South Region » No. 1 North Carolina vs. No. 2 Oklahoma • 5:05 p.m. • CBS
How they got here
North Carolina (31-4) earned a No. 1 seed by winning the ACC regular season and going 17-0 against non-conference foes. The Tar Heels have been equally dominant in the tournament, defeating No. 16 Radford, 101-58, No. 8 LSU, 84-70, and No. 4 Gonzaga, 98-77. Oklahoma (30-5) started 25-1 and reached a No. 2 rank, before losing four of six when star Blake Griffin suffered a concussion. The Sooners have rebounded, however, with wins over No. 15 Morgan State, 82-54, No. 7 Michigan, 73-63, and No. 3 Syracuse, 84-71.
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Why North Carolina will win
Because coaches Roy Williams (Carolina) and Jeff Capel (Oklahoma) let their teams play. In a game of talent vs. talent, Carolina can’t lose. Ty Lawson and Tyler Hansbrough rejected the NBA to come back this season and try for a national title. They are surrounded by McDonald’s All-Americans in the lineup and in reserve. Carolina also has been here before, advancing to the Final Four last year and the region final in 2007. That experience will be key against an Oklahoma program that hasn’t been this deep since 2003.
Why Oklahoma will win
Because 2009 National Player of the Year Blake Griffin is the most dominant force in the tournament and that includes the man he will match up with Sunday, 2008 National Player of the Year Tyler Hansbrough. Griffin works well with his older, and much underrated, brother, Taylor Griffin. With the attention Griffin receives from defenses, there are openings outside for players such as talented guard Willie Warren and wing Tony Crocker, who scored 28 points Friday night to wreck Syracuse. The Sooners are healthy and hot. That’s bad news for Carolina.
The Examiner predicts …
North Carolina, 97-92. This will be a fast-paced game that could be determined by which team stays out of foul trouble. Carolina can’t afford to lose Ty Lawson. Oklahoma can’t afford to lose Blake Griffin. Here’s why Carolina will prevail: This has been a tournament for point guards and Carolina has the best in the nation in Ty Lawson. With his performance in the last two games, the 6-1 junior from Clinton, Md. has shown that his turf toe is good to go. He’s the perfect catalyst for the Tar Heels run-and-gun offense.
