#14 North Carolina (22-7, 12-4) is a difficult team to measure. They have their two stars -- James McAdoo (14) and Marcus Paige -- though neither player has generated significant national buzz. Perhaps most accurately, UNC is a team similar to Florida. Both rosters are stocked with top shelf high school talent that's developed at less than Kentucky Wildcat-like rates.
Paige was good as a freshman (8.2 ppg, 4.6 apg), but now he's a star (17.2 ppg, 4.5 apg). McAdoo had similarly productive freshman numbers (6.1 ppg, 3.9 rpg); now he's the team's best rebounder and inside scorer (14.2 ppg, 6.8 rpg), if sometimes limited offensively. Basically, North Carolina is an example of an athlete's natural progression rather than today's does of instant hits. These are the teams Roy Williams was meant to coach -- the types of teams (but more talented overall) he used to win titles with.
I don't think UNC is quite good enough to win it this year, but their defense and versatile roster makes them a tough play for any team in the country. They get Notre Dame (15-15, 6-11) at home tonight at 7:00 pm EST on ESPN.
The way the Irish have been playing this year, head coach Mike Breen might not deserve a place at the table of those new insurance/investment commercials now airing regularly. A win versus Duke was their season's highlight, but that came all the way on Jan. 4. Over their last three, the Irish were destroyed by now #5 Virginia, 70-49, beat Georgia Tech (13-16, 4-12) by three, and lost on Saturday to Pittsburg (22-7, 10-6) in overtime. So they're not playing terrible basketball at the moment, but the chances of them defeating UNC tonight are slim. Vegas has them at 10.5 dogs. Like Adam Sandler once did to marginal success, I'll "just go with it." UNC for the cover
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Record: 22-33
Butler @ Creighton: L (picked Butler, +10.5)
UConn @ Memphis: L (picked Memphis, -7.5)
Depaul @ Villanova: W (picked Villanova, -17.5)
Pittsburg @ Syracuse: L (picked Syracuse, -5.5)
Creighton @ Villanova: L (picked Villanova, -6.5)
Baylor @ Kansas: W (picked Baylor, + 10.5)
Indiana @ Michigan State: L (picked Michigan State, -12)
Iowa @ Michigan: L (picked Iowa, + 1.5)
Colorado @ Arizona: W (picked Colorado, + 14.5)
Illinois @ Ohio State: W (picked Illinois, + 11)
Michigan @ Michigan State: W (picked Michigan, + 4.5)
Villanova @ Marquette: W (picked Villanova, -3)
Utah @ Arizona: W (picked Utah, + 15)
Oklahoma @ Oklahoma State: W (picked Oklahoma, + 4.5)
Villanova @ Georgetown: L (picked Villanova, -6.5)
Michigan State @ Iowa: W (picked Michigan State, + 5)
St. John's @ Creighton: W (picked St. John's, + 12)
Iowa State @ Kansas: L (picked Iowa State, + 8.5)
Syracuse @ Wake Forest: L (picked Syracuse, -10)
Purdue @ Michigan: L (picked Michigan, -12)
Florida @ Mississippi State: W (picked Miss. State, + 15)
Duke @ Syracuse: L (picked Syracuse, -3)
Xavier @ Villanova: L (picked Xavier, + 10)
Nebraska @ Michigan: L (picked Nebraska, + 13)
Boston College @ Virginia: L (picked Virginia, -13)
Oregon @ Arizona: L (picked Arizona, -11)
Oklahamo State @ Texas Tech: W (picked Texas Tech, + 6.5)
West Virginia @ Kansas: L (picked WVU, + 14)
Maryland @ Virginia: L (picked Virginia, -11)
Iowa State @ West Virginia: L (picked Iowa State, - 1.5)
Michigan @ Ohio State: L (picked Ohio State, -3.5)
Florida @ Tennessee: W (picked Florida, - 1.5)
Syracuse @ Pittsburg: W (picked Syracuse, + 2.5 -- absurd line)
Villanova @ Depaul: W (picked Villanova, -14)
Creighton @ Butler: L (picked Creighton, -8.5)
West Virginia @ Texas: W (picked Texas, -6)
Florida @ Kentucky: L (picked Kentucy, -2)
VCU @ Saint Louis: W (picked VCU, +4.5)
Villanova @ Creighton: L (picked Villanova, -3.5)
Texas @ Iowa State: L (picked Texas, +6)
Villanova @ Providence: L (picked Villanova, -4.5)
Wichita State @ Loyola: L (picked Loyola, + 13.5)
Creighton @ Marquette: W (picked Creighton, -3)
Gonzaga @ BYU: L (picked Gonzaga, +2)
Duke @ North Carolina: L (picked Duke, -2)
St. John's @ Villanova: W (picked St. John's, + 8.5)
Seton Hall @ Creighton: L (picked Creighton, -13.5)
Syracuse @ Maryland: L (picked Syracuse, -4.5
Indiana @ Wisconsin: W (picked Wisconsin, -10.5)
Butler @ Villanova: L (picked Villanova, -14.5)
North Carolina @ North Carolina State: L (picked UNC, -4)
Arkansas @ Kentucky: W (picked Arkansas, + 10.5)
Missouri State @ Wichita State: L (picked Missouri State, + 17.5)
Syracuse @ Virginia: L (picked Syracuse, +3.5)
Marquette @ Villanova: W (picked Villanova, -10.5)
