It Really, Really, Really Hurts ... But Congrats To Villanova

SORRY.  NO PHOTO TODAY

I was stunned.  I actually knew it was going to happen, but I was still stunned.  Kris Jenkins hit a three-pointer at the buzzer to win the National Championship against my Heels.

Ugh.

Ugh.

It certainly stings.  It was the first buzzer beater to win an NCAA Tournament since NC State did in against Houston in 1983.  So, yeah, as a North Carolina fan, three of the most famous buzzer beaters in my life were NC State and Duke hitting them, and UNC getting one hit on them.

Ugh.

I've mentioned this in the past, but I have been pretty lucky when it comes to this.  My favorite teams (UNC football/basketball, Redskins, Lakers, Reds) have rarely lost like this.  Not just a buzzer beater, but in a title with a winner take all deal.  The Tar Heels hoops team had won their last four trips to the title game (1982, 1993, 2005, 2009).  The last title loss was in 1981 to Indiana, and I would turn six years old just a few months after that game.

My Redskins would lose Super Bowl XVIII in January 1984 (I was eight and it was rather devastating).  They'd win the next two Super Bowls (1988, 1992) and haven't sniffed that success since.

The Lakers have done it.  They lost Finals in 1983, 1989, 1991, 2004 and 2008, which sucked, but none of those went to a winner-take-all.  Two of those were sweeps and two others went just 5 games.  But the Lakers did have 1984 when they lost Game 7 of the Finals to the hated Celtics.  They also won Game 7 of the 1988 and 2010 Finals.

So I have been lucky.  I haven't seen my team lose in a winner-take-all championship game since 1984 when I was about to be 9 years old.  Since that game, I have watched North Carolina, Redskins and Lakers win 7 of these games and those teams win 14 championships.

So it is hard to go out like this.  However, I am glad it did happen this way.  There has been debates about losing on a buzzer beater and losing in a blowout.  Buzzer beater any day.  At least my team competed and had a shot to win it.

Ten Years Ago: UNC Beats Illinois For National Championship

The NCAA tournament is known for being wild sometimes.  The best team doesn't always win it and the best teams rarely play in the title game.

In 2005, those two teams did.

That Illinois team lost one game all season long, a one-point loss to Ohio State to end the season.  They had the three headed guard monster of Deron Williams, Dee Brown and Luther Head.  North Carolina lost just three games all year long, including a surprising loss to Georgia Tech in the ACC tournament.  They returned the trio of Raymond Felton, Sean May and Rashad McCants, brought in super freshman Marvin Williams (all four would become lottery picks in the same NBA Draft) and several upperclassmen who saw the tough times in Chapel Hill.  The Illini finished No. 1 in the final poll with UNC finishing No. 2.

What To Look Forward To: 2015-16 Tar Heels

The entire starting unit should be back for another crack at a Final
Four run in 2015-16.

Mighty Wisconsin ends the North Carolina Tar Heels season in the Sweet 16.  Better than the past two seasons, but not as good as I felt this team was prior to the start of the year.  Of any Carolina team I've seen in a while, this team certainly was in its place.  Essentially, the Heels beat all the teams it was supposed to beat and all 12 of their losses (with the exception to a loss at Pitt) was to a tournament team.

Carolina was the 2nd best rebounding team and the 2nd best assist team in the nation (and 17th in scoring).

So now we look to next year.  Provided no one leaves (I don't see that happening, but you never cough*Bullock McAdoo*cough know.  Brice Johnson would be the leading candidate to leave, but I don't see that happening, especially with his rather pedestrian tournament showing.

STARTERS

MARCUS PAIGE (Sr):  Paige had a down year to his standards.  Still, he is the heart and soul of this team.  He needs to work on being aggressive.  Now, this isn't all his fault.  He needs to have other guys able to create their own shots and hit perimeter shots to help space the floor and keep defenses from solely focusing on him.  If he can have a healthy season, we could see Paige back in the ACC Player Of The Year race.

JUSTIN JACKSON (So):  Jackson had an up-and-down freshman season.  Still, it says a lot that Ol' Roy stuck with him the entire season.  It paid off.  Over the final few weeks of the season, Jackson found his three-point shot and showed a lot more aggressive play.  He still gets lost out there at times, but his little floater should be one of the Heels' go to moves next season.

J.P. TOKOTO (Sr):  Tokoto is one of the most frustrating players.  His defense is really good and he is one of the best passers on the team.  His ability to play point forwards allows Paige to move without the ball.  That's a big deal.  But Tokoto is known for some bone-headed plays.  He'll throw balls away, take bad shots and take dumb fouls.  If he can shore that up, he'll be one of the most important cogs in a possible Final Four run next year.

