From head to toe, Heels a body of work
At the start of the season, North Carolina was the overwhelming choice as the top team in college basketball. Injuries and the rigors of a tough Atlantic Coast Conference season left the Tar Heels a bit banged up, but don't be surprised if they end the season in Detroit, just as they planned.
The Tar Heels should have no problem with Radford in their opener, nor will Butler or LSU be an issue in Round 2. Not in Greensboro, N.C. Expect the opponent to be Butler because LSU has been steadily sliding for several weeks.
North Carolina's next opponent in Memphis? Not No. 4 seed Gonzaga. The Zags will breeze past Akron in their opener but then find a hungry Western Kentucky team, which will have squeezed past Illinois. The 12th-seeded Hilltoppers will knock off Gonzaga to keep their season going for another week.
The bottom half of the bracket looks soft. Oklahoma is the No. 2 seed, but the Sooners look beatable. They should crush Morgan State, but Michigan or Clemson will be waiting. Clemson is talented, but erratic. Michigan has developed into a solid team in John Beilein's second season. They will get past Clemson and then scare Oklahoma. But Michigan doesn't have an answer for Blake Griffin, and the Sooners will be off to Memphis as well.
The rest of that bracket looks wide open. Syracuse should have its legs back after its Big East tournament marathon. The Orange can get past Stephen F. Austin and then oust either Temple or Arizona State.
Dealing with Oklahoma will be a challenge. The teams met in Albany a few years ago in a second-round tournament game. This time the crowd will be more neutral, and the Sooners should be able to handle Syracuse, but it won't be easy.
North Carolina will be waiting and rested after ending Western Kentucky's 15 minutes of fame. The Tar Heels are too good and too hungry to fall short of the regional final.
An Oklahoma-North Carolina matchup should be fun, but the Tar Heels are the better team. And this time the better team will win.
UPSET SPECIAL: Western Kentucky over Gonzaga, Michigan over Clemson
MOVING TO MEMPHIS: Oklahoma, Syracuse, Western Kentucky, and North Carolina
REGIONAL CHAMP: North Carolina
