Spring Break
Who will win the men's basketball championship?
Matthew McDonough and Kevin Vellturo
Issue date: 4/2/09 Section: Sports
North Carolina
North Carolina began and ended the year as the No. 1 team in the country, and they will close it out with a national championship. With Ty Lawson healthy, they have four players who are among the best in the country. Tyler Hansbrough's tenacity at both ends of the floor will overwhelm Hasheem Thabeet and the 3-point-shooting from Danny Green, Wayne Ellington and Lawson will make them champions.
UConn
There is a reason why UConn was the only team not to cut down the nets after its regional final victory. It is going to be the one cutting down the nets in Detroit. The third UConn team to ever make the Final Four will cap off its magical season with one shining moment in the Motor City. Head coach Jim Calhoun and the Huskies will be a perfect 3-for-3 in Final Fours and be crowned National Champions. A.J. Price, Jeff Adrien, Craig Austrie and Hasheem Thabeet will all get to leave Storrs with rings on their finger.
Matt McDonough: UConn beat an ACC team in the '99 and '04 title games and it'll happen again this year. To coin Calhoun's favorite phrase, "Quite frankly," UConn is better. It is a perfect 2-for-2 in Final Fours, while North Carolina, having made many more, is a measly 4-for-17. Tyler Hansbrough and his team laid a big fat egg last year against Kansas. There is no doubt that Baby Blue will crumble on the big stage again.
Kevin Vellturo: While UConn has had success against the ACC in both '99 and '04, the fact remains that history is irrelevant in this case. North Carolina began and ended the regular season at No. 1 for a reason. With a healthy Ty Lawson, it is the best team in the country.
Matt: North Carolina has looked like the team to beat as of late, but the Huskies haven't looked too shabby either, even without their star Jerome Dyson. Kemba Walker and Craig Austrie have taken pressure off A.J. Price as of late. It is fitting the Final Four is in the Motor City because Walker will motor right by Lawson to the basket.
North Carolina began and ended the year as the No. 1 team in the country, and they will close it out with a national championship. With Ty Lawson healthy, they have four players who are among the best in the country. Tyler Hansbrough's tenacity at both ends of the floor will overwhelm Hasheem Thabeet and the 3-point-shooting from Danny Green, Wayne Ellington and Lawson will make them champions.
UConn
There is a reason why UConn was the only team not to cut down the nets after its regional final victory. It is going to be the one cutting down the nets in Detroit. The third UConn team to ever make the Final Four will cap off its magical season with one shining moment in the Motor City. Head coach Jim Calhoun and the Huskies will be a perfect 3-for-3 in Final Fours and be crowned National Champions. A.J. Price, Jeff Adrien, Craig Austrie and Hasheem Thabeet will all get to leave Storrs with rings on their finger.
Matt McDonough: UConn beat an ACC team in the '99 and '04 title games and it'll happen again this year. To coin Calhoun's favorite phrase, "Quite frankly," UConn is better. It is a perfect 2-for-2 in Final Fours, while North Carolina, having made many more, is a measly 4-for-17. Tyler Hansbrough and his team laid a big fat egg last year against Kansas. There is no doubt that Baby Blue will crumble on the big stage again.
Kevin Vellturo: While UConn has had success against the ACC in both '99 and '04, the fact remains that history is irrelevant in this case. North Carolina began and ended the regular season at No. 1 for a reason. With a healthy Ty Lawson, it is the best team in the country.
Matt: North Carolina has looked like the team to beat as of late, but the Huskies haven't looked too shabby either, even without their star Jerome Dyson. Kemba Walker and Craig Austrie have taken pressure off A.J. Price as of late. It is fitting the Final Four is in the Motor City because Walker will motor right by Lawson to the basket.
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