With the field of 68 whittled down to 16, it’s fair to say that March Madness 2012 has not been disappointing. This year has proven that the only thing that you can predict in this tournament, is that anything can happen.

Once the field is announced, every team starts fresh. Records are reset and history has nothing to do with the future. Last Friday morning, ESPN had over 4,000 brackets that were flawless. By the end of the night, not a single registered bracket was perfect. Something that had not happened in 11 years, happened during the second round of the tournament; a 15 seed defeating a 2 seed.

Twice.

The University of Missouri Tiger, a team many thought should have been a number 1 seed and a Final Four favorite, were sent home by the Norfolk State Spartans. In a historic, and somewhat startling, upset with a final score of 86-84. But the Tigers were not alone in their premature departure as the Duke Blue Devils would inevitably join them after falling to the Lehigh Mountain Hawks.

The number that a committee game you and the name on the front (or back) of your jersey means nothing once the ball is tipped. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again; anything can happen in March. Finality is not something that is longed for and fighting is not optional. Toughness is put to the test and there is not a second chance.

By the end of the weekend 4 teams will still be marching to New Orleans. They may or may not be the teams the nation would have considered “the best” but they were the best when it mattered

Excuses can’t exist, reasoning goes out the window and upsets can be a good thing.

This is what March Madness is all about; unpredictable heartbreaking joy.

Facing adversity and defeat can cause one of two things to happen; you lay down and give up or you can allow it to serve as the birthplace for resolve and tenacity.

When the Tar Heels left Tallahassee with a 33 point loss on January 14th, questions were asked and predictions were given. Predictions that this was not the North Carolina team everyone thought they would be. There is no way that a team who loses by 33 points can finish out the season on top. And when the Duke Blue Devils sauntered out of the Dean Dome on February 8th with a one point victory from a shocking three, people wondered and speculated once more how a team that seemingly can’t finish out an “in the bag” game would survive in the tumultuous month of March.

The questions were loud, constant and harsh. And what’s worse is there was no obvious answer or solution from the outside world. Folks were puzzled. Basketball analysts were stumped. All the pieces were there. How did this team, of this caliber, lose in such a manner? The Carolina blue jerseys were filled with talent, skill and experience and as such, there was no excuse for such losses.

After the shot that shocked the Tar Heel nation fell and the questions were being formed, Roy Williams answered with this,

“You ought to be ticked off,” he said. “You ought to be flat out ticked off. You’re going to become more determined. If you start wallowing in sorrow for yourself or feeling sorry for yourself, you should just go home…We lost a game we could’ve won. If we don’t learn something from that and come back more determined, I’ve got the wrong group. And I don’t think I have the wrong group. We’re going to come back and go to work.”

I feel fairly confident in saying that more than one person speculated if he did indeed have the right group. Heartbreaking and frustrating losses have that effect. You start to wonder if the hopes you had were ill placed and if this was really the team we had all believed it was.

And despite the six games and six victories that took place after the Duke loss, one question still remained; who would win the last game of the season? Carolina or Duke? Light blue or royal blue? It all boiled down to a face off on Tobacco Road.

The game started off like any other within Cameron Indoor Stadium; loud, hostile and confidant. And for two minutes, it stayed that way. 18:14 in the 1st half at 4 was the last time the score was tied and by the start of the 2nd half, the Tar Heels would build a 26 point lead. Two inevitable Duke runs closed the gap to 11, but for the second time this season, the Blue Devils never held a lead for the duration of a game. Duke was held to 26.5% in the first half and only 18.2% from behind the arc, their comfort zone. They would finish the game shooting 41.3%, but it would be too little, too late

This was a dream game if you side with the lighter shade of blue, but an absolute nightmare if you don’t. The Tar Heels answered the questions. They fought back throughout the season to prove that they are who they’re supposed to be.

So, here we are, 2 days from the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament, and 5 days from Selection Sunday, the official start of “March Madness.”  But, its games and victory’s like this that make college basketball so much more than just the madness that is about to ensue.

17 weeks and 30 games later, the final week of regular season play in the Atlantic Coast Conference comes down to what many would consider predictable.  Tonight’s match up in Durham between the North Carolina Tar Heels (26-4,13-2) and the Duke Blue Devils (26-4,13-2) will be the seventh overall meeting that will determine the ACC regular season title winner.

