Happy Championship Monday! I got both picks wrong on Saturday, so I’m certainly losing all my credibility in my picks. Just kidding, this is all a part of March Madness. My bracket is already done anyways, just like yours. For just the fourth time in National Championship history, an 8 seed is one of the final two teams. 8 seeds are 1-2 all-time in the title game. The lone win came in 1985 when Rollie Massimino and the Villanova Wildcats took down Georgetown in what is known as “The Perfect Game.” Since then, 8 seeds are on a two-game losing streak. Butler shot 18.8% from the field as UConn won in 2011, and UConn took down #8 Kentucky in 2014. North Carolina has won a National Championship in this city, in the Superdome before. A very unknown player, certainly not a Hall of Famer, named Michael Jordan hit a game-winning shot to give Dean Smith his first National Championship back in 1982. In 1993, the infamous timeout call by Chris Webber helped North Carolina clinch another title over the Fab Five Michigan team. Michigan had zero timeouts left, so they were assessed a technical foul. Kansas had a bad experience in a National Championship at the Superdome, losing to Carmelo Anthony and the Syracuse Orangemen in 2003. The Jayhawks also lost to Anthony Davis and the dominant Kentucky Wildcats in 2012, the last time New Orleans hosted the Final Four. Now, Kansas and North Carolina will fight for a National Championship. Let’s take a look at both teams:
#8 North Carolina (29-9 overall, 17-6 ACC)
No one thought North Carolina would be here. They’re just the fourth #8 seed to make it this far. Only Villanova, Butler, and Kentucky can say they’ve done the same. Villanova has more bragging rights, as they’re the only #8 seed to win the National Championship. The Tar Heels have been phenomenal, and if you want to see more about their star players, click here.
#1 Kansas (33-6 overall, 17-4 Big 12)
Kansas is the favorite here, but they haven’t fared well in New Orleans, losing in the National Championship the past two times. However, they say that the third time’s a charm. Ochai Agbaji is phenomenal, but no one has been more important than Christian Braun in this tournament run for the Jayhawks. For more about the Jayhawks, click here.
#1 Kansas (33-6) (-4) vs. #8 North Carolina (29-9)
#8 seeds don’t fare well in the National Championship, with a 1-2 record. North Carolina makes things interesting, however. In the city of New Orleans, the Tar Heels are 15-1, including 6-1 in the NCAA Tournament and 5-0 in the Final Four. Make it 9-1 in the Superdome, where they won the National Championship in 1982 and 1993. UNC leads the series 6-5, and Kansas hasn’t been a terrific team in New Orleans for the National Championship, falling to Syracuse in 2003 and Kentucky in 2012. Ochai Agbaji is the real deal, however. The Jayhawks are very experienced, something that has been emphasized during College Gameday this evening. North Carolina is a physical team, especially when boxing out. They’re second in the country in defensive rebounding, according to KenPom. This will be a battle of two prolific offenses. There’s no doubt I’d love to see the magic continue tonight for Hubert Davis’s first season, but it seems too good to be true. Kansas by 8. I’m still a bit hesitant when it comes to Armando Bacot’s ankle, despite him starting.
Tune into the NCAA Division 1 Men’s Basketball National Championship at 9:20 PM ET on TBS.
Calhoun's Corner 