Prediction For Monday's Championship Game

(It's about time Danny Green got some picture props on here)

After the UConn Huskies ruined my chances of winning just one NCAA Tournament Pool (damn you R.B.), it's time to focus on North Carolina vs. Michigan State. College basketball's title game is so different than the Super Bowl in that there's only 48 hours to hype up and discuss the game. I don't know if this is a good thing or a bad thing. I'm leaning towards good...because if I have to hear about the '79 title game between Magic and Bird one more time, I seriously might lose it.

How is a Big East team not in the Championship game? How did North Carolina lose to a team that lost to Harvard this season? How many times will Magic Johnson be shown in the stands during this game (I'm putting the over/under at 5.5)? Who knows. What I DO know is the winner of this year's NCAA title, and my prediction is as follows:

North Carolina over Michigan State

Reasons:

• If you think that there is a "home court" advantage for Michigan State playing in Detroit...you're clinically insane. There's gonna be a bunch of random middle-aged white guys at this game, the press, and some empty seats. Yeah...that bodes really well for Michigan State. (I'm going back to the well on this one!)
• Let's see...Ty Lawson, Danny Green, Lil Wayne Ellington, Deon Thompson, Tyler Hansbrough, Ed Davis, etc., etc., etc.
• Anna Lou NEEDS her first March Madness experience to end in a Tar Heel championship! This will give her the taste of victory early and set the tone for the rest of her Carolina Blue life!
  
• My goodness...it's already been 4 years since the North Carolina Tar Heels won a National Championship. Doesn't it seem like they're a little overdue at this point?
• A bunch of these UNC players came back for another year to win the NCAA title and cut down the nets. When decisions like this are made at the college level, karma is involved and good things happen. Just look at that Florida team a few years ago.
• TALENT TRUMPS HEART (AND HOME COURT)!!! TALENT TRUMPS HEART (AND HOME COURT)!!! TALENT TRUMPS HEART (AND HOME COURT)!!!
• Robert Morris University was tied at 30 with Michigan State more than halfway through the first half in their opening round game. Now I love my alma mater, but MSU won't be able to play their rope-a-dope style against the fun-and-gun style of UNC.
• If things like "destiny" and "the team is playing in their home state" are the best reasons to go with Michigan State...the Spartans are in serious trouble.
  
• North Carolina missed 15 free throws, got beat on the boards by five, lost the game in the paint by 10, second-chance points by three and even got beat on the fast break. And still beat Villanova by 14 points. Yeah...the Tar Heels are good.
• Tyler Hansbrough is finally going to cut down the nets...and Billy Packer is going to be crying himself to sleep tonight, wishing he could have been there.
• Going with UNC to win it all allows me to wish Liz and Emily the best of luck along with giving them props. If a certain someone kept getting props while Villanova kept winning, this is only fair. (P.S. Props to you John L. as well, if you're actually still reading this thing)
  
• Mega Star Ty Lawson deserves this! He's amazing!
• Roy Williams wore a Kansas Jayhawks button/pin during last year's title game. Kansas won the national championship. I figure this was good practice for Coach Williams. As long as he wears something related to UNC during this year's title game, his squad is a shoe-in to win it all.
• I can't defend a Big 10 team, I just can't. It does not make one bit of sense with regard to logic and reason.
• Seriously, North Carolina is really really good.
• Confidence in this pick: 9.5

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