#2 Michigan State (31-6) vs. #1 North Carolina (33-4)One more win Heels, that is all you need. However, that win will be the hardest win the Heels would have earned all season. They have to play a Michigan State team that is on fire right now, in Detroit, in front of a crowd that will be almost entirely pro Spartans. Don't let Carolina's 98-63 beat down of the Spartans in December at Ford Field fool you, this Spartans team, and the crowd will be much different. The Spartans were without C Goran Suton in the first meeting. While Suton made no impact in their Final Four win against Connecticut he can still be a dangerous player. Also, Spartans F Raymar Morgan was battling injuries at the time. He played a great game Saturday and could be a difference maker in the game tonight. Tonight's game will have a crowd of about 73,000, when the teams played in December the crowd was just 25,000. I really underestimated the affect the crowd would have on the Spartans on Satuday. They definitely pumped them up and helped them play beyond how I think they would have played anywhere else.
Carolina was never seriously challenged by Villanova on Saturday and they played their "C" game. Despite having a huge advantage in height they were outrebouned by the Wildcats. The Heels also missed 15 free throws, uncharacteristic for them. This is some cause for concern because they will have to play their "A" game tonight, but it also shows just how good Carolina is. They played an average game and still blew out a team that was one of the best teams in the country.
The makeup of these teams couldn't be more different. Michigan State prides itself on defense and uses defense to create offense. Carolina is all about running up and down and scoring at will. They play defense when they need to but it certainly isn't something they pride themselves on. The old adage is defense wins championships but I don't think that will be the case this year. I think it will be a hell of game and I can't wait to see the battles between Ty Lawson and Kalin Lucas, Tyler Hansbrough and Raymar Morgan, and Ed Davis and Goran Suton. Believe it or not I think Danny Green will make the difference in this one. Green had another good game Saturday and seems to be heating back up at just the right time. He will hit some key shots late and Carolina will win their sixth national championship. Roy Williams will have won with his players and erased the silly argument that his first national title was slightly tainted because he won with a crappy coach's guys. Hansbrough will leave college as a national champion, and 4-0 at Cameron Indoor Stadium, making him one of the greatest Heels to ever play. Ty Lawson will have his championship, and likely leave for the NBA, cementing himself as the greatest point guard in Carolina history. The storybook ending would be the Spartans winning in Detroit, but this feel good story won't have a happy ending.
Prediction: North Carolina 81, Michigan State 78
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