But in college basketball, predictions fail and at this point, the only number that matters, is the one at the end. Sure history sides with the ones that choose to believe this is “how it should be”. Only twice in the last 12 years, has another program outside of Carolina or Duke have gone into the ACC tournament wearing the crown of regular season champion.

It’s been less than 30 days since the Duke shocked the Tar Heels with a buzzer beater 3 to win 85-84. It was that shot that made the game an instant classic. It was that shot that will always play during the Carolina-Duke montages.

It was that shot that has made this game worth waiting for.

The Tar Heels have ruined the last 2 out of the 3 senior nights within Cameron, and while Duke will only have one senior (Miles Plumlee), emotions will be high inside of the intimate venue. For Tyler Zeller, this game is more than just a game. This game provides him the opportunity to replace the memory of that shot which has no doubt resonated with him since February 8.

This game is about more than a shade of blue. It is more than the name on the back of the jersey. It is bigger than a single player or game. It is a rivalry that makes fans and players count down the days until the next meeting.

It is simply, Carolina and Duke and the only thing that can be predicted is it will be unpredictable.

In the world of college basketball –especially conference play– there are games that are considered “need to wins”. These games, more often than not, have little to do with the opponent and more to do with the timing of the game itself. These are the victories that coaches and players want to point to at the end of the season and know they represent more than just a number.

On paper, the Maryland Terrapins (13-9, 3-5) “needed” this win more than North Carolina (20-3, 7-1). But sports, like life, is more than what’s printed in black and white. The Tar Heels toughness, desire and ability to fight back has been in question and severely doubted for the majority of the season. The 33 point loss at Florida State represented as everything that Carolina lacked.

For casual fans, this served as “the game before the one that really matters”.  More than once, the ESPN commentating crew speculated if North Carolina would have their collective head in the game because of the impending match up against the Duke Blue Devils just 5 days away. Now, as a lifelong Tar Heel, I understand the weight of that match up. But I also recognize that it is just a regular season game and I would hope that standing in the Comcast Center with an incredibly raucous crowd would give cause for the guys in the light blue to focus on the game at hand.

This was a hard fought, full on dog fight kind of game. There were a total 5 lead changes,  and multiple scoring runs by the Terps that at one point led by 9 and showed no signs of stopping. They were swinging and swinging hard. But then something happened that hasn’t been considered common this season; the Tar Heels swung back.

The final punch came with 1 second left in the game with a dunk by John Henson. Now, this is the kind of basket that head coach Roy Williams will usually shake his head in disapproval because it isn’t necessary for the win. But at some point during a game or during a season, a team needs to have a moment of exclamation. A moment where there is no question who landed the last knock out swing.

A moment to silence the critics and to have the moment. The moment where they can point to this victory and know that it was more that just a game in the win column.

This was the game that they swung back. Hard.

Saturday’s defeat butt kicking given to North Carolina by Florida State isn’t the season ending loss that many have said it is.

Yet.

Martin Luther King, Jr. once said that the true measure of a man is not how he behaves in moments of comfort and convenience but how he stands at times of controversy and challenges. Clearly he was not referring to sports when he said this, but I believe in this situation, it can apply.

When things are going your way and baskets are dropping and wins are coming seemingly effortlessly, it’s easy to get comfortable. 9 games have been played since a frustrating loss at Kentucky in early December and the Tar Heels have not ventured out of Chapel Hill since. 9 home games plus 9 wins equals comfortable. A loud, raucous crowd inside of Donald L. Tucker Center hoping to see the number 3 team in the nation fall? Uncomfortable. A 6’5 senior scoring a career high of 32? A challenge. Coming back after the worse loss in Roy Williams career? A challenge at its finest.

But in this loss, it’s not the unaccepted challenges that have created a very vocal aftermath. It’s the controversy that started with 14.2 seconds left in the game. As I said, when the number 3 team comes onto your court, emotions are high and expectations are set. This crowd didn’t need a 33 point differential to get them excited. They needed just an inch, not the mile. With roughly 4 minutes to go in regulation, you could feel the emotion through the television screen. There was no question what was going to happen when this game was mercifully over, but after a female manager was knocked to the ground after the Tar Heels fell to UNLV, Roy was a little uneasy. And so with 14.2 seconds to go, Tar Heels went to the locker room.

Well, most of the Tar Heels. The five walk-ones were left to finish out what was left of the “game” and then fight there way through several thousand proud Seminoles.

