UNC Basketball: Tar Heels Already Ready for Another National Championship?

A long year, especially for Tar Heels fans. Overcoming as much diversity as any team, left quickly in the dumps, UNC's basketball team seemed destined for the NIT. Coach Roy Williams was constantly belittled. UNC's stars were in disarray.

What a difference a few weeks make.

So we have to move from the ACC to "who will win the title as NCAA champion for 2011?"

There are really only a few candidates, one in the Big East and three in the ACC. The rest, including Kansas, are too untested to bet on.

Arizona is playing great ball but who cannot say it owns much turf after beating Texas?

Will Connecticut continue its hot run for the Big East? Perhaps.

But neither Duke or UNC have had their best games yet. And even if Florida State has had its best, the field is wide open for it. Again, Kansas does not pose much of a problem. So only Virginia Commonwealth stands in its way to the Final Four. Punch its ticket now.

Duke should also make it, although Connecticut is the ultimate test. Look for Connecticut to lose in one of the next two rounds, with San Diego State making it two very tough games for one of the best coaches in the game.

And now the North Carolina Tar Heels.

So far, just listen to Mike Krzyzewski.

Before the Tar Heels had made their move, before they lost to Duke at Duke, Krzyzewski said that his Duke Blue Devils might not be the best in the ACC. Of course, he may have been referring to another team. But probably not. At least then. Only this week, Krzyzewski said that the best defensive player in the tournament was Carolina's John Henson.

Florida State is the team that beat Duke in their only game so far this year. Duke has beaten UNC twice this year, owning the last win. UNC would have to beat Duke to even its record. And the only place the Heels can do that now is in the Final Four, to reach the championship game.

So, to go out on a huge limb, where no other writer would dare tread, here is the one thing that, despite its success, no sane person would dare predict. The Final Four will be Duke, UNC, Florida State and a team from the Southeast. Why bother picking from that group? Any of the four could get to the last four.

So, on Monday, with everyone watching, UNC will beat Florida State for the third time this year. It seems unfair. And unlikely. But so has this strange ride of a season.

And there could be no better end for the Big East and Big Ten shills, especially Big East superfan and promoter Bill Raftery.