March Madness: 8 bold predictions for 2019 NCAA Tournament

8) UNC will beat Duke in the national championship game

Could you imagine if this actually happened?

Duke and North Carolina have never played each other in the NCAA Tournament before. It’s the only thing lacking in this rivalry, and it’s going to happen sooner rather than later. But if the first time was for a national championship? The entire state of North Carolina might shut down.

I think these are clearly the two best teams in the country right now. Duke has been all year whenever Zion is healthy and the Heels have proven their place by beating the Blue Devils twice, Louisville twice, Florida State, Syracuse, Virginia Tech, etc. over the past two months.

We’ve been robbed of three matchups between these two giants with Duke at full strength and when they were, we were given a classic in the ACC semis – a 74-73 win for Duke. On the surface, that should indicate that the Blue Devils have the advantage.

But the Tar Heels shot just 15.4 percent (4/26) from three-point range in that loss, which is a full 21 percent below what they average on the year. If Carolina simply had a normal shooting night, they win comfortably.

Roy Williams has also never won the ACC Tournament and NCAA Tournament in the same year, so maybe it was a sign.

I’ve been a fan of UNC’s versatility since the start of the year and now they’re clicking on all cylinders. With Coby White and Cam Johnson emerging as stars and Kenny Williams becoming one of the nation’s best defenders, there aren’t really any holes in this Carolina team.

No matter what happens, March Madness is bound to provide plenty of upsets, buzzer-beaters, exciting finishes, and memorable moments over the next few weeks before crowing a champion.

It’s why now is the best time of the year. So sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride.