Ty Lawson

Ty Lawson's resume would impress any NBA team: great speed, the quickness to penetrate, the strength to finish against taller opponents, excellent passer, improving shooter, a cool customer in big games, arguably the best player on North Carolina's national championship team. The 76ers certainly are impressed. But with the NBA draft looming on June 25, they don't know if they'll need to use their first-round pick on a point guard, given the uncertain status of free agent Andre Miller, with whom they cannot negotiate until July 1. So they brought in the 5-foot-11 Lawson yesterday to the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine as they begin to wrap up trying to identify whom the best player will be when their turn comes in the draft at No. 17. Courtney Witte, the team's director of player personnel, said the Sixers would look primarily at players at both guard positions while "taking into account" the Miller situation.

Here are the Daily News' predicted picks for the first round of tonight's NBA draft.   Phil Jasner   1. L.A. Clippers: Blake Griffin, C, Oklahoma 2. Memphis: Tyreke Evans, G, Memphis 3. Oklahoma City: James Harden, G, Arizona State 4. Sacramento: Ricky Rubio, G, Spain 5. Minnesota: Jonny Flynn, G, Syracuse 6. Minnesota: Hasheem Thabeet, C, Connecticut 7. Golden State: DeMar DeRozan, F, Southern...

Tyler Hansbrough wants to make one more run at the national championship. The North Carolina star will have to wait a little longer to find out whether two of his high-scoring teammates will be back to help him. The Associated Press national player of the year said yesterday he will return for his senior year. However, sophomores Ty Lawson and Episcopal Academy's Wayne Ellington will declare for the NBA draft, though they won't hire agents - leaving open the possibility of their return.

THE LINES (TOMORROW AT DETROIT) Connecticut vs. Michigan State: Connecticut favored by 4; total: 133 North Carolina vs. Villanova: North Carolina favored by 7 1/2; total: 159. MONEY LINES Connecticut -$190; Michigan St. +$170 North Carolina -$360; Villanova +$300 CONNECTICUT DOUBLE RESULT UConn leads at half & wins: 1-1 Michigan State leads at half & wins: 5-2 Michigan State leads at half & UConn wins: 5-1...

North Carolina vs. Southern California NCAA East Regional Semifinal When: Tonight, 9:57 (approximate) Where: Continental Airlines Arena, East Rutherford, N.J. TV/Radio: CBS3/WPEN (950-AM). Records: North Carolina 30-6, USC 25-11 History: UNC leads the series, 7-1. The Trojans' only win was last season, 74-59, at the Los Angeles Sports Arena. How they got here: No. 1 North Carolina defeated No. 16 Eastern Kentucky, 86-65, and No. 9 Michigan State, 81-67.

After a handful of early-season upsets, Davidson was hoping to join the crowd. Wayne Ellington thought otherwise. The Episcopal Academy product scored 20 points and made key plays late to help North Carolina avoid a major scare and beat Davidson, 72-68, last night in Charlotte. Trailing for much of the second half, North Carolina (1-0) closed the game strong. Ellington's free throw with 3:44 left put the Tar Heels ahead to stay. His jumper with a little more than a minute left made it a three-point game.

The 76ers have announced they will work out five draft prospects, including North Carolina point guard Ty Lawson, on Friday at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. The NBA draft, in which the Sixers have the 17th overall pick, will be held June 25 at Madison Square Garden. Sixers general manager Ed Stefanski has already said the team will look to draft a point guard or shooting guard. All five prospects working out Friday are guards. The workout is scheduled for 10 a.m. Besides Lawson, the other four players are Toney Douglas, Stefon Jackson, Jodie Meeks, and Terrence Williams.

Wayne Ellington and Ty Lawson put off a jump to the NBA last season so they could improve their draft standing and make another run at a national championship. Now with that title in hand, the juniors figure it's the perfect time to give pro ball another try. They announced yesterday that they would enter the draft again, ending their college careers a few weeks after leading North Carolina to its fifth NCAA championship. Both players declared last year so they could work out at the predraft camp and for teams before deciding to return to school, a "testing-the-waters" option they can use only once.

Villanova's leading scorer, Dante Cunningham, has seen it before - his point guard flying down the court, beating his man and the buzzer for the game winner. The point guard he was referring to? Ty Lawson, starter for North Carolina, Villanova's opponent tomorrow in the Final Four semifinals. "He always had the ball in his hands," Cunningham said yesterday of Lawson, his first point guard and probably the quickest player left in the NCAA tournament. Here's his most vivid Lawson memory, from an old AAU game: "We were down one, there were only a couple of seconds left.

The Daily News spoke with a coach from a team that played both North Carolina and Villanova this season. In exchange for anonymity, he was willing to share his observations on both teams and how he sees the matchup. "Villanova," the coach said, "needs to hold its own on the glass. " The coach sees Dante Cunningham as a very difficult matchup for the Tar Heels. He thinks Cunningham is too quick for Tyler Hansbrough and, if Deon Thompson or Ed Davis guards him, "he needs to knock down the 15-footer that he has all season.

