Monday, April 6, 2009

NCAA Championship: NC Looks Rock Solid as Big Favorite

I've suggested that NC wasn't as good as some college basketball fans had thought. I made excuses for why they beat Gonzaga so easily (Gonzaga was overrated) or why they beat Oklahoma so easily (OU was Blake Griffin and a bunch of wannabees).

Then, I saw NC pretty much hand it to what I thought was one of the best teams in the nation this past Saturday, the Villanova Wildcats. North Carolina shut down both Scottie Reynolds and Dante Cunningham in that game. The Tar Heels' defense was exceptional, Ty Lawson was terrific, and Danny Green was unstoppable.

As well as Michigan State has looked, the dream ends tonight. I just don't see how Michigan State has any chance against North Carolina. That Tar Heels are that good. As I've bene telling people shortly after the 'Nova destrcution, Michigan State is a very good team. North Carolina is a great team. Carolina dumped the Spartans by over 30 points the last time the two teams met.

It won't be that bad, but it could get ugly. I see NC winning by between 10 to 16 to maybe even 20 points in this game. They're the bet.

North Carolina should cover at -7 1/2 in the NCAA Championship game tonight.

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

Final Four: Long Shots Could Rule This Saturday

The Michigan State Spartans and Villanova Wildcats, both decided long shots in their respective semi-final games against Connecticut and North Carolina, could very well end up playing each other in Monday's NCAA Tournament Championship game.

Why? Because even though NC and UConn have looked unbeatable neither team had to navigate the difficult road that both the Spartans and Wildcats have had to.

NC got to run over Gonzaga and Oklahoma. The 'Zags have been overrated all season. Oklahoma was Blake Griffin and a bunch of high-schoolers.

Connecticut got to play Purdue, who just didn't match-up that well with them, and Missouri. Missouri was a good team but they weren't nearly as good as the team that Michigan State had to beat last weekend.

State beat USC, the Pac-10 tourney champs, Kansas, the Big-12 Regular Season and defending national champs, and Louisville, the Big East regular season and tournament champs, to get to the Final Four. Talk about putting together a streak!

Villanova had to squash Duke, the ACC tourney champions, and Pittsburgh, one of the toughest teams in the nation that, by the way, beat UConn twice during the regular season.

I like both Michigan State, at +4 in their game versus the Huskies, and 'Nova, at +7 in their game versus North Carolina, to upset the favorites and see each other on Monday night in the NCAA Championship game.