Head Over Tar Heels

You can't spell UNC without NC.

According to history, it took only 300 Spartans to hold off the Persian army. Looks like it takes more than five Spartans to hold off the North Carolina basketball team.

The University of North Carolina Tar Heels dismantled the Michigan State Spartans 89-72, the largest point differential in a championship game in 17 years. Despite playing in their home state, the Spartans were quickly overwhelmed by the size and ferocity of the Tar Heels.

Much like a Florida team that returned a number of potential NBA draft picks to grab a title in 2007, UNC was able to retain Ty Lawson, Wayne Ellington, Danny Green, and Tyler Hansbrough for an additional season. The experience of these players was crucial in obtaining a fifth national crown.

With the win, head coach Roy Williams matches the number of titles won by Carolina legend Dean Smith. Both men have won two apiece, but Williams is more likely to win another, considering Smith retired in 1997 and has been medically-termed 'old.'

In the 1982 NCAA championship game against Georgetown, a sophomore named Michael Jordan would hit the game winning shot to give Carolina its second title. The moment would become a watershed in Jordan's carrier, as he would go on to become perhaps the greatest basketball player of all time.

Sure enough, the same day that his alma mater was declared a winner, Jordan was being induced into the NBA Hall of Fame along with David Robinson and John Stockton.

Despite the achievements of both Robinson and Stockton, Jordan long ago established himself in a league of his own, much like Madonna and Rosie O'Donnell did in that baseball movie. He excelled at all levels of athleticism, except for minor league baseball.

As for this edition of collegiate-champions, bound for professional basketball, they will perpetually be in the shadow of His Airness, but they can at least hope to one day get their own shoe brand.