Greg Bailey WCNC Sports Director

Davidson is the team that everybody in America is talking about and Carolina is the most impressive team of the first weekend. Not bad, North Carolina. Welcome to a March to remember.

The Heels did all their talking with a stunning offensive explosion. Roy Williams challenged Alex Stepheson and Deon Thompson to play better than they did in the ACC Tournament, so they go out and combine to hit 13 of 13 shots. Wives all over the Carolinas are sure that their husbands need a pep talk from Roy now, too.

Arkansas told us Saturday they were ready for the challenge. Their players were clearly angered by the Heels stated goal of running teams into submission. The Rarzorbacks discovered today that there is a world of difference between the best the Heels have to offer and everybody else in this tournament. What a display.

Davidson College is headed to the Sweet 16. Davidson! The Wildcats earned it with one of the greatest displays of coaching and teamwork that I've ever seen. Coach Bob McKillop jolted Georgetown with full court pressure, forcing 20 turnovers to fuel a comeback from 17 points down. The closer the game got, the calmer the Wildcats were.

It's great to sit behind their bench on press row and listen to McKillop tell his team with four minutes left, "Every rebound is ours." Two minutes later, Andrew Lovedale grabs a blocked shot and lays it home to put Davidson up seven. McKillop paints a great picture for his team, and they follow it. The more intense the game got, the calmer the Davidson huddle.

Today is the day the early season schedule paid off. Duke, UNC and UCLA got the Cats ready for this. They all talked about it afterwards. You also hear things in that locker room that you don't hear anywhere else. Guys with foreign accents talking about brotherhood and principles that guide their lives and their success on the floor. Unique, amazing and great.

The RBC center roared to life when Steph Curry started to heat up in the 2nd half. No one in basketball uses screens like Curry does. He dances and darts, moving defenders at his will. I'd like to call it "chess like", but there are infinitely more options on the basketball floor. This is watching a genius and an athlete rolled into one. Fifty-five points in two second halves here in Raleigh, and all he wants to do is credit his teammates.

The locker rooms tell the tale of two different teams. Davidson's players didn't really know what to do. Happy and stunned on one hand, but so sure of themselves and their bond on the other. Carolina is still all business. The second weekend has little to do with their long range goals, while the Wildcats are constantly looking around to remind themselves how cool this really is.

Don't miss Sports Extra tonight as we expand our coverage of both teams. This is why we have the 30 minute show. I've got to run or I'll be late. See you tonight at 11:30.

Great Sunday action

Happy Easter everyone. I hope this wonderful day finds you and your loved ones well.

I had the good fortune of offending our visitors to the great state of North Carolina on Saturday. First, it was Georgetown's turn when I asked the Hoyas if they had ever seen a scorer like Steph Curry. "Have you seen Scottie Reynolds?" came the reply. I have seen Villanova's guard. Georgetown's players were shocked that I had implied Steph Curry might be in a league that they've never seen before. This is, after all, Georgetown from the big, bad Big East.

The Hoyas impressed me as a team that sees Sunday's game as little more than taking care of business. They'll be ready, but so will the Wildcats. Everything says the Hoyas should win easily, and they will get physical with Curry. That might be the one "hole" in his game right now, but Davidson's players also told me that they have 100% faith that Bob McKillop will come up with something to get Curry going.

Andrew Lovedale told me that he's actually excited about matching up against 7' 2" Roy Hibbert. The Hoyas center is a monster, and I bet McKillop will try to draw him out of the paint.

I love being around Davidson's team right now. They are enjoying the moment and enjoying one another. They have also gone out of their way to share the experience with their fans. Most impressive, the players have texted back and forth with their fellow students at Davidson. How many schools can say their "stars" have that kind of bond with their fellow students?

I have to pass this along. Boris Meno tried to fall through his chair Saturday in the locker room and everyone who saw it roared. Meno put too much weight on the seat of one of those folding chairs where the seat can flip right over. Priceless. His teammates wouldn't let him forget it.

Back to my offensive side. Carolina's Danny Green mentioned that UNC's goal every game is to wear down their opponents' will by constantly running. Great insight, but one the Arkansas players weren't happy to hear about. One player was shocked when I said it, and one just smiled at the very idea. Arkansas is a team with a large chip on their shoulder, and I can't wait to see them deal with Carolina and all the fans in Carolina blue.

Roy Williams was relaxed as he shared old stories with some of the Arkansas writers. He talked about classic games with the Hogs from the early 80s with Alvin Robertson and Michael Jordan. His memory turned out to be better about a place called the Catfish Shack in Jonesboro. Roy said you have to go if you're ever in the area.

I'm intrigued that the Coach Williams I covered in Kansas for five seasons has changed quite a bit, at least on the outside. That Coach Williams seemed to want to win the title too badly, and this one seems more at ease with everything that comes with the postseason. I think his team reflects that, too. The Heels were poised to play today, but also very much at ease with the situation.

I can't wait for a great Sunday of basketball. Happy Easter again. I'm thankful on so many fronts for a wonderful day in North Carolina. We'll see you Sunday on Sports Extra at 11:30. We'll have a great show with everything from every corner of Davidson and Carolina's day.

The day Davidson roared

I will never forget the crackling in Bob McKillop's voice and the tears forming in his eyes. This intensely prideful man, who cares so much about his players, didn't know what to say when I told him that every one of his players told us after one of the greatest wins in school history that they did it for him. McKillop told me that meant everything because he's not coaching 15 players, he's coaching 15 sons.

That's the atmosphere in Davidson's locker room. This is not a giddy team, thrilled to win one before going home. This is a good team with one great player doing things that remind long time observers of the all time greats.

This is also a team of people from around the world, brought together by the one and only Coach McKillop. Andrew Lovedale's teammates said that he played like a "beast" grabbing every critical rebound and making "the pass" to Stephen Curry to break the tie with Gonzaga in the final minute. Lovedale told me that the first NCAA Tournament game that he saw was the first one he played in. After Andrew phoned family in Nigeria and England, he told me McKillop found him through coaching contacts in England. Who has coaching contacts in England?

Max Paulhus Gosselin hails from Canada. He played high school games in front of about a dozen people, and that was only if his cousins came with his mom and dad. Gosselin talked about looking up in the crowd and seeing his parents after the win. He could tell they were awed by what their son and his team had accomplished. Canada, England, Turkey - you name it, McKillop will find people of character who can play basketball.

I covered teams with Paul Pierce and NBA Rookie of the Year Brandon Roy. And I've never seen anything in person like I saw from Steph Curry today. During timeouts, he lowered his head and closed his eyes, withdrawing into a world that only he can comprehend. He would nod his head when McKillop spoke to him, and then he would go out on the court and dominate a Gonzaga team making its 10th straight Tournament appearance. Eight three pointers, every one with a hair trigger. Curry makes it look like the ball leaves his hand before he secures it from a pass. So many players I have covered would have come undone, his team trailing when the referees missed an obvious foul on a fast break. Curry shrugged it off to hit back to back threes that tied the game, setting up his final minute "dagger."

That's the beauty of Curry's clutch shot, it was no mistake. McKillop makes his team practice those loose ball rebounds, before finding a teammate for an open jump shot. They call them "daggers." Lovedale ran it down, and spotted Curry. The rest is Davidson and NCAA Tournament history.

From my seat behind Davidson's bench, I could see an irate Coach McKillop pull Lovedale in the first half for defensive lapses. Coach got close to Lovedale's face and spewed instructions before giving Lovedale a break, only to come back for more. The last thing he told his humbled forward, "I know you will do better. I believe in you." After the game I asked Andrew about it and he said those words were in his mind when he took over on the glass late. That, ladies and gentlemen, is what you call world class coaching.

Everywhere else, in all the other tournament sites, you see half empty arenas for first round games at noon. Not in North Carolina. Heels fans remember Curry from their match up with Davidson at Bobcats Arena, and the house was full today. Steph Curry made the RBC Center rock, and it was electric. This was everything good about March. If you saw it, you'll talk about for years. Do you remember the day Steph Curry lit up Gonzaga with 40 points? Do you remember when everyone in red stood as one, belting out "Sweet Caroline", and many in the packed house joined in? When Davidson's players ran over to share the moment with family, friends and fans? I do. I was there, and I'll never forget it.

