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Top-Ranked Tar Heels Wrap Up ACC Crown
Tyler Hansbrough slams his way to the tourney MVP award. (AP Images)
The North Carolina Tar Heels completed one of the finest ACC seasons in school history Sunday afternoon, setting themselves up for perhaps bigger things in the near future.
Wayne Ellington had 24 points as the top-ranked Tar Heels edged Clemson, 86-81, in the ACC championship game. The win clinches the first seed in the East Region of March Madness.
Clemson was an underdog by seven points against the point spread.
North Carolina’s Tyler Hansbrough finished with 18 points and 11 rebounds and was named the tournament's MVP. Roy Williams’ squad enters the NCAA Tournament with a 32-2 record.
"We didn't dance around and climb on top of backboards and things like that," Williams said of his team’s low-key celebrations, indicating they have loftier goals as they chase a national title. "It was a great feeling and a very satisfying feeling for us."
In other conference championship action:
Georgia 66, Arkansas 57: A crazy SEC tournament ended up with an improbable finish as the underdog Bulldogs (17-16) toppled the Razorbacks. It’s Georgia’s first March Madness trip in six years. The Bulldogs did it by winning two games on Saturday because of the tornado that hit Atlanta.
No. 5 Kansas 84, No. 6 Texas 74: Behind 30 points from Mario Chalmers the Jayhawks won their sixth Big 12 title in 12 years. The Jayhawks hit a tournament-record 15 three-pointers in Kansas City, Mo.
No. 8 Wisconsin 61, Illinois 48: The Badgers polished off the Big Ten title and put an end to the NCAA Tournament hopes of the Illini, who were seeking to reach the field of 65 despite having a below-.500 record. Brian Butch had 12 points to lead Wisconsin in Indianapolis.
Texas-Arlington 82, Northwestern State 79: The Mavericks clinched their first automatic berth to March Madness when Anthony Vereen scored 25 points to lead them to the Southland Conference title in Katy, Texas.
Pittsburgh 74, No. 9 Georgetown 65: The Big East’s seventh seed assured itself of a spot in March Madness with an upset of the conference’s regular-season champion in the final at Madison Square Garden on Saturday. Georgetown was favored by eight.
No. 3 UCLA 67, No. 11 Stanford 64: Darren Collison had 28 points on Saturday as the Bruins secured the Pac-10 title and the likely No. 1 spot in the West Region of the NCAA Tournament. UCLA, a four-point favorite, had a 22-8 run in the second half to seize control at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.