BRICE JOHNSON (Sr):  Johnson also frustrates, but in a different manner.  He's so talented but sometimes we just don't know he's on the floor.  Some games he looks unstoppable.  He's got an array of ways to get off his shot and he can receive the ball and get it into shooting position faster than anyone in Chapel Hill since Antawn Jamison.  One thing he really needs to work on is his fouling.  He reaches in way to much and doesn't move his feet well on defense.  Essentially, he cheats defensively and it puts him in foul trouble.  He fouled out against Arkansas in the 3rd round and was in foul trouble all game against Wisconsin.  When he gets into a rhythm, he's tough.  But he can't do so when he's not on the floor.  Also, like Paige, he needs to be more aggressive offensively all game long.

KENNEDY MEEKS (Jr):  Meeks had health issues in the postseason (flu, knee sprain) which limited his effectiveness.  He, like Johnson, also has a tendency to foul a lot.  Meeks was a beast at times during the season and then looked ... meek ... at others.  He's an under the rim kind of player, and I'd love to see him be able to get more like Sean May or Tyler Hansbrough where they became decent mid-range shooters.  Also, it seems as if Meeks has a good game, Johnson doesn't.  They need to figure a way to make that work better and if Meeks had a more consistent jumper like Johnson does, it would do a world of good.

My Favorite Tar Heels ... By The Numbers

With UNC-Duke coming up, I'm feeling a bit nostalgic.  So here are my favorite UNC players by uniform number.  No, not the best player with each number ... but my favorite.  Names listed in italics were also considered.

0:  NATE BRITT.  I have a soft spot for Britt.

00:  ERIC MONTROSS.  The big man not only helped lead the Heels to the 1993 NCAA title, but is the current radio analyst for Carolina.  Brandan Haywood

1:  DEXTER STRICKLAND.  For three years, I was nervous anytime Strickland had the ball in his hands.  His senior year, I trusted him.  Melvin Scott, Marcus Ginyard.

2:  RAYMOND FELTON.  I loved Felton's game at Carolina and he quarterbacked the 2005 NCAA title team.  Wayne Ellington

3:  SHAMMOND WILLIAMS.  A combo guard who came up with some huge shots in his career.  Kennedy Meeks.

4:  BOBBY FRASOR.  A forgotten man in UNC lore.  Think about the point guard hierarchy and Frasor gets lost (in between Felton and Ty Lawson).  Still, he was a smart, heady player who made the smart play.  

5:  TY LAWSON.  There may not be a more difficult number to pick.  Lawson was the lynchpin to the 2009 title team and could not be guarded that season.  Nearly the perfect point guard for Roy Williams.  Fast, smart, tough and didn't turn the ball over.  Kendall Marshall, Ed Cota, Marcus Paige, Jeff McInnis.

Can We Get "Roy Williams Court" at the Dean Smith Center?

Normally I wouldn't agree with bestowing a huge honor to a guy that has been with your team for just six seasons. But it seems a bit different with Roy Williams.

Can we rename the floor at the Dean E. Smith Center the "Roy Williams Court"?

Again, Williams has been the head coach at Carolina for just six years, but he now has two National Championships and three Final Fours in those years. He also served a decade as an assistant under Dean Smith and was on the staff that won the 1982 National Championship.

His career marks are staggering, even if 15 years of it was from his time at Kansas. His six years (and he should have a few more) at Carolina has created a bridge to the Dean Smith days as well as creating new, fantastic memories. Former players like Michael Jordan, Vince Carter, Antawn Jamison and Julius Peppers were in attendance for Monday night's title tilt.

Most importantly for Tar Heel fans, he has wrestled away the ACC, the state of North Carolina and the Triangle away from Duke.

Maybe wait a year or so but Ol' Roy deserves the honor.

John Wall a Tar Heel?

Word is that Roy Williams made a phone call during some down time before the Final Four. Williams reportedly called mega-recruit John Wall for a chat.

Wall is the top point guard in the nation but hasn't committed anywhere yet. He was leaning toward Memphis, but that has changed now that John Calipari has left for Kentucky. Many people felt that he would follow Calipari but this may change some things.

First off, Roy Williams is a heck of a recruiter in his own right. Since coming to the Tar Heels in 2003, he has routinely had one of the best recruiting classes in nearly every year since. Also, he has quite a history with point guards and turning them into stars.

With Ty Lawson almost certain to enter June's NBA Draft, there is an opening at the point at Carolina. Larry Drew II will be a sophomore but I'm not sure if the confidence in him is there right now. I think Drew has a Bobby Frasor type career where he is a smart, good role guy but not a star.

