Oh Carolina!!!!

#1 NORTH CAROLINA 67 vs. MICHIGAN STATE 55

Closing Spread: UNC -8.5

Result: UNC -8.5 (Won by 3.5)

Bet: UNC -11 and UNC -9

Result: Won both bets

This was a great event upon the Aircraft Carrier, USS Vinson. A fitting place to launch the USS Tar Heel which left for deployment amongst the NCAA landscape on Friday night showing just how dominant they will be for the upcoming season within the whole nation and ACC.

Here's the skinny on UNC. Once again there's the Super Frontcourt of Soph. Harrison Barnes, Jr. John Henson and Sr. Tyler Zeller. And the run of UNC depends pretty much on the health of Soph. PG Kendall Marshall! If Kendall stays healthy, then UNC will be cutting down the nets in New Orleans! It's as easy and that.

The strengths of UNC? Their frontcourt offers 3 different weapons.

Barnes will take over spurts of every game with a flurry of transition lay-ups and jumpers. Plus, he can hit the odd jumper within the halfcourt set.

Tyler Zeller will use the advantage of the collective wingspan of the forwards to cheat one extra step towards the helpside and draw 2-3 charges a game. Once he gets position and receives a well led entry pass, he'll get many hoops in the blocks.

And Henson? His wingspan led to 9 friggin' blocked shots vs. MSU. He altered twice as many shots with his albatross like twigs. He was his usual self on the boards, but then showed a turn around jumper from the short corner and the wing that may show some foreshadowing towards a Player of the Year (Outhet Award) season if he can consistently make those jumpers for the whole season.

The collective wingspan of the Super Frontcourt makes it difficult for any team to get comfortable shots within 15 feet of the hoop. It pretty much forces a team to HAVE to shoot the lights outta the gym from down town just to have a chance vs. the Tar Heels. This may very well be their greatest strength. This will lead to blocked shots, and many rebounds off altered shots that will lead to their identity, which is the fast break.

A fast break that is led by Kendall Marshall. Marshall's thread-the-needle outlets mine as well be Joe Montana passes to Jerry Rice. Marshall fills in the gaps that will connect the UNC Frontcourt Trio's Trix; He has got to stay healthy! Plus he will compliment Barnes' open J's in the half-court set with timely drives to the hoop.

The weaknesses of UNC?

Their defensive strengths of cheating one step more towards the helpside and altering shots forces the bigs to play straight up in the air and a bit off the rebounding lane to effectively block out on the glass. This led to UNC giving up 19 offensive rebounds to The Brave 300 of the Michigan State Spartans. But this will be remedied by simple hustle and preventing the true weakness of UNC....which is the possibility of UNC defeating UNC.

If they rely purely on their out-of-stratosphere talent, then they will be outworked by one of the many teams out there that are capable of shooting the lights out from 3-point land. This will also land the Tar Heel's into a slowed down half-court game which stalls their strengths and forces them to force jumpers and one-on-one post moves that Zeller and Henson rarely convert. But, Roy will get the fella's hustling. If they maintain an adequate level of hustle, they will be able to force their fast tempo and rhythm that will lead to the Dance in New Orleans in March.

Also, the Tar Heels must develop a threat from downtown to further make opposing defences from clogging the key making things difficult for the Three Tar-Heel-go Frontcourt. Soph. Wing, Reggie Bullock didn't impress too much on the USS Vinson from downtown, but Freshman, G PJ Hairston has come into Chapel Hill as gun slinger from the three-point line.

Finally, the most freaky aspect of UNC is their 2 McDonald All-American freshmen in PJ Hairston and forward, James McAdoo can be phased into the UNC line-up rather then being thrown to the wolves like John Henson and Harrison Barnes were as freshmen. The expectations on Henson and Barnes over the past 2 seasons were unrealistic and added needless stress onto their development. Now that McAdoo and Hairston will be coming off the bench, they will be able to adapt to the rigors of the national spotlight.

This may lead to an aspect even more dangerous for the NCAA landscape, a post-National Championship UNC team with continuity. Uh oh!