Associated Press
DETROIT ó Ty Lawson sat down in front of reporters at Ford Field on Thursday and answered questions about everything from his habit of pulling pranks on teammates, his improved play as North Carolina’s point guard and playing on the same AAU team as Villanova’s Dante Cunningham.
Yet, for one of the few times in the past three weeks, one subject didn’t dominate conversation: The Toe.
Maybe that’s because the Tar Heels’ floor leader doesn’t seem too worried about it heading into the Final Four.
“It’s pretty much a nonfactor right now,” he said.
Lawson jammed his right big toe during practice two days before the regular-season finale against Duke, but he played 36 minutes and nearly had a triple-double in that win. The next day, the toe swelled unexpectedly and kept him out of two ACC Tournament games followed by the NCAA tournament opener the following week.
He hasn’t looked limited since his return. He scored 21 of his 23 points after halftime in an 84-70 win against LSU, then had 19 points and nine assists against Gonzaga. In the regional final against Oklahoma, Lawson had 19 points and was selected as the South Regional’s most outstanding player.
Lawson sounded ready for Saturday’s matchup with Villanova. On a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being the best, Lawson said the toe felt like an 8.
Lawson needed a painkilling shot to play against the Blue Devils, though coach Roy Williams had said earlier in the tournament that Lawson wouldn’t do it again. He echoed that Thursday.
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SQUEAL WITH DELIGHT: Jay Wright will have his lucky charm tucked safely in his pocket as Villanova tries to huff and puff and blow UNC down.
Move over Babe and Wilbur. Wright has his own lucky pig.
Wright’s 10-year-old daughter, Reilly, decided midway through the season that her dad needed a good-luck charm before big games, so she gave him a miniature stuffed pig. Reilly Wright had been bringing her own pigs to games and passed one on to her dad. He’s kept the pig safely tucked in his designer suit’s inside pocket, and he’ll have it Saturday against the Tar Heels.
“I certainly didn’t want my players knowing I had a little pig in my pocket,” Wright said. “And I also had to admit to my daughter that I really don’t believe that the pigs win us the game.”
Oh yeah? Well, the Wildcats haven’t had a two-game losing streak all season.
“She now has a bunch of those little pigs and carries a stuffed animal pig,” Wright said. “It was between me and my daughter. Well, not anymore. Now, it’s just embarrassing.”
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ROAD TO THE FINAL FOUR: Only Michigan State hit the road for Ford Field, which is just 90 miles from the Spartans’ campus in East Lansing.
The NCAA posted signs in the four corners of the arena showing the distance the other teams traveled.
Connecticut came the farthest: 746 miles. Close behind was North Carolina at 701, followed by Villanova at 572.
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MVP FAN: J-Roll backs his ‘Cats.
Philadelphia Phillies shortstop Jimmy Rollins, who played for the Piedmont Boll Weevils, is friends with Wright. He was one of 333 well-wishers who texted him after Villanova clinched their Final Four berth.
Rollins met Wright at a Midnight Madness, and they’ve kept in touch.
“The way he goes out there, he’s a disciplinarian and he gets your attention,” Rollins said. “He knows his stuff, knows his players. I just admire everything about that.”