University of North Carolina Athletics
Weber And Williams: Two Sentimental Choices, Only One Winner
April 2, 2005 | Men's Basketball
April 2, 2005
By EDDIE PELLS
AP Sports Writer
ST. LOUIS - Choosing a sentimental favorite for Monday night's NCAA basketball championship will be tougher than usual.
On one side is Roy Williams of North Carolina, in his 17th year, his fifth Final Four, and still without the national title that would fill out his sterling resume.
He came close at Kansas a few times, then left suddenly to return to his alma mater, where he is close, once again - only two seasons after rebuilding a program Dean Smith made great.
Opposing Williams will be Bruce Weber of Illinois, who worked as an assistant for nearly two decades before getting his first head-coaching job. Four years later, even Weber has admitted he doesn't deserves this trip as much as some of those who came before him, especially his mentor, Gene Keady.
Weber made it, though, taking his team to the cusp of a championship just three weeks after the death of his mother, Dawn.
His team and Illinois fans rallied around him, and now they're set to face Williams and North Carolina in a meeting of top seeds from the Chicago and Syracuse regionals. It will be the first final since 2001 pitting two No. 1 seeds.
"With two No. 1 seeds, it's probably the way it's supposed to be," Michigan State coach Tom Izzo said after his team lost 87-71 to North Carolina.
It's also the first title-game meeting between Nos. 1 and 2 in the final Associated Press poll since UCLA defeated Kentucky in 1975.
"They are a great team and have been the best team in college basketball all year," Williams said. "But the best thing about college basketball is we get to play them on Monday and not wait for the polls."
Illinois advanced with a 72-57 win over Louisville thanks to 20 points apiece from guard Luther Head and forward Roger Powell Jr. While Head's scoring didn't surprise anyone, Powell's certainly did. Illinois was able to soften up Louisville's zone with its outside shooting and Powell was unstoppable inside and out.
North Carolina probably won't have as much trouble containing Powell. Six-foot-9 forward Sean May was a second-team All American this season, averaging 17.1 points and 10.9 rebounds - clearly the best big man in the Final Four.
The theme of this Final Four, though, has been the 3-point shot. North Carolina shoots them well, although not as often. The Tar Heels made 40 percent from behind the arc this season, but attempted only 651.
The Illini also made 40 percent this season, but on 807 attempts and just about everyone on the team shoots them. Asked whether he laid down any rules about 3-pointers, Weber smiled.
"I think it's obvious - we don't," he said. "We all shoot 'em. It's part of being loose."
Head was the top shooter Saturday, going 6-for-11, although Deron Williams and Dee Brown also can make 3-pointers.
They'll be matched against May, North Carolina and its inside game - setting up a finale of conflicting styles, NBA-caliber talent and a pair of coaches who've traveled different paths but who have the same goal:
To win.
