Head coach Roy Williams' Tar Heels hammered its first two tournament opponents, scoring over 100 points in both games. By doing so, North Carolina remains the top seed in a region, which has only seen one upset. This should be good for the ACC champions, but it also means all top four seeds are still alive in the bracket.
The Tar Heels like to run and find both shooters and finishers on the break. Junior forward Tyler Hansbrough provides strength in the half-court offense and gets to the free-throw line nearly 10 times per game.
This team has depth and talent but their field-goal percentage defense, which is No. 103 nationally, leaves them vulnerable against an opponent that can slow the game down.
Louisville head coach Rick Pitino took a risk early in the season, combining his full-court press with a 2-3 zone. That move has paid off, as Louisville has the sixth best field goal defense in the nation.
In their last game, the Cardinals held Oklahoma's Blake Griffin, who shot 77 percent on the season, to eight points.
Louisville relies on senior center David Padgett to run its offense. His precise passing creates opportunities for teammates, and he is particularly effective on the pick-and-roll.
Sophomore guards Jerry Smith and Earl Clark and junior forward Terrence Williams all add firepower to the Louisville lineup. The bench is also strong with Clark and sophomores Edgar Sosa and Derrick Caracter, who average a combined 27 points per game.
The Cardinals have the size and depth that could give both Tennessee and North Carolina trouble.
The Volunteers do not shoot an especially high percentage, but they do generate plenty of shots. Tennessee presses for much of the game, forcing turnovers and baiting opponents into taking hasty shots.
Their offense relies on the outside shooting of senior guards Chris Lofton and JaJuan Smith but their point guards have struggled. Iowa transfer Tyler Smith is the team's top rebounding threat and can score points inside.
Lofton suffered a minor injury in Tennessee's last game but should be able to play.
One of the biggest weaknesses of head coach Bruce Pearl's team is their free-throw shooting, which ranks 271st in the country. This, with their reliance on outside shots, means large leads are rarely safe. Last season, Ohio State staged a 17-point comeback to eliminate Tennessee from the tournament.
The Volunteers have struggled in their first two tournament games. They allowed American to hang around deep into the second half in the first round and trailed Butler with less than two minutes to go in the second round.
Their lack of inside presence could pose problems when going up against David Padgett and the Cardinals Thursday.
The Cougars are by far the weakest surviving team in this region but did finish tied for third in a very tough Pac-10 conference. Their offense is neither flashy nor fast-paced, but, it is built on the efficient play of senior guards Kyle Weaver and Derrick Low and junior point guard Taylor Rochestie.
They are especially effective from 3-point range, where they shoot 38.9 percent as a team. Of the three guards, Low is the most prolific shooter, while Rochestie and Weaver are better distributors.
The Cougars defense has been a key to their success all season and was the best in their conference. They held both tournament opponents under 42 points per game and allowed them to convert only 27.6 percent of their field goals.
WSU, however, lacks good post presence, a weakness that could cost them against North Carolina. The game will be a clash of styles since WSU will take a slower, more deliberate approach, and UNC will look to run on the Cougars.