Despite having one of the best recruiting hauls this year, they didn't get a true point guard. Dexter Strickland and Leslie McDonald are more like wing guards (though McDonald is a Ginyard-type that can do a lot of things). Wall would easily start.

So what if he is a one-and-done player (which he is). The Tar Heels have already reeled in 2010's top point guard recruit in Kendall Marshall.

Here could be the kicker: Wall is from Raleigh and going to Carolina would allow him to be near his ailing mother. He'll get the same (if not more) exposure as he would be getting at Kentucky. Or Duke or anywhere else he's interested in heading.

Ty Lawson Wins $250 at Casino

It is good to be Ty Lawson right now. Especially after he won $250 at a Detroit casino.

Lawson has led his North Carolina Tar Heels into the Final Four for the second straight year. Earlier this week, he was named to the All-American team. He is also a Wooden award finalist. He also won the Bob Cousy Award for the best point guard in the nation. That goes with his ACC Player of the Year award that he earned last month.

All that has come while he has become the darling of the 2009 NCAA Tournament. His stubbed toe was the storyline of the first weekend of the tournament. His awesome play dominated talk during the second weekend. He's on a roll.

Lawson won the money while playing craps at the Greektown Casino in Detroit.

This has to just thrill the NCAA. The NCAA already doesn't like holding the Final Four in cities that have casinos nearby. Detroit boasts three and promised to suspend any gambling on the Final Four this year. While Lawson didn't do anything wrong and has every legal right to go to the casino, the NCAA doesn't like how this can be perceived.

Final Four Program's NBA Players

Forget the guys who you will actually see play in the Final Four. Let's look at what these programs produce for the NBA. North Carolina and UConn are among the top schools in sending guys to the NBA. Michigan State has a few big time guys still doing their thing. Villanova? Not so much.

So here are my starting five (or three for Nova) for each Final Four team:

NORTH CAROLINA
Raymond Felton
Vince Carter
Marvin Williams
Antawn Jamison
Rasheed Wallace

VILLANOVA
Kyle Lowry
Randy Foye
Tim Thomas

UCONN
Ben Gordon
Rip Hamilton
Ray Allen
Rudy Gay
Emeka Okafor

MICHIGAN STATE
Shannon Brown
Jason Richardson
Mo Peterson
Zach Randolph
Paul Davis

Ranking the Sweet 16 Matchups

1-North Carolina vs Gonzaga: You can say that I ranked this game up here because I'm a Tar Heel fan, but I don't think another game in this round will feature more guys who will be playing in the NBA. There are stars in this one with Tyler Hansbrough, Ty Lawson, Wayne Ellington, Jeremy Pargo and Josh Heytvelt. The key guy may be Matt Bouldin who is the kind of guy that kills Carolina. This will be a high scoring affair that should be quite a show. Pick: UNC

2-Memphis vs Missouri: This will be an amazing game. Both are great defensive teams, but in different ways. Memphis locks down opponents all over the place. Missouri puts on that rabid press that forces guards to cough up the ball and give the Tigers (Missouri, that is) easy buckets. It will be interesting to see freshman Tyreke Evans handle that. There is the factor that Mizzou coach Mike Anderson used to coach at UAB, the last Conference USA team to beat Memphis (Anderson was the coach of that team). Still, Memphis is so deep and so tall that they have the talent to deal with the pressure. Pick: Memphis

3-Duke vs Villanova: One of those 50-50 games. These teams are very similar. Great guards, defensive nature and not the most depth in the frontcourt. Interesting now that this game is in Boston. That was Big East country for years and should benefit Nova. But Boston has become ACC country now that BC is a member and Duke's last non-Carolina loss was up in Boston. Pick: Villanova.

4-Michigan State vs Kansas: Of all the games out there, this is probably the one where the picks are split down the middle. Now, we've already seen this game before with the Spartans blew out the Jayhawks a few months ago in East Lansing. But Kansas gets this game on a neutral court and Cole Aldrich is playing better than any big man right now (save Blake Griffin). Michigan State is playing better, too.

5-Oklahoma vs Syracuse: Above, we have seen games against similar type teams. This one will be a battle of opposites. Syracuse will use it's zone against Blake Griffin and the Sooners. This will make Griffin's job tougher and force the Okie guards to have big games. The Orange are deep, talented and have the horses to deal with Oklahoma. Pick: Syracuse.

6-Louisville vs Arizona: Here is a game featuring the tournament's overall top seed against the "Cinderella" of the dance. But that number by their names will be the only evidence of that. Zona has ballers and they may be playing their best ball right now. Louisville hasn't been very impressive thus far but it seems that when they are pushed they put it together to get the win. Pick: Louisville.

