EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Even before they heard coach Roy Williams hollering, Brandan Wright and his North Carolina teammates could tell they were in big trouble.

Down by 16 points early in the second half, the top-seeded Tar Heels suddenly shifted into another gear. Fueled by a huge run, they pulled off their biggest rally of the season and beat Southern California 74-64 last night in the East Regional semifinals.

"It was a fantastic comeback to say the least," Williams said. "I have a great deal of confidence in my team. ... I knew we wouldn't give up."

"At halftime, I didn't throw any chairs," he said. "I did get a little heated by our intensity, about our effort and about our concentration, but I personally never lost faith in our kids," he said.

Despite off games by Tyler Hansbrough and Ty Lawson, the Tar Heels (31-6) saved themselves with an 18-0 run, triggered when they pounded the offensive glass.

The victory set up a regional final tomorrow for college basketball fans to savor: North Carolina vs. Georgetown, a rematch of the 1982 championship game that Michael Jordan won in the closing seconds.

The Tar Heels weren't motivated about duplicating history. No, something else stirred them.

"Probably coach Williams yelling," Lawson said.

Fifth-seeded USC (25-12) was putting on a dunking exhibition and led 49-33 with 17:42 left before it all fell apart. Trojans coach Tim Floyd threw his program onto the court after a call in the final minute, and was whistled for a technical foul.

By then, Wright and his teammates had already done plenty to frustrate Floyd's team. The Tar Heels won their seventh in a row and it was notable — previously, their biggest comeback was 12 points against Winthrop.

Wright scored two straight baskets on offensive rebounds to get the Tar Heels within 57-49, then the freshman was a key part of the big run that put them ahead for the first time since the opening minute.

"That's a very good team, especially when they are in the flow," Trojans freshman Taj Gibson said. "I just knew it was going to be a tough one to win."

North Carolina reached the round of eight for the second time under Williams, who won the 2005 title with the Tar Heels.

Wright finished with 21 points and nine rebounds. He somehow offset Hansbrough's 1-for-6 shooting for five points and Lawson's four points.

Lawson, a sparkplug all season, admitted he was worried.

"A little bit when they went up 16 and they were in their flow and we still weren't playing defense," Lawson said. "That's when we decided we were going to pick it up or we were going home."

GEORGETOWN 66, VANDERBILT 65

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — With big man Roy Hibbert on the bench, Jeff Green knew he had to step up.

Turns out he might have taken one step too many as he lifted the Georgetown Hoyas into a regional final for the first time in 11 years.

Green squeezed between two defenders, spun and banked in a short, off-balance shot with 2.5 seconds to play to lead Georgetown to a 66-65 victory over Vanderbilt in the East Regional semifinals yesterday.

Replays seemed to suggest Green traveled by picking up his pivot foot. None of the three officials saw it that way.

"No," Green said when asked about a possible traveling violation. "There were a lot of guys in there. I probably got pushed. They didn't call it. The play was good, and that's all I can say."

Vanderbilt forward Ross Neltner wasn't complaining about the lack of a call, and he was double-teaming Green with Shan Foster on the play.

"I didn't really see anything," Neltner said. "We'll watch the tape, but it's inconsequential at this point."

The reality is second-seeded Georgetown (29-6) is headed to the East Regional final for a matchup against top-seeded North Carolina. The Hoyas accomplished it with 7-foot-2 center Hibbert on the bench after fouling out with 3:58 to play.

Vanderbilt (22-12) had one last chance to win the game but a long 3 by Alex Gordon did not come close. Green, the Big East player of the year, contested it, preserving the Hoyas' seventh straight win and 18th in 19 games.