jones and Tracy Reid. They were just an outstanding program - still are."
The challenge could be even greater Tuesday since North Carolina has won 14 straight and is 3-0 at the Smith Center. The Tar Heels, who play most of their home games at Carmichael Auditorium, enter with an 18-game overall home winning streak.
North Carolina has earned a top seed for the first time since 1997.
"I think it's the NCAA tournament, and it's about heroes and dreamers," McKeown said. "I think that we have a great opportunity on Tuesday night against the No. 1 seed, and we're going to be loose and ready to play."
North Carolina also has recent history as a motivator. The Tar Heels lost in the second round two years ago and were upset by No. 13 seed Middle Tennessee State in the first round last season.
Ivory Latta scored 27 points Sunday as North Carolina shot a season-high 62 percent and took the first step with a 97-62 win over No. 16 Coppin State in the first round. Latta made five of the team's season-high 12 3-pointers.
"We did some more game-type things to prepare," North Carolina coach Sylvia Hatchell said. "We learned from the past and so we did some things that had us more ready to play this time."
George Washington advanced by rallying from a 14-point deficit for a 60-57 victory over Mississippi in the first round Sunday. The Colonials closed the game on a 19-2 run to earn the win.
"We came out flat and we knew we had to pick up our defense," Colonials guard Kimberly Beck said. "I think we just knew that either we do that or we're going home."
Leading scorer Anna Montanana managed only 13 points on 4-of-14 shooting, but came up with eight steals. Montanana averages 17.1 points on 42 percent shooting.
"Anna is such a great player, even though she struggled a little bit tonight, she still made big plays at the end of the game and she is who I want with the ball," McKeown said.
PROBABLE STARTERS: George Washington - F Montanana (17.1 ppg, 6.9 rpg), F Whitney Allen (4.7 ppg, 4.7 rpg), C Jessica Simmonds (14.6 ppg, 7.0 rpg), G Kenan Cole (7.2 ppg, 3.3 rpg), G Beck (8.0 ppg, 5.3 apg). North Carolina - F Erlana Larkins (15.0 ppg, 7.0 rpg), F Camille Little (12.2 ppg, 5.8 rpg), F Nikita Bell (10.4 ppg, 5.4 rpg), G Latta (17.2 ppg, 4.5 apg), G La'Tangela Atkinson (8.3 ppg, 7.6 rpg).
HOW THEY GOT HERE: George Washington - At-large berth, Atlantic 10; beat No. 8 Mississippi 60-57, first round. North Carolina - Automatic bid, Atlantic Coast Conference tournament champion; beat No. 16 Coppin State 97-62, first round.
ALL-TIME TOURNAMENT RECORD: George Washington - 13-11, 12 years. North Carolina - 25-15, 17 years.
