Mar 16, 2008 - 7:38 PM
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That means the top-ranked Tar Heels, who claimed their record 12th No. 1 seed, can reach the Final Four in San Antonio without leaving their home state. North Carolina would play its first two games in Raleigh, with the regional semifinals and finals set for Charlotte.
"I don't think it's an advantage," said North Carolina coach Roy Williams, whose team is the overall top seed in the tournament. "I really don't. It's an advantage if you are playing well."
The Tar Heels (33-2) hope history repeats as the road to their last three national championships - 1982, 1993 and 2005 - began in North Carolina.
They begin their latest quest with a first-round contest on Friday against the winner of Tuesday's play-in game between Coppin State and Mount St. Mary's (18-14), the winner of the Northeast Conference.
Coppin State (16-20), which started its season 4-19, is the first team to make the NCAA tournament with 20 losses. The Eagles won four games in the MEAC tournament by a combined six points as the No. 7 seed.
First-round games in the Charlotte Region will played in Raleigh, Birmingham, Alabama and Denver.
Last season, North Carolina dropped an 96-84 overtime decision to Georgetown in the regional final in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
If forms holds, the Tar Heels would face No. 2 seed Tennessee in the regional final. The Volunteers (29-4) won their first Southeastern Conference regular-season title but were upset by Arkansas in the SEC tournament semifinals on Saturday.
Tennessee opens with American (21-11), which is making its first NCAA Tournament appearance in school history after winning the Patriot League title.
Completing the top four seeds in the Charlotte Regional are No. 3 Louisville of the Big East and No. 4 Washington State of the Pac-10.
In their first-round matchups, Louisville (24-8) faces No. 14 Boise State (25-8) and Washington State (24-8) takes on No. 13 Winthrop (22-11).
In the second round, North Carolina could face Indiana (25-7) in what would be a battle of two of the winningest programs in NCAA history. The Hoosiers open with Arkansas (22-11) in the eight vs. nine game.
Indiana was upset by Minnesota in the semifinals of the Big Ten tournament on a last-second shot on Friday while Arkansas fell to Georgia in Sunday's SEC title game.
The biggest surprise in the region may have been Oklahoma (22-11), which is not ranked in the USA Today/ESPN coaches' poll, receiving a No. 6 seed. The Sooners battle No. 11 Saint Joseph's (21-12), the Atlantic 10 Conference runner-up, in their first-round contest.
Oklahoma was seeded one spot ahead of Butler, which is ranked 10th in the nation.
The Bulldogs, the winners of the Horizon League, were sent to Birmingham, Alabama where they will play what amounts to a road game against South Alabama (26-6) in their first-round contest. The Jaguars were given an at-large bid after getting upset in the Sun Belt Conference tournament as the top seed.
Notre Dame (24-7), one of eight Big East teams in the tournament, received a No. 5 seed and meets No. 12 George Mason (23-10), winner of the Colonial Athletic Association.
Two years ago, the Patriots made a stunning run to the Final Four, shocking top-seeded Connecticut in the Washington Regional final. George Mason did not qualify for the NCAA Tournament last season.
Notre Dame was upset by Winthrop in the first round last as a No. 6 seed last year.
