Sweet 16 Bracket 2012: 3 Things That Must Happen for UNC to Make Final Four

There is no doubt that North Carolina is one of the four best teams left in the NCAA tournament, even with their injuries. Make no mistake, being banged up will be a setback, but this is still a team that should make the Final Four.

However, for that "should" to be a "will," all of these things will need to take place.

Harrison Barnes: Step it up

This is one of the best players in the country, but we haven't seen it a lot recently. He's only had 20 points once in North Carolina's last eight games. With Kendall Marshall questionable (via USA Today) and John Henson returning from an injury, Barnes can no longer rely on a supremely talented team to pick up his slack. 

The road isn't going to get any easier for the Tar Heels from here on out. If they manage to get through Ohio, either a supremely talented Kansas team or a confident North Carolina State squad will be awaiting in the Elite Eight.

Starting with that game, UNC will need Barnes to be around 20 points if they're going to advance. He has had too many inconsistent outings recently, playing only one half of good basketball. That can't happen anymore. The Tar Heels need him for 40 solid minutes if they're going to move beyond this weekend. 

Point Guards: Keep it Safe against Ohio

This applies more against Ohio than it will against either Kansas or North Carolina State in the next round, or anything beyond. In those games, UNC will be up against talented teams and their guards will need to do more to win the game.

Against Ohio, it only stands to reason that Marshall will have limited minutes (if he plays at all). Therefore, the guys filling in just need to protect the ball. If they don't take any bad chances and allow easy baskets on the other end, the Tar Heels won't struggle at all, and you can pencil them in for a 10-point win.

If those guards get flustered and play carelessly, this game is going to be much more difficult than it should be.  

Everyone: Play with a chip on your shoulder

This problem is by no means exclusive to North Carolina, but it certainly applies to them too. These big-name schools hear how good they are all year and get too complacent. This is how teams like Duke lose to Lehigh. 

North Carolina is now hearing that they aren't that great with Marshall's health in question. Instead, they're hearing things like this from ESPN's Doug Gottlieb.

With one injury, North Carolina has taken on the role of a mid-major. Therefore, those who do play need to go out and try to prove all of those people wrong. They are not going to be complacent, which is a good thing for the Tar Heels. The last thing that any UNC fan should want right now is for people to say they'll be fine.

No, let this team get angry and motivated. They still have loads of talent. If North Carolina is really being doubted, they have a reason to be even more determined. That is a scary combination for most teams to deal with. 

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