In the world of college basketball, you cannot get much more controversial than that. What kind of head coach leaves with time still on the clock? What sort of “team” abandons their own to head to the safety of the locker room? The North Carolina Tar Heels had no idea what sort of names they would get called and what sort of situation they would have to bounce back from.

Intensity cannot be coached. Toughness cannot be taught. Experience has the potential to teach perseverance, but one has to be willing to learn. Tonight’s match up against the Virginia Tech Hokies could very well serve as the turning point for the Tar Heels.

Or it could show just how well they bounce.

Webster’s defines “historic powerhouse” as a significant person or thing of great energy, strength or power. I’m not sure the respective programs at the University of North Carolina or the University of Kentucky could be summarized any more succinctly.

Before the season started, I predicted that the 35th meeting of these teams would be one of the top games of the regular season, if not the top. It’s been 251 days after North Carolina was sent home by a 7 point Kentucky Wildcat victory in the Elite 8. Though losses are part of the game, the severity and finality of a season ending one sticks. It resonates. It’s the one game tape you wear out in order to see what you can do differently if you get another shot.

For North Carolina, that’s what this trip to Lexington was supposed to be. It was supposed to remove that bad taste and wipe the Tar Heel Nation’s memory of that loss.

Unfortunately, it didn’t happen.

The scoreboard read 73-72 when the Tar Heels trotted way from the 8th largest Rupp Arena crowd. The young Wildcat squad proved why they are number one by outscoring the Tar Heels by 17 in the paint. But North Carolina tied a season high of 61% from behind the arc and led by as much as 7 points. The teams exchanged the lead eight times for the day, including three times in the second half. When freshman Marquis Teague missed the front end of a one-and-one, the Tar Heels were given one more shot at redemption with 21 seconds left. Marshall’s 8th assist to Tyler Zeller should have provided Zeller with this 16th point of the game and victory clinching basket. But suddenly the 7 foot forward found himself on the wrong end of a double team and passed the inevitable game winning shot to John Henson.

Instead, Kentucky freshman Anthony Davis used his entire 6 foot 10 lanky frame to swat the ball and give the Wildcats the final possession of the day.

But the most curious play of the the final 21 seconds was not a John Henson shot getting blocked (though that is an extreme rarity). No, the most perplexing aspect of Saturday’s defeat was why with 4.6 seconds left, why the guys in the lighter blue didn’t try to foul. It should have been instinctual for guys that have been playing organized basketball for the majority of their short lives. There is not a doubt in my mind that fans at home were screaming “FOUL!” just as emphatically as Roy Williams as he sprinted up the sideline

They did not and Kentucky quite literally walked into victory while North Carolina stood shell shocked and the referees forgot about their whistles. It’s early December, but this is a game that was played like we are in late March. It was a game that reminded the world why college basketball is the greatest sport and why March is worth getting excited about.

Even on December 5th.

When trying to think of the best, most clever way to start this post, I was stumped.

How do you summarize a game that is unprecedented? How do you briefly describe what it’s like to witness a tipoff that is surrounded by open waters and troops by the thousands? How can you recap a game that is so much more than just a game?

This was a setting unlike any other with a large portion of the 8,000 plus in attendance being described as the “greatest team in America”. A team that was not clad in Carolina blue or Spartan green, but a team that fights for something more than a trip to the Final Four. A team that is always fighting for the red, white and blue and never has an off season. A team that cheered on the Michigan State Spartans and the North Carolina Tar Heels from temporary stands atop the USS Carl Vinson.

North Carolina claimed the victory 67-55 on the 100,000-ton floating airport, with the President and the First Lady of the United States sitting on the first row at center court. 127 college basketball games played throughout the country Friday night and only one took place on an aircraft carrier with the Commander in Chief who was, literally, front and center.

For the game, Michigan State shot for an unimpressive 30.6% with the Heels shooting 47%, which could leave some wondering how the final score was so close. There are not many teams that pull down more boards than the squad in the light blue, but the Spartans outrebounded the Tar Heels 49-34, with 16 more offensive rebounds. Dan Shulman said it best when he said “Michigan’s State’s best shot was from a missed one.” Both teams shot poorly from behind the arc with Carolina shooting 4 of 12 and Michigan State making only 2 of 20.

The ACC Preseason Player of the year, Harrison Barnes, led all scorers with 17 points, while John Henson had a career-high nine blocked shots. Michigan State’s Draymond Green had a career-high 18 rebounds and led the Spartans with 13 points.

