EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - North Carolina point guard Ty Lawson said Sunday that he is "95 to 100 percent" certain that he will return to North Carolina next season.

"I'll probably be here next year. ... I have more to learn," the freshman said after UNC lost to Georgetown 96-84 in overtime in the East Regional final.

But teammates Brandan Wright and Tyler Hansbrough didn't sound so certain.

"I haven't really gave it any thought at all; I didn't want to take anything away from my teammates, and our quest to get to the Final Four," said Wright, a freshman who could be picked as high as the top 5 if he goes pro. "... Me and Coach will have some meetings in the near future, and I'll make my decision."

Earlier in tournament, Hansbrough, a sophomore, said he would probably return because he likes school. But asked in the aftermath of Sunday, he said: "I haven't given it any thought yet."

HEELS GET BIG SUPPORT: It didn't help much, but there were legends galore near courtside to support the Tar Heels.

Pete Brennan and Tommy Kearns, starters and stars on the 32-0 NCAA 1957 title team, were there. So was New York Knicks assistant coach Phil Ford.

"I couldn't miss this one. I just wish it had ended with a score in our favor, but these guys worked hard. I'm proud of them," Brennan said.

ROY'S RECORD: The loss was only the second in seven regional championship games for Roy Williams. He was 4-1 at Kansas and is now 1-1 with Carolina. The one loss at Kansas was to Syracuse in the 1996 West Regional final at Denver.

The '96 Final Four was played at the Meadowlands, where Kentucky defeated the Orange for the national title.

COUNTDOWN: Carolina fans are depressed today, but there is always something to anticipate in sports.

It's only 158 days until Butch Davis officially debuts as the Tar Heels football coach. The opponent, James Madison on Sept. 1 in Kenan Stadium, probably won't have as much size as Georgetown.

LONG WAIT: Georgetown is back in the Final Four for the first time since 1985. Current coach John Thompson III was 18 then.

The loss to Villanova in the title game that season came a year after the Hoyas won the title for his father, John Thompson Jr., and three seasons after the loss to UNC in New Orleans.

"I'll think back to that and I''ll be happy that we can get the team back to the place where it was," Thompson, III said.

"But this season belongs to this team. We're proud of our history, but we want to create some more history. We have that chance now."

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