North Carolina rolled to its fifth national championship – and second this decade – with a convincing 89-72 win over the Michigan State Spartans at Ford Field last night.
The Tar Heels – led as they have been all season by All-Americans Tyler Hansbrough and Ty Lawton – pummeled the Spartans, falling behind just once in the first minute of the game before opening up a double-digit lead in the first five minutes that they never relinquished.
It was fitting, as North Carolina won each of its NCAA tournament games by double-digits, and boasted the second-highest modern-era point differential against its March Madness opponents.
For head coach Roy Williams, it was his second championship, although this squad is arguably his best ever.
With each one of his top six players projected to go in the first or second round of the NBA draft, odds are Williams’ Heels could give the Washington Wizards or Sacramento Kings a run for their money.
North Carolina also made history by starting – and finishing – the season at No. 1, something that hasn’t happened at Chapel Hill since Michael Jordan played there.
For Michigan State, it was another disappointing outing at Ford Field, where they got trounced 98-63 by these same Tarheels back in December.
Hey Spartans, the Detroit Lions called … they want their “stench of failure” back.
Anyway, props to UNC for another title. It was a boring game, but as MSU coach Tom Izzo noted “the best team won.”
Easy.
