The Final Four

Near the Riverwalk in downtown San Antonio, college basketball's biggest event has finally arrived - the Final Four! Is there anything better?

For the first time ever, all of the number one seeds have made it. (Cinderella, where art thou?) The Big Dance field has a combined record of 143-9, making this the most wide open NCAA tournament championship in recent memory.

Basketball analysts nationwide are making their predictions about what will go down in the Alamodome. Like the weathermen, these experts have no idea. Sports predictions are nearly always exercises in futility, but trying to guess what's going to happen in this Final Four is like a craps shoot.

And now on to my fearless predictions, which are, like I said, a total toss up.

Kansas vs North Carolina

This is really the defacto championship game and a perfect setting for a drag race. Ty Lawson, the cat-quick player from North Carolina is arguably the fastest point guard in terms of getting to the rim. Kansas prefers to play up tempo and has guards that can run the floor. But can they keep up with the Heels and their transition game?

The biggest difference, though, will be Tyler Hansbrough, who is having a monster tournament. He along with the other UNC bangers should get more than their share of offensive put-backs and win the rebounding battle by a large margin.

The Tarheel offense goes from good to otherworldly when it's on the move. This will not be a game for the faint of heart. The Heels are the pick.

UCLA vs Memphis

This game is defense against offense, grind it out against the dribble drive. You've heard it said that defense wins championships. UCLA can really, really defend. The Bruin defense will put the clamps down on Memphis for the first time all tournament. UCLA will come up with the clutch shots needed late, just when the Tiger free-throw shooting rears its ugly head. The Bruins will take this one.

Championship Game: UCLA vs UNC

A classic matchup between two of the most tradition-rich college basketball programs in the country. The key will be who is best able to survive the slugfests in the semifinals.

UCLA has the experience of two Final Fours on its resume. The Bruins added what could be their missing piece in skilled freshman big man Kevin Love.

But North Carolina is the most complete package. In terms of size, depth, speed, talent, coaching, recent Final Four success and momentum, the ACC champions have a slight head-to-head advantage.

The Bruins have the starting quickness and rebounding to run, but aren't nearly as comfortable playing fast and lack the quality depth to play up-tempo for too long. Carolina will get out on the break at every opportunity and in the second half, eventually wear down as the Bruins.

Then Roy Williams and the Heels will cut down the nets Monday night.

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