One-Point Margin of Victory Is 1st in History of Event

RICHMOND, Va. North Carolina's 60-59 title-game victory Sundayover Louisiana Tech was the first one-point decision in the 13-yearhistory of the NCAA women's tournament.

In 1983, Southern Cal defeated Louisiana Tech 69-67. And in1988, Louisiana Tech came from behind to beat Auburn 56-54. Neithergame was decided on a last-second shot. In the only overtimechampionship game, Tennessee edged Virginia 70-67 in 1991.

The two-day attendance of 23,932 was the fifth-highest inhistory. The games were sold out last July.

ON TIME: There is no rule in the NCAA regarding the timerequired to get off a shot. In the NBA, there must be three-tenthsof a second on the clock to get off a shot.

North Carolina's Charlotte Smith received an inbounds pass fromStephanie Lawrence with seven-tenths of a second remaining.According to television replays, she released the game-winning shotwith three-tenths of a second left.

The last time an NCAA championship game was decided in the lastsecond was in North Carolina State's 54-52 victory over Houston in1983. Lorenzo Charles' shot at the buzzer gave late coach JimValvano his only title.

WORST TO FIRST: North Carolina coach Sylvia Hatchell has seenthe hard times. Her teams finished last in the Atlantic CoastConference three consecutive years from 1989 to 1991, when Tar Heelsseniors Tonya Sampson and Sylvia Crawley were freshmen.

Hatchell, who was named USA Today's coach of the year before thetournament, is 414-176 in 19 seasons.

"That first year, we played Virginia in the ACC tournament as aNo. 8 seed against the No. 1 seed," Hatchell said. "This year, whenwe beat Virginia (in the ACC tourney), I wanted Tonya and Sylvia tohave the nets to remind them how far they came."

"This means a lot when you look back at where we came from towhere we are," Crawley said. "It's really special to know you'vecome from the bottom. I can't put it into words. This is the wayI've always dreamed about it."

NUMBERS GAME: Smith thought she would have to wait until she wasa senior to wear No. 23. When she arrived in Chapel Hill, the numberbelonged to teammate Heather Thompson. But Thompson, who attendedthe game Sunday, was forced to stop playing after a series of ankleoperations.

"I was No. 32 before this season," Smith said. "Heather told meit was OK to take her number as long as I did it proud.

"I wanted the number because my mother wore No. 23, and so didother people in my family. I never thought about (Michael Jordan)until today, when about 1,000 people have told me."

MVP: Louisiana Tech coach Leon Barmore loses only one starter,point guard Pam Thomas. But filling her shoes won't be easy.

"Pam may be the most valuable player in the country," Barmoresaid. "Without her, we don't get this far. We don't beatMississippi or Tennessee or Southern Cal or Alabama. She has justbeen a tremendous player."

WHAT CHANNEL? Barmore is one of the most outspoken of the manycritics about playing the national semifinals and finals onconsecutive days because of a contract with CBS television.

"We got here on heart, guts, emotion and preparation," Barmoresaid. "We played with heart, guts and emotion.

"I guess I'll go back to the hotel and watch Arkansas play Duke.They are playing (Sunday), aren't they?"

CHAMPIONS: North Carolina won its 22nd NCAA championship. TheTar Heels have 12 titles in women's soccer, four each in men'sbasketball and men's lacrosse and one in women's field hockey.