Photo taken by Ethan Hyman of MCT Campus
North Carolina’s Brice Johnson celebrates after blocking a shot.
2016 East region champions – North Carolina
How they got here:
The Tar Heels got to their 19th Final Four appearance in school history (most ever in the NCAA) by winning their last four games in what seemed to be an easy fashion. In its games against FGCU, Providence, Indiana, and Notre Dame, North Carolina won those contests by an average of 15.4 points. Boasting the best front line in the Final Four and arguably the entire fallen field, the Tar Heels have bullied teams on the boards, including a 32-15 advantage against the Irish in the Elite Eight. North Carolina is also the only No. 1 seed left in this year’s tournament of upsets. In the regular season, the Tar Heels’ offense was good, but not this good. During the first four games of the madness, the Tar Heels have shot lights out. Led by senior guard Marcus Paige, the offense has been firing on all cylinders this March with production from all over the court. In the Sweet Sixteen, Paige hit his first four three-point attempts, which shell-shocked the Hoosiers. North Carolina connected on 61.5 percent of its field goals in the Elite Eight.
Player to watch:
Marcus Paige
Brice Johnson will be a huge key down low in this game against Syracuse, but the play of veteran guard Marcus Paige will be the most crucial in Houston. The left-handed Paige has been hot in the postseason and his play has elevated the Tar Heels as a whole. At times during the regular season, Paige struggled to score, shooting his worst three-point percentage in four years (34). In the latter part of his senior year, Paige found the touch from outside and now is taking fearless shots in the postseason.
How they can win it all:
North Carolina can and will win if they keep rebounding the ball effectively and get more stellar play from their guards. With Brice Johnson down low and a plethora of shooters on the outside, the Tar Heels have many ways to attack Syracuse’s 2-3 zone defense. These two ACC foes matched up twice in the regular season, with North Carolina winning both. Syracuse has had a remarkable run, becoming the first ever 10-seed to reach the Final Four. When Paige and fellow backcourt players are on, this team is in my mind unbeatable because of their great size and depth. I see the depth and veteran leadership of North Carolina ending the season of the Orange and ultimately winning the National Championship.