High tempo first half – what everyone would expect from UNC and Kentucky as the Tar Heels lead by 5.

This game has had a different feel than the others because of the history – lets put that into perspective.

This is Gonzaga’s and South Carolina’s first ever Final Four.  And it is Oregon’s second – the last time they were there was 1939 – when the Ducks won the first ever NCAA Tournament.

North Carolina has played in 19 Final Fours – winning 5.   Kentucky has played in 17 Final Fours – and have won 8 (second only behind UCLA’s 11 – who ironically were also in the South Regional Sweet 16)

North Carolina and Kentucky have played in the same Final Four 3 times assuming I counted right (1993, 1997 and 1998).  Ironically they didn’t play each other in those years.  But that still means there has only been 1 Final Four with any of the other three teams, and 3 where these two played at the same time.

If North Carolina wins, they will be playing in back to back Final Fours – so everyone but their 4 freshmen will have made as many or more Final Fours than the other 3 schools have in their history

But that is nothing.  If Kentucky wins, it will be their third in four years – so seniors Derek Willis and Dominique Hawkins will have gone to 2 more Final Fours than South Carolina and Gonzaga and one more than Oregon.

South Carolina is 8-9 in tournament history (with their 4 wins this year).  So Kentucky has won as many National Championships as South Carolina has won tournament games

Oregon is now 23-13 and Gonzaga is 28-19.   UNC is 120-45 and Kentucky is 126-50.   So either the Tar Heels or Wildcats will have won twice as many tournament games as the other three schools combined.

So, in a year where teams are doing things that haven’t been done in history, the South Regional final will ensure that for any of these teams to cap their magical runs with a National Championship, they will have to beat one of the more storied programs in college basketball history.

Enjoy the second half