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2016 NCAA Tournament: Bracket, Preview, Breakdown & Predictions

By Nathan Giese

Mar 12, 2016; Washington, DC, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels guard Marcus Paige (5) and teammates celebrate on the court after deating Virginia Cavaliers in the championship game of the ACC conference tournament 61-57 at Verizon Center. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 12, 2016; Washington, DC, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels guard Marcus Paige (5) and teammates celebrate on the court after deating Virginia Cavaliers in the championship game of the ACC conference tournament 61-57 at Verizon Center. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports /
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Mar 12, 2016; Washington, DC, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels head coach Roy Williams raises his arm after cutting down the net after the championship game of the ACC conference tournament at Verizon Center. North Carolina Tar Heels defeated Virginia Cavaliers 61-57. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 12, 2016; Washington, DC, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels head coach Roy Williams raises his arm after cutting down the net after the championship game of the ACC conference tournament at Verizon Center. North Carolina Tar Heels defeated Virginia Cavaliers 61-57. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports /

Final Four

Well, we’ve come this far. Might as well finish it out, right?

North Carolina vs. Michigan State

Two teams led by seniors. Two great coaches with a history of facing each other in the NCAA Tournament. Two teams hitting their stride at the same time and two programs with a rich basketball history.

UNC against Michigan State is the game nobody knew they wanted, but it’s something everybody secretly wants to see. Something to consider here is how the Tar Heels defend Valentine. Do they let him do the scoring and worry about shutting down the perimeter?

One thing is for sure and its that the play of seniors will determine the result of this game. Valentine’s one of the best players in the nation, but Carolina knows it has one last chance to make this happen before their program gets put into NCAA jail this summer.

Winner: North Carolina

Maryland vs. Oklahoma

Another really hard game to pinpoint, but the matchup in this setting that will determine the game is Sulaimon guarding Hield. Nobody’s been able to keep him in check this season and even if they do for a time period, Hield gets going. Somehow, someway Hield gets buckets.

Sulaimon’s one of the best defenders in the country, extremely active, chases defenders and never quits. He’ll have to pull overtime to get this done, but he’s capable of doing it.

But it still won’t be enough.

Winner: Oklahoma

Next: 2016 NBA Mock Draft: Top Players Before March

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National Championship Game

North Carolina vs. Oklahoma

The Tar Heels allow 36 percent shooting from three and Oklahoma shoots 42 percent from three. A recipe for disaster, no doubt. However, there’s something about this Carolina team I just can’t see losing. There’s so much on the line for this team, for the program that it feels like it’s almost destiny for them to win it all.

This is also a similar path to a national title previous Tar Heel title teams have taken. Come in with high expectations, lose a few close ones, get everybody to lower expectations but still be a good team and turn it on in March. That’s what North Carolina’s doing right now.

Also, since they haven’t completely fallen off the table and were my preseason pick, I’m sticking with it until I back out at some point in the next three weeks.

Winner and national champions: North Carolina