Championship game breakdown
ST. LOUIS – After an upset-filled tourney, we've got the two teams that many people had circled from the outset in Monday's championship game.
North Carolina can hurt you with so many weapons. When the Tar Heels defend and rebound, they come at you with so much force that they wear you down, especially with Sean May.
But Illinois showed against Louisville that the Illini have got a little bit more up front than people think. Jack Ingram, Roger Powell Jr. and even Nick Smith all gave Bruce Weber good production against the Cardinals on Saturday.
I think Illinois can do a good job defensively on Raymond Felton and sustain containment on him for the full game. And when Felton's not out there making plays, North Carolina can miss a beat.
Let's go ahead and break down the matchups.
Frontcourt
It's Sean May. He's the guy who can score, draw fouls and make passes out of the post. Powell is tough in there, but the Illini don't have anybody like May.
Edge: Tar Heels
Backcourt
Simple math here. The Illini have Luther Head, Deron Williams and Dee Brown. The Tar Heels have Raymond Felton and Rashad McCants. Illini win 3-2.
Deron Williams is a lockdown defender. He's shown that all season long but particularly in the last couple games against Salim Stoudamire and Francisco Garcia. He's also a terrific playmaker. Brown and Head can stretch the defense with the three-point shot, and both do a good job defensively, too.
Felton is the hub of what Carolina likes to do the perimeter, and McCants is a terrific scorer. But all three Illini guys can make plays, giving them a slight edge.
Edge: Illini
Bench
This is an interesting call. Marvin Williams has struggled the last couple of games for North Carolina, and Illinois got terrific production from its bench against Louisville.
Between Ingram, designated shooter Rich McBride, Nick Smith and Warren Carter, I'll give a slight edge to Illinois.
That said, UNC has a bigger upside. Marvin Williams can change the game. The Illini's guys merely come in and contribute.
Edge: Illini
Coaching
This is Bruce Weber's first time here, and Roy Williams has been here multiple times. But coaching won't decide this game. Both teams will be well-prepared.
Even
X-factor
The one thing that people tend to overlook with Illinois is how good the Illini are defensively. The Illini disrupted Louisville's rhythm, and they'll have to do the same thing against North Carolina.
They're capable. They're disciplined. They challenge shots and don't get beat a lot on dribble penetration. All of their guys move their feet well, especially on the perimeter. Illinois is up to the task of taking away what North Carolina likes to do.
Overall
The Illini were my pick when the tournament opened, and I'm sticking with them. They've got that intangible ingredient like the New England Patriots. The whole is greater than the sum of their parts.
