Greg Bailey WCNC Sports Director

Louisville is dangerous in ways unlike anyone the Heels have seen this year. I had a great time listening to tales of the Cardinals fighting one another in the locker room before games, only to go outside and beat a nationally ranked team. Terrence Williams told that story today and we all cracked up. The Cardinals relish their unconventional ways and they are playing great basketball, and they're doing it together.

Louisville's players call it "the stare." They were talking about Rick Pitino when he gets angry. Players tell us they don't want to look because they're afraid. It only gets worse and better. The Cardinals tell us when Pitino gets really angry he claps at you. That's when you know that he's "gonna kill you in the huddle."

One player told us that he was afraid he'd "get whacked." We all roared while the media who cover the Cardinals are probably used to it all. Pitino's players love him and they really get cranked up when someone calls him "the godfather." Andre Dean told us that they loved it when Rick wore the white suit this year. (He changed at halftime, and the Cardinals roared back from a big deficit to win.)

This is as big of a contrast as any I have ever seen from big time programs. Blue blood Carolina against a team that loves the idea that the wilder they are with each other, the better they play. And the Cards are playing great, destroying Oklahoma and Tennessee.

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Boring again ... just the way UNC likes it

I hate to say this to everybody who paid $800 for tickets Thursday night, but Carolina was boring again, simply because the Heels are so much better than everyone they've played.

It's almost bizarre how they answer questions about something every day before their games -- Can anyone in the power forward spot score? Can Danny Green shake his little slump? Can this team play championship defense? And then the next night they don't just answer the questions, they demolish any thought that the questions should have been asked in the first place.

First, Alex Stepheson and Deon Thompson combined for 13 for 13 shooting against Arkansas. Then Carolina limits Washington State to 18 for 57 shooting. The Cougars talked about a "lid on the basket" Thursday night, but that had a lot to do with the pressure Carolina puts on you to score. And this team's defense is better than it's been.

Danny Green is his own story. Twelve points in the first half and 15 for the game and when he does that, the Heels can dominate good teams. It's not really a casual attitude in UNC's locker room, it's more of a "OK, one more down, three more to go."

Washington State's players talked afterwards about their pride in a great season, and they should be proud. Carolina is on an entirely different plateau. There is no hiding that their goals focus on one thing only, and that's the national title.

UNC vs Washington State first half

I've got the same seat behind Carolina's bench that I had for Davidson's and Carolina's games in Raleigh.

During timeouts, I'm about three feet from the Heels huddles. Great stuff.

Roy Williams started his pre-game huddle with a joke and then reminded his team about match ups in the post. Deon Thompson nodded in agreement and the Heels rolled out of their huddle for the Sweet 16 match-up with Washington State.

It's fun to see former Washington St. coach Dick Bennett stand and yell at the officials. Dick is a great guy and the fire burns for him, even into his retirement. He rebuilt this program before handing it over to his son, Tony, and he is very much into the action.

Dick explained to me several years ago about teaching his players not to beat themselves. That was step one in rebuilding one of the worst programs in America into a Sweet 16 team. He had a very detailed plan and he answered my question for about two minutes, all about how not to beat yourself. That part took a couple of years (think about that, two long years) and the rest really is Cougars basketball history.

Carolina's 13-4 run to seize control is a thing of beauty. Nothing fancy, just getting after the Cougars defensively, and taking and making good shots. Danny Green has been brilliant in the first half, making shots after contact in the lane and working hard defensively.

The Cougars fans might be the most impressive part of the first half. Their section is full and that's saying something for a group that traveled about 3,000 miles from a small airport to get here. The folks in crimson stand and cheer for every defensive stop. They get what their team is all about and they back them in ways you don't normally see at games.

Danny Green's pre-game dance was subdued tonight, at least by his standards. It is cool that the Carolina band plays "jump around" just so Danny can dance and all his teammates can laugh. It's funny how much younger all the players look in person.

Tar Heels draw crowd for practice

More than a few noticed that the Bobcats don't always draw as well as the Carolina practice today. The lower bowl was completely filled with about 10,000 fans roaring for every move.

Camera flashes popping everywhere and general giddiness for 50 minutes. And of course, everyone was wearing Carolina blue.

Washington State is thrilled to be here. The first Sweet 16 in school history compared to UNC's 22nd sweet 16 since 1975. It's staggering and the Cougars are more than happy to play along. Several of the players told me today that their only other scholarship offers were from small, division one schools. And yet, Dick and Tony Bennett have built that program to the point where they dominated a really good Notre Dame team in the last round. It's one of the most amazing coaching jobs in Pac10 history.

I asked Carolina's Danny Green when was the last time he played on a team that scored 40 points in a game. That's what WSU is giving up per tournament game this year. 40.5 points PER GAME! Green smiled and clearly got the joke before admitting "probably never." Washington State does a lot of things that people have never seen before.

I have to run outside to go live now. No live shots inside the arena. One of many NCAA rules, but no complaints on a beautiful Carolina day. See you soon with more.

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