“Now that everyone’s bracket has been busted and the final Cinderella team has exited the tourney, what is the appeal of the NCAA Tournament? The upset factor may be gone, but the four No. 1 seeds-North Carolina, Kansas, Memphis and UCLA-are exactly where they belong.”
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Now that everyone’s bracket has been busted and the final Cinderella team has exited the tourney, what is the appeal of the NCAA Tournament?

The upset factor may be gone, but the four No. 1 seeds-North Carolina, Kansas, Memphis and UCLA-are exactly where they belong.

What college hoops fans are getting is the best of the best, and that’s the appeal. What more could a fan ask for?

Davidson’s run to the Elite 8 was more than impressive but the tourney weeds out the teams that don’t belong and only the most complete teams rise to the top.

UNC head coach Roy WIlliams will meet his former team, Kansas, Saturday in a match-up that favors UNC. Anytime a team has the 2008 Sports Illustrated and Sporting News Player of the Year, as UNC does with Tyler Hansbrough, it can’t be overstated.

Hansbrough brings heart, a solid inside game and an ability to creatively get the ball in the basket no matter how many people are hanging on his arms. For Kansas, that presents problems. Kansas center Sasha Kaun will have his hands full and could get into early foul trouble if he isn’t careful guarding Hansbrough.

For as good as the Hansbrough/Kaun match-up will be, it won’t be the deciding factor in the game.

The duo of guards for both teams will decide the outcome.

Brandon Rush and Mario Chalmers of Kansas, and Ty Lawson and Wayne Ellington of UNC hold the Final Four destiny of their teams.

Rush and Chalmers collectively average 25.2 ppg, while Lawson and Ellington hold a slight advantage of 29.4 ppg. If Kansas decides to double up on Hansbrough, the UNC guards will have an open floor to score.

UNC 79 – KU 72

The better of the two Final Four games on Saturday will be Memphis vs. UCLA.

Memphis’ Derrick Rose and Chris Douglas-Roberts will be too much for UCLA guards Darren Collison and Russell Westbrook to handle, but, unlike the UNC/ KU game, guards won’t determine the outcome.

UCLA center Kevin Love has scored 48 points in the teams last two tournament games, and has also pulled down 24 rebounds. He has an inside presence that is rarely seen from a freshman and can also hit shots outside of the key.

Love is a Naismith Men’s College Player of the Year finalist, as is Douglas-Roberts, but I’m still not sold on Memphis’ foul shooting, even if it has improved in the tourney.

All you need is Love.

UCLA 76 – Memphis 75

My bracket may have been busted after the first day of the tournament, but I had UCLA and UNC in all my bracket championships. No reason to go back on that now. If anything is for sure, having four No. 1 seeds in the Final Four means one thing; we’re in for some wild basketball games Saturday evening.

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” #1.1361110:1701359166.jpg:SPORTS-BKC-NCSTATE-UNC-28-R.jpg:Ty Lawson will play a key role in UNC’s game against Kansas.:ROBERT WILLET / MCT”