Ackerstein:

Kansas might not have looked like it in its 59-57 win
over Davidson in the regional final, but the Jayhawks are the best team in the
country and should take home a national title next Monday.

The Jayhawks certainly have the make-up of a national
champion. KU has stellar guard play and the ability to score both inside and on
the perimeter, and they play tough defense for 40 minutes.

The team has at least four guys headed to the NBA and
isn’t reliant on a single scorer either.

Sure, Kansas had its midseason struggles, including surprising
losses to Kansas State and Oklahoma State, but the Jayhawks have since gotten
over it and routed the first three opponents they faced in the NCAA Tournament.

Davidson might have caused some it some trouble, but
Kansas won’t see another Stephen Curry the rest of the way, and it will have
more than just one day to prepare for its next opponent, North Carolina.

KU coach Bill Self may be the only coach still part of
the Final Four for the first time, but this is hardly Self’s first NCAA
appearance, and the big game environment shouldn’t faze him.

Kansas isn’t going to beat itself by turning the ball
over or missing free throws either, and in Darnell Jackson and Sasha Kaun it
has senior leadership on the court.

They may not have the legacy of UCLA, the star like UNC
or the athleticism of Memphis, but Kansas is solid top to bottom and should be
cutting down the nets in the Alamodome next week.

?

Rock chalk Jayhawks. KU for the KO.

Mason:

Tyler Hansbrough. ‘Nuf said.

Yes, “Psycho T” and the North Carolina Tar Heels will win
this year’s NCAA Championship. I picked them in my bracket before the madness
started, and I’m sticking to my story.

UNC has looked impressive all throughout the tournament.
They scored more than 100 points in each of their first two games — against
Mount St. Mary’s and Arkansas — and had no problem with Washington State in the
Sweet 16. Their closest game came in the Elite Eight matchup against
Louisville, where Hansbrough went off to score 28 points. Considering many had
the Cardinals in the Final Four, a 10-point victory for Roy Williams and
company over Rick Pitino’s squad was an impressive one.

Kansas, on the other hand, almost missed out on a trip to
the Final Four. A 25-point performance by Davidson’s Stephen Curry nearly had
the Jayhawks falling to the No. 10 seeded Wildcats, which would debatably have
been the biggest upset of the Tourney.

As I alluded to earlier, Hansbrough is a force to be
reckoned with and has been all season, averaging a double-double of 22.8 points
and 10.3 rebounds per game. But he’s got plenty of help behind him offensively,
namely guards Wayne Ellington (16.6 points per game), Ty Lawson (12.8) and Danny
Green (11.4).

The only question mark standing in the way of the Tar Heels
and a trophy is their defense. They’ve often been soft on the inside
defensively, but have guarded opponents well on the perimeter.

When you watch UNC play, you just get the sense they’re a
team that can win it all. Love or hate Hansbrough, you’ve got to respect his
ability to get it done on the court. And he plays with more passion than
perhaps anyone else in the game, which counts for something in the postseason.

?

All four No. 1 seeds are in the Final Four, but only UNC isthe one.