East Region first round action continues Friday March 21, 2008 at 7:10 pm ET as the Mount St. Mary’s Mountaineers face off against the North Carolina Tar Heels at the RBC Center (Raleigh, NC). This game features the best team in the ACC this year in UNC, against a Mountaineers team that barely snuck into the brackets by defeating Coppin State (16-20). BetUS.com has North Carolina as -25 point NCAA basketball betting favorites in Mount St. Mary's vs North Carolina.
Everyone is fully aware of the Tar Heel’s might, but how do they do it? What is the key(s) to their success so far this season? Taking a closer look at this perennial powerhouse, it is easy to see why they come into this contest with a blistering 32–2 record. It is their great balance in scoring, and their impressive assist to turnover ratio that separates this team from the rest. UNC’s run-and-gun high-powered offensive attack features four players in double figures in scoring led by Hansbrough and Ellington.
Tyler Hansbrough (Junior) is arguably the best player in college hoops today. This 6-9, 250 lbs Forward 
is averaging a double double this season with 23 ppg, over 10 boards, and 1.5 steals per game. Another key for the Heel’s success has been the play of sophomore Wayne Ellington. The 6-4, 200 lbs guard is averaging 17 ppg and shooting a blistering 41% from behind the arc. He also pulls down more than 4 rebounds per game. BetUS.com has the TOTAL at 150 points in Mount St. Mary's vs North Carolina.
Needless to say, The Mount (19-14) is going to have a difficult time keeping up with UNC, considering they are not a very good rebounding team. Keys for their success will be the play of G Jeremy Goode and G Chris Vann. The senior Goode is currently averaging 14.5 ppg, with 5.5 dimes, and 3.3 boards. His counterpart Vann (senior) averages 14.3 ppg, shooting a respectable 39% from downtown.
