NCAA Championship Game 2016: TV Schedule and Prediction for UNC vs. Villanova

After all the dust has settled on the madness of March, the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels have emerged from the rubble of broken brackets to play in the NCAA Championship Game. 

The championship matchup offers an interesting clash of styles. 

Both teams have been dominant in the tournament, but the way they both go about their business stands in stark contrast. 

Villanova got to where it is by being one of the best shooting teams in the tournament. The Wildcats' ability to take and make threes at an alarming rate was crucial in blowing off the doors of Oklahoma. They went 11-of-18 from three-point range as they out-gunned Buddy Hield and the Sooners by 44 points to get to the title game. 

Playing North Carolina is a battle of attrition. With senior Brice Johnson inside, the Tar Heels have the ability to slow down games and attack from the inside out. Shooting, however, isn't the team's forte. North Carolina beat Syracuse by 17 while going just 4-of-17 from deep. 

Here's a look at when and how you can catch the action on TV. TruTV will provide the Villanova TeamStream Broadcast while TNT will have the North Carolina TeamStream Broadcast. 

Matchup	Date	Time	TV
North Carolina vs. Villanova	April 4	9:00 p.m. ET	TBS

Breakdown

Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

Villanova's impressive performance shouldn't have come as too much of a surprise. When the Wildcats were routed by Oklahoma in December, they shot under 30 percent from three. For a team that lives and dies by long-range shooting like Villanova, that's a death knell. 

However, they've been hot from three throughout the tournament and it all starts with Kris Jenkins and Ryan Arcidiacono. Synergy Sports Tech highlighted their shooting barrage throughout the tourney:

North Carolina has been a rugged defensive team in the tournament thus far. Defending the three-point line hasn't been a strength all season, though. According to TeamRankings.com, they were 247th in the nation in opponent three-point percentage. 

Johnson has been a big reason for North Carolina's success on the defensive side of the floor in the tournament, but against a team as three-happy as Villanova, his effectiveness will be somewhat neutralized. 

It's going to take a much better effort from North Carolina's perimeter defenders to slow down the Villanova shooting spree. 

Ironically enough, Villanova's last appearance in the Final Four featured a matchup against UNC. The 'Cats lost in the national semifinal 83-69, but Villanova seniors believe that having a coach who has been there before has helped them in their preparation this time around. 

“It definitely was difficult,” Josh Hart said of keeping their focus, per Nancy Armour of USA Today. “When you have a coach that's been through it, it all trickles down from him. We have five great seniors who, you know, the whole week were just focused on Villanova basketball, being dialed in, playing Villanova basketball for 40 minutes.”

Of course, the man who defeated Jay Wright's squad back then is still walking the North Carolina sideline. Roy Williams' team presents its own challenge for defenses. The team as a whole might not shoot from distance particularly well (285th), but Marcus Paige and Joel Berry are capable of catching fire when given the opportunity. 

A lot of that opportunity comes down to just how much attention Johnson can attract down low. The senior has been on a tear in the tournament and it was once again on display against Syracuse. He scored 16 points on 6-of-11 shooting as North Carolina dominated the paint, per ESPN Stats & Info:

Gaining that kind of advantage inside against Villanova won't be as easy, though. The Wildcats were 32nd in the nation in two-point shot defense (per TeamRankings.com) and have done a good job of keeping teams out of the paint thus far. 

Whether or not North Carolina is able to successfully attack the rim will play a huge role in just how this game plays out. 

Prediction

Ultimately, this should be a close game. Both teams have proven they are a cut above the rest in the tournament thus far and a competitive championship game would make up for the two lopsided semifinal matchups. 

However, one team's strength happens to line up with a weakness and that should be the difference. With the way Villanova is shooting right now, it would be hard to pick against them. Winning a semifinal game by 44 points is bound to create a little recent bias. 

When you add in the fact that perimeter defense is the one weakness that North Carolina might have on the defensive end, it makes it even more difficult. 

Johnson and Co. should have more success than most in the paint against the Wildcats, but ultimately, it's hard to keep up with a team that is shooting the way Villanova is. 

Prediction: Villanova 78, UNC 72