While the Villanova-Kansas game played out much differently than I expected, with Ochai Agbaji going 6-7 from three point range and David McCormack posting a career night hitting 10 of his 12 shot attempts from the field, the Jayhawks advanced to the final to meet the hottest team in the NCAA tournament in North Carolina.
Kansas vs. North Carolina - If Kansas is able to shoot the way they did against Villanova, this should be a battle. McCormack is coming alive at the right time. Will Armando Bacot play like a shadow of his former self, given the ankle injury late in the 2nd half against Duke? This remains to be seen. But, the rest of the Tar Heels are playing at a remarkably high level. Caleb Love's winning plays down the stretch really secured them a spot in the title game. If he is able to bring the same level of intensity tonight, the Tar Heels could roll against Kansas. I expect this game to be closer than I would have expected a week ago, with Kansas hitting a higher percentage of their outside shots. Brady Manek's contribution will be absolutely critical from beyond the arc, if North Carolina is going to cut down the nets. Look for Leaky Black to do a better job against Ochai Agbaji and for Kansas' offense to sputter a bit. You do not want to run with North Carolina and Kansas will have to shoot as well as they did against Villanova to keep it close. Ultimately, UNC has been the best team all tournament long and they should win this game.
Outcome: North Carolina
Image Courtesy of the New York Times
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