Atlanta Region – Regional Semifinals: No. 4 LSU held Duke below 28 percent shooting and had four players score in double figures, holding on late to defeat No. 1 Duke by a score of 62-54. The Blue Devils (30-3) become the first No. 1 seed to fall despite a valiant effort, as they came back in the second half after trailing for a good portion of the game. The Tigers (26-8) managed to hold the lead in the first half while Glen Davis (14 points) and Tyrus Thomas (nine points, 13 rebounds, five blocked shots) sat with foul trouble. Darrel Mitchell had 14 points and five assists, and Tasmin Mitchell added 10 points and 10 rebounds for LSU. Shelden Williams led Duke with 23 points, 13 rebounds and four blocks, while J.J. Redick added 11 points but struggled with a 3-of-18 shooting night.
No. 2 Texas won an even more thrilling regional semifinal in a 74-71 nightcap vs. No. 7 West Virginia. Kenton Paullino drained a deep three-pointer from the wing as time expired to break a 71-71 tie and give the Longhorns the victory. Texas withstood a second-half charge by the Mountaineers in which West Virginia erased a 12-point halftime deficit. LaMarcus Aldridge was unstoppable for Texas, leading all scorers with 26 points and grabbing 13 rebounds. He created a match up nightmare for West Virginia. But the Mountaineers’ three-point reliant offense nearly forced overtime. Down five points with 30 seconds remaining, West Virginia ran a play to free Mike Gansey, who drained a 24-foot bomb. Then with five seconds remaining and after the Longhorns had made one of two free throws, Kevin Pittsnogle, who scored 19 points to lead the team in his final game at West Virginia, drilled another long three-pointer to tie the game, setting up the grand finale for Paulino. [3/23/06]
