Hansbrough: 'It'll be special'

CHAPEL HILL — North Carolina forward Tyler Hansbrough said he won't be keeping track of his point total Thursday night as he shoots closer and closer to the school's career scoring record.

"But I'll probably know when it happens,'' he deadpanned Wednesday.

Indeed, once he reaches his ninth point at the Smith Center — officially passing Phil Ford's record of 2,290 points, set in 1978 — the game will be stopped, and Ford, coach Roy Williams and athletics director Dick Baddour will present Hansbrough with the game ball (another will be waiting in the wings for completion of the game against Evansville).


After the game, a montage of Hansbrough's career highlights will be shown on the video boards, and Ford and Hansbrough are expected to say a few words to the crowd.

"It'll be special,'' Hansbrough said of having Ford, an assistant coach for the Charlotte Bobcats, in the building. "I feel that says something about Carolina as a whole. ... When you're part of something like that, you feel like he's your brother even though you don't know him that well."

Considering 781 of Hansbrough's career points have come on foul shots, it wouldn't be surprising for the senior to get the record on the free throw line. Although if he had his choice, "it would be me hitting a three. ... It probably won't happen, but I wouldn't doubt it if it did."

At this point, with all the fanfare, he just wants to make sure it happens, period.

"It would be pretty bad if I didn't get the record tomorrow [with] all this anticipation,'' he said.