danger smells like clean socks

At 9:21 PM EST, the final game of the NCAA college men's basketball season will begin.

Roughly two hours later, I will either be an anonymous ecstatic face mobbing Franklin St., or I will be driving home, pissed.

One thing I am so tired about hearing is the whole "Roy Williams is the best coach never to win a championship."

Championships are great, but they are not going to define the legends of the game. This whole "Will he win one?" talk is irritating. It's the same with pro ball, too. Charles Barkley never got a ring. What does it matter? Does it detract from his legend in any way?

In any case, I'm incredibly nervous. UNC is far more talented and athletic... but our guys have focus and team issues. Given the talent of our team, it's no wonder that our guys go through spurts where they just chuck up shots - I think deep down inside unless they truly feel challenged, they're going to play half-assed.

This is a common problem among athletes. Remember the Lakers last year? They dilly-dallied all year until playoff time came around. Paul Shirley, a pro baller for the Phoenix Suns, sums it up perfectly:

By midway through the first quarter, I was anticipating having a fine conclusion to this road trip journal—some anecdote from my first game action in weeks—but that turned out to be very premature thinking. In the end, we muddled our way to a win. I wonder sometimes if my teammates get bored on the court. At times it seems that the game almost comes so easily to some of them that they forget to concentrate and subconsciously allow the opponent back in the game just so they can have some competition.

UNC will win handily if the follow occurs:

• Raymond Felton isn't nervous and isn't in "turnover" mode
• Rashad McCants isn't shooting cold
• Either Marvin or Jawad is shooting OK
• Sean May isn't sitting back and letting Rashad take long-range jumpers

If these four things occur, I can't fathom how Illinois cannot win. They might be able to chuck up a vast number of treys and keep it close, but come on... Carolina has far too many offensive weapons!

Vegas is giving two points to Carolina ... so technically, it is our game to lose.

But I'm proud of our boys nonetheless. Let's just hope the run-n-gun offense is in sync tonight...

Final score prediction: UNC 258, Illinois 52.

Stat lines:

Raymond Felton: 60 points, 10 boards, 28 assists

Rashad McCants: 78 points, 2 boards, 0 assists

Sean May: 100 points, 58 boards, 27 blocks

Jackie Manuel: 0 points, 0 boards, 59 blocks, 25 steals

Melvin Scott: 1 points (1-25 from 3 point range)

Marvin Williams: 25 points, 12 boards, 3 blocks

Jawad Williams: 25 points, 13 boards, 3 blocks

P.S. If we win, it'd be sweet to try to get Franklin St. to sing Queen's "We are the Champions." On live TV. For the world.

GO HEELS!