Tyler Hansbrough closed his eyes, hoping for a good night of rest. Instead, his mind kept racing, turning over and over the thought of finally getting North Carolina to the Final Four.
"I couldn't really fall asleep," he said. "I kept thinking about this game coming up."
It's somehow fitting that Tyler Hansbrough - a relentless All-American and a star from his first college game - doesn't even take a break even when he should be sleeping.
That he's feeling anxious these days is no surprise. After all, he has worked with every play of his career to win a national championship, a goal now two wins away.
It's why Hansbrough can't talk about his first trip to the Final Four without immediately adding that he wants more.
"It means a lot," said Hansbrough, whose team plays Kansas on Saturday night in San Antonio. "It's a goal we set out. Obviously, we beat some good teams to get here and we feel like we're playing really well. We want to keep on moving."
Few players have embodied that approach better than the 6-foot-9 junior. He has spent seemingly the entire year earning a personal accolade for every victory the Tar Heels (36-2) managed in what has become the winningest season in the storied program's history.
He was a unanimous All-America choice by The Associated Press this week.
Tyler Hansbrough, averaging 22.8 points and 10.3 rebounds, will be just the eighth Tar Heel to have his jersey retired. In last weekend's win over Louisville, he scored 28 points to move past Sam Perkins for second on the school's career scoring list with 2,151 points, trailing only Phil Ford (2,290) for a record he'll easily set if he returns next year.
"I didn't make Tyler that hard worker. I've just been a guy who benefited from it," coach Roy Williams said. "That boy is self-driven and self-motivated."
He's done it with an unyielding will that has him chase every rebound and loose ball while scoring despite constant contact. It's an approach that as a freshman earned him the nickname "Psycho T" - he screamed to motivate himself to keep going during a grueling conditioning drill. Aron Baynes, Washington State's Australian forward, called him a "thrashing croc in the paint" before the team's matchup in the round of 16 last week.
But Hansbrough has also shown an expansive shooting range. His jumper has proved reliable while creeping out past 15 feet, whether it was his last-second shot to beat Virginia Tech in the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament semifinals or the two clutch shots he hit over Louisville center David Padgett to help the Tar Heels hold their slim second-half lead in the East Regional championship.
Harrington, Knicks beat Pacers to snap 6-game skid eight shots. Hughes made a 3-pointer to cut Indiana's lead to 71-62. Jones made a 3-pointer, and Tyler Hansbrough had a dunk and a three-point play during a 10-1 run that gave Indiana an 82-63 lead. New York bounced back with an 11-0 run that included>
Ginyard lead UNC's revamped defense to win vs. Ohio St. state, having lost starting point guard Ty Lawson, shooting guard Wayne Ellington, small forward Danny Green and center Tyler Hansbrough from their title squad -- a crew that accounted for 69.9 percent of their offense. The Tar Heels had enough talent>
Ginyard leads No. 6 UNC past No. 15 Ohio State state, having lost starting point guard Ty Lawson, shooting guard Wayne Ellington, small forward Danny Green and center Tyler Hansbrough from their title squad -- a crew that accounted for 69.9 percent of their offense. The Tar Heels had enough talent>
Luke Winn: Ginyard lead UNC's revamped defense to win vs. Ohio St. state, having lost starting point guard Ty Lawson, shooting guard Wayne Ellington, small forward Danny Green and center Tyler Hansbrough from their title squad -- a crew that accounted for 69.9 percent of their offense. The Tar Heels had enough talent>
CAA officials vouch for new ticket policy standby line have only been turned away twice, Russell said last seasons games against Duke and Evansville, when Tyler Hansbrough broke Phil Fords scoring record. Anyone can go to the majority of games if they take full advantage of Turn It Back and the>
Rick Teverbaugh: Pacers are worth watching hurdles. One of their top offensive threats, Mike Dunleavy, has yet to play a game. Top draft pick Tyler Hansbrough missed the first three games (all losses), but the team hasn’t lost since he started playing. Jeff Foster has missed some time as has>
Show-Me state reps in Knicks vs. Pacers showdown from the Show-Me State. St. Louisans Larry Hughes and David Lee play for the Knicks while Poplar Bluff-native Tyler Hansbrough and Brandon Rush from Kansas City play for the Pacers. The ballers from the Show-Me put on a good show in the Knicks 110-104>
Greene: UNC alums continue to impress speed every day and stealing minutes from previous backup guard Anthony Carter like errant passes. Four-time All-America selection Tyler Hansbrough is averaging around 10 points and five rebounds per game for the Indiana Pacers. The strong showings by>
Carolina's new kids getting up to speed State in tonight's second game. No. 13 Cal will tip off against Syracuse at 7 p.m. Tyler Hansbrough, Ty Lawson, Wayne Ellington and Danny Green are gone from Carolina, but senior forward Deon Thompson is still a legitimate scoring threat. He joins>