When the game and obligatory picture taking was over, players from both teams removed their jerseys, made their way from center court to the Wounded Warriors and proceeded to do something we may never witness again; they gave the jerseys to the first soldier they encountered.

This was a moment of reality. A moment to realize why this trip to San Diego held value outside of basketball game. It was a moment of realizing that those men and women that these players had never met before this week, have fought for them. For us.

And in that moment, James Michael McAdoo at 18 years old, realized that he wanted to go home with more than a victory and a few pictures.

“I gave my jersey to a soldier named Joe,” he said. “I told him my name and talked to him for as long as I could. I got the opportunity to sign it for him and make it personal, because it’s not just us playing a game. We were able to build some relationships with people who do so much for us.

“Since we’ve been in San Diego, people from the military are always telling us, ‘Thank you,’ for an autograph or for a picture. My response is always, ‘No, thank you.’ These are people who put their lives on the line just so we have the opportunity to do what we do, and to be able to be part of this is something I will never forget.”

I don’t think any of us will.

In less than 8 hours, an idea that was more often than not scoffed at, will become a reality.

The USS Carl Vinson, an active aircraft carrier that weighs 95,000 tons and reaches just under 1,100 feet in length, has had its flight deck transformed into a makeshift stadium in 10 days. Seating for 7,000 people, which will include 4,000 troops and President Obama, has been constructed, along with two large video boards, both of which are located behind the goals.

When junior power forward John Henson was asked if the video boards could pose a problem, he replied optimistically by saying, “It was almost like you could watch yourself while you shoot [free throws], which is going to be kind of weird. But hopefully you can focus on the backboard and the rim and it will be fine.”

Tar Heels head coach Roy Williams agrees that though it’s an “unusual environment”, both teams are familiar with playing “big-sized stages”. Aside from the oddly placed video boards, changes in wind, temperature and light as the game progresses, will be elements that neither squad has experience with or has had to face in any other high profile game.

However, North Carolina has the edge in experience despite playing on a makeshift basketball court. The Tar Heels return their entire starting lineup that made it the Elite Eight last season, while the Spartans return only two players to start more than 5 games last season and have seven players who have never played a minute.

Since returning to North Carolina, Roy Williams is undefeated (5-0) against Michigan State. A record that includes a 13-point win in the 2005 Final Four and 14-point win in the 2009 national championship game. And though he recognizes the fact that the game played tonight is one that counts in the standings, he also recognizes this is an experience unlike any other that deserves to be enjoyed.

“This is a celebration,” Williams said. “The basketball game, from the tipoff till the final horn, we’re going to be working our tails off about the game. But every single second prior to it and as soon as the game’s final horn is over with, we’re thinking about hopefully putting a smile on some people’s faces who represent our country and serve our country.”

And the Spartans head coach, Tom Izzo, is also attempting to master the same balancing act.

“It’s bigger than a game. It’s bigger than North Carolina vs. Michigan State. It’s a dream come true for us because in a small, small way, we’re giving a little bit back. We’re recognizing the people that deserve to be recognized instead of just the athletes.”

In addition to the thousands of troops and the Commander in Chief, Earvin “Magic” Johnson (Michigan State, 1977-1979) and James Worthy (North Carolina, 1979-1982) will be honorary captains for their alma maters.

Tipoff is set for 4:20 p.m. PST and midway through the first half, we will be reminded that just because an active military ship can play host to a historical basketball game and all that that entails, it is still an active military ship. And at sunset, the colors will be retired and the flag lowered.

Because today is a day to remember those that have fought for what those stars and stripes represent and to honor and celebrate each of them.

“It’s unbelievable,” said Harrison Barnes. “What they do and how much time they give is incredible. All the credit goes to them. [The game] is less about Michigan State and more about a tribute to what they do.”

When college basketball players think of the “once in a lifetime” experience, it usually involves the cutting of nets and the hoisting of trophies, not playing on the deck of a U.S. Navy aircraft carrier. But for the University of North Carolina Tar Heels and the Michigan State Spartans, a once in a lifetime experience will also be history making when they tip off on the deck of the USS Carl Vinson for the inaugural Carrier Classic.
This is a game of logistical nightmares and weather concerns. It is a game that will inevitably produce lifelong memories and sense of eternal pride. This is a game of first times and only times. It is a game that is meant to honor the men and women that lay their lives on the line day in and day out.

It is a game that will prove to be unforgettable to all those involved.