Early thoughts from Raleigh

There is a lot of red in the RBC Center today. I recognize many of the Davidson fans, and I'm sure plenty of others are wearing red for State and Indiana, but this will be a Davidson crowd.

The voice of Gonzaga, Tom Hudson, told me the Zags traveled about 175 fans. It's a long way from Spokane (trust me, I've driven it in the dead on winter -- that's another story).

Watch early to see how Davidson handles the tournament atmosphere. Bob McKillop's big concern was that his team would be too tight, wanting to play too well on the big stage. This is a game Davidson can win and the players know it. (Click here for raw interview with Jason Richards)

The anthem came early today, and the Wildcats went back to the locker room while Gonzaga stayed out on the court with about eight minutes left before introductions. We'll see if that means anything at all once the game starts.

Gonzaga's program has changed over the last few years as pressure has mounted to win big every year. Eight years ago, the Zags could recruit players, red shirt them and let them progress. Now, Mark Few feels pressure to get higher rated players every year, and they don't want to sit and wait their turn. It's interesting to me how success (10 straight NCAA Tournaments) has changed that program. It really is a phenomenal story. Davidson impressed me yesterday as a team chomping at the bit to prove themselves, while the Zags were very laid back -- very laid back.

My seat for this game is behind the Davidson bench. It'll be interesting to see how much of the game I get to see. But this can be a great seat if strategy is important late. I'll take notes and include those in my later blogs.

Here come the Wildcats and the arena is rocking. Davidson has traveled well and plenty of fans in Carolina blue are on their feet, too.

We'll have Davidson updates in every newscast this afternoon starting at 4:30 -- see you then.

Carolina has arrived

I've covered NCAA tournaments throughout my career, and I've never seen anything like Carolina's locker room today. The media outnumbered players by at least 5 to 1, and the locker room in Raleigh could comfortably fit about 1/8 of the horde that descended on the Tar Heels.

This is what you get when "the team" in the state stays in state and plays a short ride away from campus. Quentin Thomas deserves better than to be trampled while 8 people try to interview Danny Green in the next space over. Carolina's media staff gets kudos for moving Ty Lawson and Wayne Ellington next door to give everybody a little bit more space.

The Heels are all business. I reminded Marcus Ginyard that UNC led Eastern Kentucky by 20-plus in last year's opening round, only to see the big lead cut down to 4. Ty Lawson thought the lead was cut down to 2. Either way, nervous times in Winston Salem last year and the Heels all remember it too well. Don't look for a repeat. Carolina seems to be taking Mt. Saint Mary's seriously. At least they say they are.

We look forward to seeing Charlotte native Jeremy Goode later today when the Mountaineers practice around 5:30. More with Jeremy later as he rolls into the NCAAs fresh off a 21 point game to get The Mount into the NCAAs.

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First impressions from NCAA Regional in Raleigh

Davidson has moved past the point where the Wildcats are just "happy to be here." Every player said it, so you know that Coach McKillop has sold this idea since selection Sunday. Most teams in the tournament run through drills for a few minutes at the NCAA-mandated open practice session, but Davidson was crisp and intense for long stretches today.

By contrast, and I mean stark contrast, Gonzaga is northwest to the core and as laid back as they come. Scheduled to start their open locker room interview session at 12:50, the Zags kind of staggered in at about 12:55. I say "about" because they strolled in at their own pace. One player, then two minutes later another, as opposed to one big group walking in from the team bus. We started to walk in after five players had gone into the room, and when the door opened, we realized that no one had bothered to turn on the lights. There they sat, in the dark, zoned out, no doubt dealing with the East Coast time change.

Both teams have great academics in common. All the players we talked to today from both teams are as well spoken as they come. That's a great testament to both schools and a lot more fun to cover.

Some of the topics we'll look at in today's live coverage from Raleigh: Davidson point guard Jason Richards remembers his AAU battles against Gonzaga's Jeremy Pargo well. But does Pargo remember who Jason Richards is at all? Also, despite the intense practice, Davidson coach Bob McKillop wants his players to "smell the roses." What exactly does that mean for a coach like McKillop? Also, Gonzaga's players know all about Steph Curry. We'll look at the impact Curry will have on tomorrow's game.

North Carolina arrives today at about 3:30. More on the Tar Heels coming up later.

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