7-Pittsburgh vs Xavier: Of the No. 1 seeds, most people see Pitt as the shakiest. The Panthers have struggled in both of their games this year. Xavier, like Pitt, is a tough defensive team that loves to bang and rough it up. But Pitt is better at it and should find their footing. This will also feature Xavier head coach Sean Miller taking on his alma mater. He was the one who assisted on the "send it in Jerome" dunk. Pick: Pittsburgh.

8-UConn vs Purdue: There will be a few more eyes on this one since allegations have arisen of recruiting violations at Connecticut. Moving that aside, no one has played better than the Huskies in this tournament. Coming into the season, Purdue was highly regarded but they may be the 16th-best team left in the tournament. Louisville-Arizona may feature the top seed against the lowest seed ... but this one may feature the best team left against the worst. Pick: UConn.

ACTUAL RANKINGS AFTER THEY PLAYED
1-Pittsburgh/Xavier
2-Michigan State/Kansas
3-Missouri/Memphis
4-Oklahoma/Syracuse
5-Villanova/Duke
6-North Carolina/Gonzaga
7-UConn/Purdue
8-Louisville/Arizona

Seth Curry to Transfer From Liberty

(Hat tip: The Dagger)

Stephen Curry's little brother, Seth, is set to transfer from Liberty. Curry (that would be Seth) led all freshmen in scoring with a 20.2 ppg average. In a statement, Seth says that his decision "is based on my desire to develop as an athlete to the fullest of my potential and take advantage of new opportunities that may be available to me in a higher rated conference.”

If you read between the lines, that means that Liberty is too small for his talent. That is rather interesting. You would think that Davidson is waaaaaaay too small for big bro's talent and he has stayed at least three years.

This also points to the fact that there may be some feelers around him suggesting he could do better elsewhere. There is nothing more than speculation about where he may go. I agree with Chris Chase at the Dagger that his eyes may be set on an ACC school or Charlotte.

The Currys are from Charlotte and heading to the 49ers would be a big step up. Charlotte has fallen on hard times of late and need a star to make them relevant again. Michael Beasley was supposed to be that guy but he bolted to Kansas State when Dalonte Hill was hired there from Charlotte.

Seth would be able to play in a second-tier conference in the Atlantic 10 and get to play at home. He's also stay away from going to Davidson where comparison's to Stephen would be unfair.

There is also the possibility that he'd go to an ACC school. Virginia Tech is first up to bat since father Dell starred there in the 1980s. However, Tech blatantly brushed off both Currys during recruiting and that option may be dead. He could go to Virginia, but they don't even have a coach right now.

If he wanted to stay close to home, there are the Big Four in North Carolina. UNC, Duke, NC State and Wake Forest. If he goes to Carolina, Duke or Wake, he could get lost in the shuffle and lose a lot of playing time. Not to say he wouldn't be a factor but all three of those schools already have established guards in place. UNC probably will lose both Wayne Ellington and Ty Lawson but they welcome in two McDonald's All Americans to take their places.

The best bet could be NC State. State is reeling and would give Seth Curry the opportunity of a lot of minutes and the national platform that comes with playing in the ACC. No one around the nation cares about the Wolfpack, really, but those games against the Heels, Devils and Deacs do get on TV. State also lost Brandon Costner to the NBA and watched Trevor Ferguson quit basketball. The opportunity is there.

Clemson could also be a possibilty. It is about the same distance away from Charlotte as Raleigh is. It would also give him the more small town feel that he's had in Lynchburg, VA.

The ACC Didn't Show Up In the Tournament

Everyone says the Big East is the best conference in the nation. I agree, to a point, but don't think the gap is as big as people think. I mean, the ACC did win 10 of 16 meetings between members of the conferences this year. The ACC did get in as many teams in the NCAA Tournament as the Big East did and they have four less teams. Of course, the NCAA Tournament is where the true value of a conference's strength are measured.

For the ACC, it didn't stack up.

Thursday was fine. North Carolina completely blew away Radford despite not playing ACC Player of the Year Ty Lawson. Duke blew up Binghamton and, for a night, put the rest that this was a team that chokes in the dance. Maryland actually pulled an upset by beating the No. 7 seed California Bears. The one stain was that Clemson underacheived in the tournament yet again.

That's a 3-1 mark heading into Friday where three more teams had a chance to flex the ACC's muscle. All three teams that were playing were rated a better seed. All three lost.