All of that to say, it is just a game. Win or lose, these players and coaches will leave San Diego, return to their respective states and continue the 2011-2012 season. But for the several thousand sailors and soldiers that will be in attendance, it is game that is meant to bring honor and to recognize the sacrifices they have made and continue to make.

While this game represents so much more than what the final score will reflect, these teams also recognize the opportunity that lays before them. For Michigan State, it is a chance to kick off their season by beating the undisputed top-ranked and most talented team in college basketball. And for North Carolina, it opens the door for history to repeat itself; the 2005 and 2009 national title teams each traveled across the country to open up their seasons and each played Michigan State during the season and came away victorious…

And when the final buzzer echos throughout the San Diego Bay, a trophy built by the same company that builds aircraft carriers, will have a new home in Chapel Hill or East Lansing.

But this is not a game about trophies or final scores or top ranked teams.

This is a game to say thank you and a chance to remember that the biggest battles are not fought on the hardwoods.

5. Kentucky
The last match up between these two historical powerhouses resulted in the Wildcats getting a berth to the Final Four and the Tar Heels watching their chance slip through their fingers. Here we are, five months later and the game scheduled for December 3rd is looming large.

John Calipari’s squad will be bringing in four, highly talented and touted freshmen, but that doesn’t change the fact they lost 3 key members, Brandon Knight, Josh Harrellson and DeAndre Liggins, to the NBA draft. History is siding with North Carolina with the Tar Heels walking away victorious 22 times in 34 meetings. Aside from returning their entire starting lineup, Carolina’s bench will feature the fresh and talented faces of James Michael McAdoo and PJ Hairston .

This is not the same team that Kentucky faced and sent home in New Jersey on March 27, 2011. I have a feeling that this game is going to be one of the best of the season. Mark your calendar.

4. 9 Consecutive Home Games
This is worth noting simply because it’s a first. Nine home games in a row is unprecedented with the previous record of eight happening over seven decades ago in 1938. And the undefeated 1957 National Champions played eight games total in the intimate confines of Woollen Gymnasium.

The Tar Heels will host a total of 18 home games this upcoming season with the nine kicking off against Evansville on December 6 and wrapping up with Miami on January 10 before hitting the road for back-to-back conference games.

3. Big 3

“…I thought all three of those big guys (Tyler Zeller, Harrison Barnes and John Henson) would go pro last year and they all stayed. I’ve got problems. It’s a long way to jump off that ship.” Michigan State Head Coach, Tom Izzo when discussing the Carrier Classic.

Barnes, Henson and Zeller combined for 1,594 points last season and confirmation of their return, skyrocketed the Tar Heels to the top of the pre-season favorites. Now, after a summer of pickup games and the bitter taste of defeat, these three return in hopes of leading their team to New Orleans for a chance to tend to some unfinished business…

…a shot at a National title.

2. Duke
Tobacco Road seems a lot shorter and more treacherous at least twice a year. No matter the season, record or predictions, this game is not only one to watch if you deck yourself out in light blue or royal blue; it’s one to watch if you can’t get enough of historic and storied rivalries.

And if that alone isn’t enough consider this…

• Two of the last three National Championships were won by these powerhouses
• Combined rosters feature a total of 12 McDonald’s All-American’s
• The past two number one recruits in the Nation in Harrison Barnes (UNC) and Austin Rivers (Duke) call these programs home.

The regular season was split, but the Blue Devils had the final word and waltzed into a conference championship with a 17-point margin of victory.

This is never just another game and this is not just another rivalry.

This is Carolina-Duke.

1. Michigan State
This game is never one to overlook and this season’s match up taking place on November 11th in San Diego, is no different. The Spartans have something no other team can say they have; Tom Izzo. I have a great deal of respect for this coach and in my opinion, he’s one of the all time best. But that fact pales in comparison of why this game has been the talk of college basketball since the beginning of last season. For the first time in history a college basketball game will take place on the deck of a docked, active aircraft carrier.

Want to take a moment and read that again?
The game is taking place appropriately on Veterans Day and no outside ticket sales will take place. A basketball court seating approximately 7,000 fans will be constructed on the flight deck and in the case of rain, the game will take place below the deck.

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These five things are purely my opinion and I have no doubt that there are a multitude of others out there. The point is, despite the many things that can be drawn from the recent release of the University of North Carolina Men’s basketball schedule, these are the five that resonate in my mind as key reasons to keep an eye on the Tar Heels this upcoming season.