North Carolina Basketball: Keys to Tar Heels' 2012 NCAA Tournament Run

There is no question North Carolina enters the NCAA tournament as one of the most talented and feared teams in the country.

They boast the ACC's player of the year, Tyler Zeller, who joined Harrison Barnes and John Henson as First-Team All-ACC selections. Point guard Kendall Marshall was Second-Team All-ACC.

For this North Carolina team, the expectations are simple: win a National Championship.

Let's take a closer look at the Tar Heels.

Superstars Who Must Shine

Harrison Barnes paces the Tar Heels with 17.4 points per game. Tyler Zeller (16.3 PPG, 9.3 RPG) and John Henson (14.2 PPG, 10.3 RPG) are beasts in the paint.

But no one is more instrumental to North Carolina's success than point guard Kendall Marshall.

No, Marshall won't light up the lamp, averaging 7.2 points per game. But he does make everyone on the Tar Heels better with his (absurdly good) 9.6 assists per contest.

Barnes, Zeller and Henson may get the headlines, but this team's success begins and ends with Marshall.

Role Player Who Must Emerge: Reggie Bullock

Bullock's role increased this season when guard Dexter Strickland tore his ACL and was lost for the year. He's been a solid contributor for the team, giving them a steady 8.6 points and 4.8 rebounds per game.

He's also shown serious potential as a defender, making him a very solid two-way player for the Tar Heels.

He may not be able to carry UNC offensively if the stars aren't producing, but he'll make defenses pay if they decide to ignore him. Don't be surprised if Bullock has a big game in this tournament.

Offensive Strategy to Watch: Transition Scoring

North Carolina is at its best when it pushes the pace and scores quick buckets in transition. As we'll get to in a moment, the Tar Heels are an excellent rebounding team and don't waste any time turning offense into defense.

With Kendall Marshall thinking pass first on the break and the athletic Tar Heels running the floor off of each rebound, North Carolina is able to score at blistering rates. It's not a surprise they were second in the nation in points (82.3) and fourth in assists per game (17.5).

If opposing teams can't slow the pace and dictate a half-court style of play, the Tar Heels will likely shoot them right out of the gym.

Defensive Strategy to Watch: Defensive Rebounding

Led by John Henson and Tyler Zeller in the paint, North Carolina is the best rebounding team in the nation, averaging 45.7 rebounds per game. Not surprisingly, they also lead the NCAA in rebounding margin (+11.3).

The Tar Heels turn defensive rebounds into fast offense, fueling one of the country's finest transition attacks.

In other words, an opponent's best bet is to shoot for a high percentage. Not only do the Tar Heels severely limit second opportunities, they often turn those rebounds into quick points.

Biggest NCAA Tournament Hurdle: Temple

I believe that the Tar Heels will advance deep into this tournament. That said, a potential Sweet 16 game against the Temple Owls could give them more trouble than they bargained for.

The Owls have excellent guards in Ramone Moore (17.7 PPG, 3.5 APG), Khalif Wyatt (17.1 PPG, 3.1 APG) and Juan Fernandez (11.4 PPG, 3.9 APG).

They also shoot well from beyond the arc (40.2 percent, eighth in the nation), meaning they have the potential to hang with North Carolina in a high-scoring game.

If these two teams meet, don't be surprised if the game goes down to the wire.

Last-Second NCAA Tournament Prediction

North Carolina is a team to be feared, and I believe they will advance to the national championship game to face Kentucky.

There, the the team's high-powered offense will be stymied by the length and athleticism of Kentucky, and they will lose a very close game in a clash of college basketball titans.

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