The Tar Heels started and finished the season No. 1

Champs!

North Carolina ended the season exactly where it began — No. 1. The Heels appeared to be the best team on paper before the season began and they were clearly the best team at the end. more

The Tar Heels started and finished the season No. 1

Scenes from the Hardwood

"Scenes" dives into the NCAA Tournament as Pitt takes on Oklahoma State in the East Region.

2009 Conference Notes

Athlon's regional writers keep you up to date on what's new in college basketball.

Inside The Paint Podcast

The Inside the Paint crew takes you around the college basketball landscape in a weekly podcast format.

UNC won its fifth national title vs. MSU in Detroit.

Tar Heels stomp Spartans

Athlon Sports’ preseason No. 1 North Carolina demolished Michigan State, 89–72, at Ford Field in Detroit for its fifth national championship.

MSU and Magic won it all in 1979, can Lucas in 2009?

MSU-UNC: Round 2

Can Michigan State win its rematch with heavily favored UNC during the national title game tonight at Ford Field in Detroit?

Coach Cal is living his dream of coaching at UK.

Calipari to Kentucky

John Calipari won a record 137 games over the past four years. But that was at Memphis. From now on, his goal must be to raise the eighth national championship banner at Kentucky.

Detroit area product Kalin Lucas is headed back home.

Final Four — Michigan State

The Spartans are headed roughly 90 miles up the road from East Lansing to the Final Four at Ford Field in Detroit.

Villanova's X-Factor, senior big man Dante Cunningham.

Final Four — Villanova

The Wildcats advanced to the Final Four with a game-winner against Pitt and hope to pull off a replay of the 1985 Nova miracle.

Final Four — Connecticut

The Huskies advanced out of the West Region to their third Final Four, where they are 4-0 with national championships in 1999 and 2004.

Can Tyler Hansbrough lead UNC to its fifth national title?

Final Four — North Carolina

The Tar Heels are headed back to the Final Four, where senior Tyler "Psycho T" Hansbrough hopes to go crazy in his final collegiate games at Ford Field in Detroit.

Scottie Reynold's shot Villanova into the Final Four.

Bracket Breakdown

A conference-by-conference rundown of how this year’s field of 65 played over the first two weekends of the NCAA Tournament.

Pitt's Sam Young scored 32 points against OK State.

East Region Preview

Xavier coach Sean Miller faces his alma mater Pittsburgh, while Duke goes toe-to-toe with Villanova in the East Region.

Rankings as of Apr 22nd, 2009

1	North Carolina (34-4)
2	Michigan State (31-7)
3	Connecticut (31-5)
4	Villanova (30-8)
5	Louisville (31-6)
6	Oklahoma (30-6)
7	Pittsburgh (31-5)
8	Missouri (31-7)
9	Memphis (33-4)
10	Kansas (27-8)
11	Duke (30-7)
12	Syracuse (28-10)
13	Florida State (25-10)
14	Gonzaga (28-6)
15	Purdue (27-10)
16	Xavier (27-8)
17	Washington (26-9)
18	LSU (27-8)
19	Wake Forest (24-7)
20	Arizona State (25-10)
21	UCLA (26-9)
22	Marquette (25-10)
23	Oklahoma State (23-12)
24	Texas (23-12)
25	Butler (26-6)

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