Hansbrough, Tar Heels a tough task for Trojans

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — Tyler Hansbrough and his North Carolina teammates are hoping their size underneath the basket will be enough to get them past Southern California tonight.

The Tar Heels and the Trojans meet in the East Regional semifinals in Continental Airlines Arena. What North Carolina will be facing is Nick Young and Southern California's 3-point shooting.

The fifth-seeded Trojans have won a school-record 25 games, the latest being a second-round victory over Texas and its star, Kevin Durant.

Southern California will get a chance to build on that success against the Tar Heels, but it will have to stop Hansbrough to have a chance. He's collected 54 points and 19 rebounds in the first two games of the NCAA tournament.

When they met in December 2005, USC beat the visiting Tar Heels 74-59. It's still coach Roy Williams most-lopsided loss in his four years as head coach at Carolina.

(Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)