All ova for Villanova: UNC rolls on to final

April 5, 2009 at 12:00a.m.

DETROIT (AP) — In a classic case of men vs. boys, North Carolina never gave Villanova much chance to breathe, let alone whip up a fresh dose of Final Four magic.

Ty Lawson scored 22 points, Wayne Ellington had 20 more, and the Tar Heels, with their four, five, maybe more NBA-caliber players, eased to an 83-69 win Saturday night over the plucky but overmatched Wildcats.

Tyler Hansbrough had 18 points and 11 rebounds to mark a quite successful return to the Final Four after a remarkable dud last year in a semifinal loss to Kansas. Next up, North Carolina (33-4) goes for its second title in five years Monday against Michigan State, an 82-73 winner over Connecticut.

Villanova (30-8) ends a successful season two wins short of its first title since 1985, when Rollie Massimino coaxed one of the greatest upsets in sports history out of his guys — 66-64 over John Thompson and Georgetown.

Scene

The streets of the Motor City were buzzing on a sun-splashed day as thousands of Michigan State fans soaked up the Final Four experience.

“Go green! Go white!” was heard early and often, especially when the student sections for each of the four schools were corralled on a sidewalk between Ford Field and Comerica Park.

North Carolina student Kevin Coletta chuckled at the scene.

“It’s pretty funny,” the 22-year-old native of Cary, N.C., said. “They’re very enthusiastic, and they should be. I just feel bad for them because ... we already beat them by 35 here.”

The Spartans upheld their part, beating Connecticut 82-73 in the first semifinal.