Think a woman singing "One Shining Moment" is an upset? Consider this: When CBS unveils the NCAA tournament bracket tonight, neither North Carolina, Connecticut, UCLA nor Indiana will be in it. Baylor and New Mexico could be No. 4 seeds, Butler and Temple could be No. 5 seeds, and Northern Iowa could be a No. 6. Texas, which was the No. 1 team in the country two months ago, could drop as low as a No. 9 seed, and the fourth No. 1 seed, presumably Duke,...

First Round   2. Memphis, Hasheem Thabeet, c, Connecticut. 3. Oklahoma City, James Harden, g, Arizona State. 4. Sacramento, Tyreke Evans, g, Memphis. 5. Minnesota (from Washington), Ricky Rubio, g, DKV Joventut (Spain). 6. Minnesota, Jonny Flynn, g, Syracuse. 7. Golden State, Stephen Curry, g, Davidson. 8. New York, Jordan Hill, f, Arizona. 9. Toronto, DeMar DeRozan, g, Southern California. 10. Milwaukee, Brandon Jennings, g, Lottomatica Roma (Italy)

Here are the Daily News' predicted picks for the first round of tonight's NBA draft.   Phil Jasner   1. L.A. Clippers: Blake Griffin, C, Oklahoma 2. Memphis: Tyreke Evans, G, Memphis 3. Oklahoma City: James Harden, G, Arizona State 4. Sacramento: Ricky Rubio, G, Spain 5. Minnesota: Jonny Flynn, G, Syracuse 6. Minnesota: Hasheem Thabeet, C, Connecticut 7. Golden State: DeMar DeRozan, F, Southern...

Ty Lawson's resume would impress any NBA team: great speed, the quickness to penetrate, the strength to finish against taller opponents, excellent passer, improving shooter, a cool customer in big games, arguably the best player on North Carolina's national championship team. The 76ers certainly are impressed. But with the NBA draft looming on June 25, they don't know if they'll need to use their first-round pick on a point guard, given the uncertain status of free agent Andre Miller, with whom they cannot negotiate until July 1. So they brought in the 5-foot-11 Lawson yesterday to the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine as they begin to wrap up trying to identify whom the best player will be when their turn comes in the draft at No. 17. Courtney Witte, the team's director of player personnel, said the Sixers would look primarily at players at both guard positions while "taking into account" the Miller situation.

Ty Lawson's resume would impress any NBA team: great speed, the quickness to penetrate, the strength to finish against taller opponents, excellent passer, improving shooter, a cool customer in big games, arguably the best player on North Carolina's national championship team. The 76ers certainly are impressed. But with the NBA draft looming on June 25, they don't know if they'll need to use their first-round pick on a point guard, given the uncertain status of free agent Andre Miller, with whom they cannot negotiate until July 1. So they brought in the 5-foot-11 Lawson yesterday to the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine as they begin to wrap up trying to identify whom the best player will be when their turn comes in the draft at No. 17. Courtney Witte, the team's director of player personnel, said the Sixers would look primarily at players at both guard positions while "taking into account" the Miller situation.

The 76ers have announced they will work out five draft prospects, including North Carolina point guard Ty Lawson, on Friday at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. The NBA draft, in which the Sixers have the 17th overall pick, will be held June 25 at Madison Square Garden. Sixers general manager Ed Stefanski has already said the team will look to draft a point guard or shooting guard. All five prospects working out Friday are guards. The workout is scheduled for 10 a.m. Besides Lawson, the other four players are Toney Douglas, Stefon Jackson, Jodie Meeks, and Terrence Williams.

How would North Carolina point guard Ty Lawson look in a 76ers jersey? Lawson's stock has dropped somewhat because of questions about his durability and his size (6 feet), so he could be available when the 76ers pick at No. 17 in the NBA draft June 25. Lawson said at the draft combine yesterday he wouldn't mind the style of play or location that Philadelphia offers. "Oh yeah, they play up and down; Elton Brand, East Coast, yeah, I'd love to play there," Lawson said with a smile.

The two-day NBA draft combine returned yesterday to its previous home after being held the last three years in Orlando, and along with the change in venue came a different format. Instead of evaluating the invited players in five-on-five scrimmages open to the media, the assembled league front-office personnel and coaches limited the proceedings to watching the prospects go through various drills in sessions that are closed to the press. This marked the first year that full-court scrimmages were not conducted.

Wayne Ellington and Ty Lawson put off a jump to the NBA last season so they could improve their draft standing and make another run at a national championship. Now with that title in hand, the juniors figure it's the perfect time to give pro ball another try. They announced yesterday that they would enter the draft again, ending their college careers a few weeks after leading North Carolina to its fifth NCAA championship. Both players declared last year so they could work out at the predraft camp and for teams before deciding to return to school, a "testing-the-waters" option they can use only once.

Wayne Ellington, the Episcopal Academy graduate named outstanding player of the Final Four after North Carolina won the NCAA title, yesterday declared for the NBA draft. Ellington joined teammate Ty Lawson at a news conference in Chapel Hill. Both juniors said they are leaving UNC to turn pro, which wasn't a surprise. "Winning a championship definitely had a lot to do with it," Ellington said. "There's no better way to go out. It's something that's very hard to achieve and we worked for it. " An NBA scout said during the Final Four that he thought Ellington had solidified his place late in the first round of the draft.