LSU takes aim at another Tobacco Road power

GREENSBORO - Former Duke guard J.J. Redick telephoned Tyler Hansbrough on Thursday to congratulate him on breaking Redick’s ACC career scoring record.

“It meant a lot, just because. . .he knows what it feels like and it is a special moment when you do break that record,” Hansbrough said Friday.

One thing they didn’t discuss was LSU. No wonder.

The Tigers, who meet North Carolina in an NCAA Tournament second-round game today at the Greensboro Coliseum, knocked Duke out of the NCAA Tournament with a 62-54 regional semifinal decision in 2006 in Atlanta.

It was the last game of Redick’s college career. Guard Garrett Temple, an excellent defender who helped hold Redick to 3-for-18 from the field and 11 points in that game, now is a senior for LSU.

“It was just a great atmosphere,” Temple said Friday. “We just soaked it all up and came in playing with nothing to lose, expecting to win and playing great, and we were able to get that win. I feel like this team is going to come out (Saturday) and do the same thing.”

Temple’s defense will be a key against guard Wayne Ellington, who scored a team-high 25 points in the Tar Heels’ tournament-opening defeat of Radford on Thursday.

“I love playing against guys that get up into you and want to challenge you,” Ellington said. “I think it will be a lot of fun.” – Ken Tysiac