Final Four: Game 2 – North Carolina (-3) vs Kansas

1. The Head is saying … North Carolina is the one team with the quality (super athletic) depth it will take to hang with Kansas, whose team strength is this very aspect of their game, in a match-up of Titans, like this.
2. The Heart is saying … Kansas is going to play huge ‘up’ in this game vs Roy Williams (former KU head coach), AND on behalf of their fallen teammate (Rodrick Stewart) who went down with a serious knee injury yesterday, incurred during their Final Four ‘Open Practice’ session.
3. The Bankroll is saying … North Carolina should be more than a -3 favourite in a game of this magnitude, with a healthy Ty Lawson in their line-up (assuming he is not severely hampered by the leg injury he picked up at the end of last weekend’s Elite Eight victory over Louisville).

In a situation like this … the Bankroll is going to rule the day.

LIVE-BLOGGING UPDATE:
(#1) 9:24 PM … KU 33, UNC 10 (9:31, 1st Half) … the Jayhawks are quicker than the Tarheels at each of the 5 positions, when Carolina tries to play their regular Big line-up … Unless Roy Williams recognizes quickly that he has to go with a smaller, quicker group of 5 … this game is over.

(#2) 9:29 PM … KU 38, UNC 12 (7:32, 1st Half) … Full Time-out … “This game is over.” - Billy Packer (CBS Analyst)

(#3) 9:40 PM … KU 40, UNC 16 (4:32, 1st Half) … and, FINALLY … Carolina goes small with a line-up of Thomas, Ellington, Ginyard, Green & Hansbrough

[Note: There is so much poor coaching at the Men's NCAA D1 level it's not even funny.]

(#4) 9:44 PM … KU 40, UNC 19 (3:00+, 1st Half) … Deon Thompson subs in for Hansbrough … good sub for the Tarheels

(#5) 9:47 PM … KU 40, UNC 22 (2:00+, 1st Half) … Hansbrough subs back in for Thompson-D … questionable move for the Tarheels

(#6) 9:50 PM … KU 42, UNC 27 (5.1, 1st Half) … if Carolina can get to half-time only down 13-15 they’re gonna have a chance in the 2nd half

(#7) 9:52 PM … KU 44, UNC 27 (0.0, 1st Half) … it might not be possible for the Tarheels to win the game straight-up … but, at least they are no longer embarassing themselves and their storied program

[Note: If Carolina just stays small, with only 1 of their Bigs (i.e. Hansbrough or Thompson-D) on the floor at a time ... they can hang with Kansas ... and, if the Jayhawks go cold from the perimeter, as they can do from time-to-time, then the Heels will be able to get to the final 10 minutes down by single-digits. If they can accomplish that goal ... ??? ... then ... this might just be remembered as an historic game]

(#8) Carolina starts the same line-up that opened the game … BIG MISTAKE by Roy Williams

(#9) 10:13 PM … KU 46, UNC 27 (19:50+, 2nd Half) … the Jayhawks start the half with an easy inside hoop

(#10) 10:18 PM … KU 54, UNC 37 (16:30, 2nd Half) … Danny Green (Carolina’s ‘best’ athlete) subs back in … Note to Roy Williams: Do Not take him out again!

(#11) 10:20 PM … KU 54, UNC 40 (15:54, 2nd Half) … Full Time-out … if the Heels can just it back to single-digits, then …

(#12) 10:23 PM … KU 54, UNC 42 (14:41 , 2nd Half) … Danny Green makes a Pull-up Jump Shot … Kansas takes a Full Time-out

[Note: If Roy Williams would just take out 1 of his 2 Bigs ... the momentum is going to swing all the way to Carolina.]

(#13) 10:27 PM … KU 54, UNC 44 (14:14, 2nd Half) … it’s a 10 pt game!

(#14) 10:29 PM … KU 54, UNC 44 (12:40, 2nd Half) … Offensive Foul on Danny Green (Charge in transition) … Carolina makes a sub, Ginyard in for Green … NOOOO, Roy, don’t do it!

(#15) 10:31 PM … KU 54, UNC 48 (12:00+, 2nd Half) … Hansbrough’s layup cuts the lead to an amazing 6 pts … “If they can do this … this would be the mother of all come-backs.” - Jim Nantz (CBS Game Announcer)

(#16) 10:40 PM … KU 58, UNC 53 (7:53, 2nd Half) … Under 8 Minute, Full Time-out … Aldrich (C, Fr) going to the FT Line for Kansas

[Note: My, Oh, My ... what a last 5 minutes this is going to be. Possibly ... Final Four history in-the-making.]

(#17) 10:46 PM … KU 64, UNC 57 (6:00+, 2nd Half) … 2 made FT’s by Deon Thompson (59%)

(#18) 10:49 PM … KU 69, UNC 61 (4:47, 2nd Half) … Carolina, Full Time-out … and, then, Roy Williams subs out Danny Green, again

(#19) 10:52 PM … KU 74, UNC 61 (3:30+, 2nd Half) … gonna be tough for the Tarheels now

[Note: There's a reason Roy Williams hasn't managed to win more than 1 National Championship to this point in his coaching career.]

 (#20) 10:57 PM … North Carolina is out of gas.

(#21) 11:04 PM … Final Score: KU 84, UNC 66 … the two ‘Best’ – i.e. most skilful and athletic – college basketball teams in the U.S.A. will be meeting for the championship on Monday night!

Tags: Kansas University, Rodrick Stewart, Roy Williams, Ty Lawson, University of North Carolina