NCAAB Ga,me of the Year

Ohio vs. North Carolina, 03/23/2012 19:47 EDT, Score: 65 - 73

Point Spread: -10½/-102 North Carolina

Sportsbook: 5Dimes

Result: Loss

Today's winner is North Carolina over Ohio. This is my NCAAB Game of the Year.

This big story this week is the injury to North Carolina's, Kendall Marshall. Marshall is still considered a game time decision, but it won't matter. This is what UNC lives for. The Tar Heels have won 10 straight games in the Sweet 16. As a team, they post 82.0 PPG. ACC Defensive Player of the Year, 6'10", John Henson is 100%. The Forward averages 13.8 PPG and 10.1 RPG. The other big men, 6'8", Barnes and 7'0", Zeller (ACC Player of the Year) are combining for 33.6 PPG and 14.6 RPG. The front line is the best in the nation. The game will be won up front. Ohio's success came against Guard-oriented teams, not teams with talented big men. They just don't have the height or strength up front to contend with any mediocre big men, let alone the best front line in college hoops. Guards, Hairston, McAdoo, Strickland, and Bullock (28.0 PPG and 13.1 RPG combined) will have no problem rotating and producing if Marshall is unavailable. Ohio has DJ Cooper (14.9 PPG). Outside of the of the Guard, the Bobcats lack a solid supporting cast. Keely and Baltic are their best rebounders but are both listed as a very "liberal" 6'8" each. Ohio's loss to Louisville can be justified. But when a team falls to Robert Morris, Bowling Green, Akron, Toledo, Eastern Michigan, and Kent State, how can they measure up to the power house that is North Carolina.? The Tar Heels are 10-1 ATS their L11 NCAA Tournament games played as a favorite of 7-12 1/2 points, 5-1 ATS their L6 non-Conference teams, and 9-3 ATS their L12 games played overall. Take North Carolina. Thank you.