Top 5 Reasons North Carolina Basketball Will Win 2007 Championship

With pre-season tournaments in full swing in college basketball, it's never too early to pick a favorite to win this year's national championship. The returning champion Florida Gators are certainly at the top of many lists to win it all once again. Billy Donovan's Gators return all five starters from its March Madness run last year and were the preseason AP number one team. But while the Florida is the preseason poll favorite, it could be the exciting young team at the University of North Carolina that may steal the show. There are many reasons that the Tarheels could be the 2007 champions, but the top five reasons UNC will hoist the championship trophy in 2007 are as follows:

#5) The ACC. The Atlantic Coast Conference was a young conference last season, and this season each team is a year older. The added experience will likely raise the level of play in the league. The ACC is a conference that could feature as many as seven to eight teams in the 2007 tournament field. The ACC features top 25 caliber teams such as Boston College, Duke, Georgia Tech, and Florida State. The difficulty and strength of schedule that the ACC offers is likely to help North Carolina in March Madness. Along with making UNC a tournament ready team, the tougher competition of the ACC will most likely aide North Carolina in a bid for a number one seed in the East region of the tournament if UNC can manage to win the conference title. Along with the brutal ACC schedule, UNC's schedule also features a barrage of quality non-conference opponents, which includes Ohio State and Kentucky.

#4) Freshmen. Having five of the top freshmen in the nation is certain to help UNC in a bid for the title. The freshmen class, which features three 2006 McDonald's High School All-Americans, gives UNC an added edge in youth and enthusiasm. The youngsters are eager to fight for starting spots and notoriety, which gives them a drive that other teams may not have. Look for Ty Lawson, Brandan Wright, and Wayne Ellington to be the impact freshmen that get UNC fans excited. These high-energy newcomers lack the experience but add the excitement and pep to this Carolina team. Down the stretch, UNC's youth could actually help them and give them something to prove.

#3) Depth. This version of the Tarheels is fully stocked and can go up to 12 deep on the court. The depth of this year's team is one of its supreme advantages. Roy Williams has implemented a system of run and gun at UNC that can only be aided by the addition of quality talent up and down the roster. The depth of this year's squad is reminiscent of classic UNC teams that helped Dean Smith coin the strategy of using a Blue squad, which would bring five subs into a game at a time to wear down opposing teams. The depth of Carolina matches the strategy and coaching of Roy Williams perfectly. The depth and fast play that it allows has Coach Williams thinking that the Heels can break the school scoring record, which is currently held by the 1986-1987 squad at 91.3 points per game.

#2) Coaching. Roy Williams is a living college basketball legend. The Dean Smith protégé was once touted for his ability to take his Kansas teams deep into the tournament but fail to win championships. However, the 2005 version of the Tarheels changed the fortunes of Williams when they won the National Championship. The future hall-of-famer now knows what it takes to close the deal in late March and has the Tarheels poised to make another championship run.

#1) Tyler Hansbrough. The sensational 2006 ACC Freshman of the Year is back and ready to win the Wooden Award for the nation's best player. The 6'9" sophomore is UNC's best player and leader on the floor. Hansbrough averaged 18.9 points and 7.8 rebounds in his rookie campaign. The dominant presence that Hansbrough gives the Tarheels down low is the biggest upside to this young team. Few if any big men in college basketball can match-up with Hansbrough's skills and effort in the low post. If Hansbrough has a successful sophomore year, look for the Tarheels to be crowned college basketball's best in 2007.