Sun Devils Are at Home to Battle the Tar Heels

Through the season, the Arizona State women never talked publicly about the tantalizing prospect of an NCAA regional semifinal game at home.

They sure thought about it, though.

Now the Sun Devils have made it, and they will need all the home-court advantage they can muster against North Carolina in the semifinals of the Tempe Regional tonight.

The top-seeded Tar Heels (29-3), ranked fourth nationally, have won 15 in a row. They blew out their first- and second-round opponents by an average of almost 30 points.

Those victories, though, came at home in Chapel Hill. Now the Tar Heels will be the ones facing a hostile crowd, expected to reach 8,000 to 9,000 at Wells Fargo Arena, where Arizona State (24-9) is 12-1 this season.

North Carolina’s ever-energized, sophomore mini-point guard Ivory Latta says bring it on.

“I like to play in front of crowds whether they’re with me or against me,” she said Friday. “It’s not going to affect me any while I’m down here.”

Latta, optimistically listed at 5 feet 6, pushes the upbeat tempo the Tar Heels love.

“She is a very passionate player, very skilled, fast, quick, athletic,” North Carolina Coach Sylvia Hatchell said. “She can shoot the three, but all that’s in a real small package.”

Also today, second-seeded Baylor (29-3) and third-seeded Minnesota (26-7) will meet in what promises to be a bruising matchup in the first semifinal game.

Baylor, on a 16-game winning streak, is after its first Final Four berth. Minnesota was there last year.

The Gophers pride themselves on playing rough.

“That’s just the way we play,” Minnesota Coach Pat Borton said.

The Lady Bears from Waco say that’s fine with them.

“We’re no pushover,” Baylor Coach Kim Mulkey-Robertson said. “I think we play pretty physical ourselves. The Big 12 is known for its physical play.”

*

Today’s games

AT CHATTANOOGA

At Tennessee Chattanooga

* Liberty (26-6) vs. Louisiana State (31-2), 9 a.m., ESPN

* Georgia (24-9) vs. Duke (30-4), 11 a.m., ESPN

AT TEMPE

At Arizona State

* Minnesota (26-7) vs. Baylor (29-3), 6 p.m., ESPN

* North Carolina (29-3) vs. Arizona State (24-9), 8 p.m., ESPN2