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Cinderella is gone. There are only two teams left in the college basketball world, and they’ve been at the top all along.
Gonzaga and North Carolina looked like two of the best teams in the country throughout the season, and on Monday night they’ll play for a national championship. It would be Carolina’s fifth championship in school history, while Gonzaga is making their first-ever appearance in a men’s college basketball final.
Here’s how to watch:
UNC vs. Gonzaga Viewing Info
Date: Monday, April 3, 2017
Start Time: 9:20 p.m. ET
TV Channel: CBS
Live Stream: March Madness Live or CBS All Access
Spread: UNC (-1.5), per OddsShark.com
Moneyline: UNC (-115), Gonzaga (+135)
Over/Under: 155
Preview
Gonzaga has played well throughout the NCAA tournament, but they’ll see a different level of opponent in North Carolina. The Tar Heels, making their second straight appearance in a national championship, have athleticism both inside and outside unlike anything the Zags have seen in the tournament. The closest comparisons are West Virginia and Arizona, whom Gonzaga only narrowly defeated this season.
For the Bulldogs, the key will be dominating the inside with their two seven-footers. Karnowski is the go-to man inside, but the revelation has been freshman Zach Collins. The pair combined for 27 points and 18 rebounds against South Carolina, with Collins recording six blocks.
The Tar Heels have had shooting slumps during the tournament, but their experience should keep this game close. Last year they played a Villanova team that was setting records for offensive efficiency, but held on late only to lose on a last-second buzzer beater. Kennedy Meeks, the senior that anchors UNC in the middle, had a horrible game in last year’s final. He finished with just four points on 1-8 shooting, and will be looking for some redemption in Phoenix on Monday night.
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