Boston College went out and lost to USC pretty handily. While the game was closer than the final score indicates, it wasn't that close. Florida State lost a tough, tight game to Wisconsin in overtime. And the shocker of them all, Wake Forest was pounded by Cleveland State. Yes, a team that was once ranked No. 1 in the nation lost to a team that wouldn't have even been invited to the tournament if they hadn't upset Butler for the Horizon championship.

Seven teams got into the dance. Only three teams remain out of the 32 left. While North Carolina and Duke are nice bets to get to the Sweet 16 and both have the ability to get to the Final Four. Still, it is disheartening for the conference that complained so much in recent years about why they didn't get more teams in.

NCAA Tournament Looks a Lot Like the Mid-1980s

The mid-80s were a great time. Reagan-omics. Back to the Future. Smurfs. Great college basketball.

In the mid-80s, North Carolina was an elite team filled with stars, the Big East put three teams in the Final Four and Memphis State was the fourth team.

In 1984, North Carolina was the overwhelming favorite to win the tournament. They fielded a team with Michael Jordan, Sam Perkins, Kenny Smith and Brad Daugherty. The best Tar Heels team ever fizzled in the Sweet 16 and were bounced by Indiana. In 1985, the Big East sent St. John's, Georgetown and Villanova to the Final Four. That still is the only time one conference placed three teams in the Final Four. Memphis State was the only non-Big East team to make it.

In 2009, North Carolina was the overwhelming favorite to win the tournament. Despite some missteps, they enter Championship Week as the No. 1 ranked team in the nation. The Big East has a chance to put UConn, Pitt and Louisville as No. 1 seeds and all could make it to the Final Four in Detroit. If one of them doesn't get there, Memphis just may.

Tyler Hansbrough's Emotional Senior Day Speech

My Tough Experience Watching UNC-Duke

As a die-hard Tar Heels fan, it goes without saying that the two games against Duke get my attention more than any other game. Right at January 1st (when my new batch of vacation days come in), I put in for the first Duke-UNC game which usually takes place in the first week or two in February. I'm usually already off on the Sunday in which the regular season finale takes place.

That was today. As I sat on my couch to watch the game, visions of another ACC regular season championship, the conference tournament's top seed and a possible No. 1 ranking were filling my head. Oh, it was also the final time Tyler Hansbrough will play at the Dean Dome. This was a big game.

So it was great to sit here just outside of Cincinnati where a storm was coming. So for the first half of the UNC-Duke game, my local CBS affiliate (Channel 12) decided it needs to keep interrupting the game to show me where the storm would be heading. Mind you, they didn't cut in during commercials or during the halftime show where Seth Davis said Virginia Tech and Northwestern would make the dance (seriously, why is this idiot on TV?).

The second half ... things changed. Instead of breaking into the game periodically to give me updates, Channel 12 decides to go full blast with the weather report while keeping my game up in a window in the bottom right corner. I could see the game as if I was watching a 9" screen but could hear nothing. And forget trying to read any graphics they were posting.

Still, the Heels won a good game, 79-71, and became ACC champs. That storm that was supposed to hit never materialized in my neighborhood. A few gusts of wind and a two-minute rain shower was all we got.

Soft Tar Heels Need to Learn Defense

To shoot 35% from the field and still score 89 points in a college game is quite amazing. North Carolina got to the free throw line and hit the offensive glass to help offset their bad shooting night.

You'd think that scoring 89 points would be enough. It isn't when you allow 92.

That's what angers me. The Heels have shown the world that (again) they are soft. This team is made up of the same players that wet their pants when Georgetown made their comeback on UNC in the 2007 Elite Eight. They are the same team that fed into a Kansas beatdown in the 2008 Final Four. When the going gets rough, the Heels wilt.

That isn't entirely fair to say. The 2007 Heels couldn't win a close game all year. The 2008 Heels did an outstanding job changing that up. They held their own in close games against Clemson, Duke, Louisville, Virginia, Boston College and against Virginia Tech in the ACC tournament. The 2009 Heels spent the first seven weeks going untested. Now they are 0-2 in ACC play ... or 0-2 against the teams that aren't afraid of them.

In both games, the Heels allowed the opponent to get wide open threes. They also got into the paint, got to the line and were allowed to do anything they wanted on the offensive end. When the Heels tried to mount comebacks, they used poor shot selection (why is Ty Lawson shooting fade-away jumpers?) and keep turning the ball over.

Against both BC and Wake Forest, the Heels have been pushed out of the paint. Tyler Hansbrough has so much faith in his perimeter game that he doesn't fight for the inside position he used to. Deon Thompson doesn't do enough to keep his position. So now Carolina is forced to take tougher shots than they have been used to getting.

I said it after the BC game: the Heels have the best team in the nation. The problem is that sometimes they thing that is enough to win.