UNC Doesn't Miss Howling, Scowling Pack Fans

The North Carolina players noticed the difference right away.

Usually, when their bus swings up to the RBC Center, the reception at the arena is, oh, less than cordial.

Tar Heels only tread here when playing N.C. State, and Wolfpack fans are ever eager to share their opinions of UNC.

But this time, the Heels are in Raleigh for the NCAA Tournament. The RBC Center is still drenched in red, but Carolina’s greeting was much different Thursday as the team arrived for practice.

“It’s different coming in without people telling you how bad you are,” center Tyler Hansbrough said.

Usually, Hansbrough said, all the looks are glares. And when Carolina played here earlier this season, State students wore T-shirts mocking him.

“I laughed about it but it didn’t affect me,” Hansbrough said.

This time, entering the building, Hansbrough and other Tar Heels said they were greeted warmly.

“I’m not complaining about it,” Hansbrough said.

For UNC, the short trip is the start of a long journey. Carolina plays Mount St. Mary’s at 7:10 p.m. on Friday, and the sold-out RBC Center is likely to be full of light blue.

The Tar Heels enter the tournament on the strength of their ACC title win in Charlotte last week. Two wins here – Carolina plays the Indiana-Arkansas winner on Sunday – and the Heels are back in Charlotte Bobcats Arena for the East Regionals.

Mount St. Mary’s is 19-14 after beating Coppin State 69-60 in the play-in game. And the Mountaineers have the misfortune of playing a Carolina team that is rounding into form after being slowed down by a left ankle injury to point guard Ty Lawson.

“Really, I just started playing and stopped worrying about it,” Lawson said. “Coach [Roy Williams] told me, ‘Just go out there and stop being scared.’ …

“I used to be afraid to jump off it. I feel like I’ve gotten past that.”

Lawson said the ankle felt “a little sore” on Monday, “but playing three games strengthened it. Right now it feels god. Hopefully it can keep building up the next three weeks.”

Fellow sophomore Wayne Ellington has been on a strong run, scoring 58 points in three ACC Tournament games. Ellington said he has been more aggressive since a 3-for-14 shooting effort, and eight points, in the home loss to Duke on Feb. 6.

“If we don’t get to San Antonio, we feel this season has underachieved,” Lawson said.

But the irony of UNC’s journey beginning in Raleigh isn’t lost on the Tar Heels.

Lawson said he wouldn’t miss seeing the Wolfpack fans. And Thompson said it felt strange to be pulling up to the RBC Center for NCAA play.

“It was like I started thinking about State - I wasn’t thinking about the NCAA Tournament,” Thompson said. “But when you walk in, there’s the NCAA sticker on the court and that lets you know it’s the tournament.”