Tar Heels in shutdown mode

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Roy Williams has never stopped pushing his North Carolina team to play better defense, not even as it piled up lopsided wins and crowd-pleasing offensive displays that few teams can match.

The Tar Heels gave their Hall of Fame coach what he has been asking for Thursday night in an East Regional semifinal against Washington State -- and it has them a game away from the Final Four again.

Tyler Hansbrough scored 16 of his 18 points in the second half and the top-seeded Tar Heels held Washington State to 32% shooting in a 68-47 victory that sent North Carolina back to the NCAA tournament’s round of eight for the second straight season.

Danny Green had 15 points to help the Tar Heels (35-2) set a school record for victories while continuing their dominant tournament run. North Carolina, seeded No. 1 overall in the tournament, has won its first three NCAA games by 20 or more points for the first time in program history as it chases a record 17th trip to the Final Four.

North Carolina will play Louisville on Saturday with a clear home-court advantage, playing in an arena located about two hours from its Chapel Hill campus. Louisville defeated Tennessee, 79-60.

On this night -- facing a team that had completely shut down its first two tournament foes -- everything started with a defensive performance that was the school’s best in the tournament since before Williams was born.

It was the fewest points allowed by the Tar Heels in an NCAA game since 1946.

“We continued to talk about this throughout the year, the fact that we’re tired of hearing that North Carolina can’t play defense and that’s going to be our weak link,” junior Marcus Ginyard said. “But tonight, I think you see that this team has the capability of buckling down and being that great defensive team.”

There was no room to argue with the Tar Heels’ vocal leader. Fourth-seeded Washington State (26-9) managed just 18 field goals while scoring 20 points below its average. The Cougars also went two for 16 from three-point range.

“Defensively we thought we were really good,” Williams said, “but yet let’s be honest -- they missed some open shots.”

North Carolina improved to 24-1 in NCAA games played in its home state and is 7-0 all-time in Charlotte Bobcats Arena.

Derrick Low and Aron Baynes scored 14 points each for the Cougars.