I was looking at the brackets and thinking about UNC homers' oh-so tired refrain about Duke getting "easy roads." I looked at UNC's potential path this year, and I looked at the road each of Duke's five championship teams traveled, and noticed something: UNC can get to a Final Four without ever having to beat a top 4 seed. That has never happened to any championship Duke team.
Also, UNC's potential Elite 8 opponent will be at best a #6 seed. In Duke's five championship runs, that has only happened once (Duke's 2001 team played #6 USC - after beating #4 UCLA in the Sweet Sixteen).
I don't believe in the "easy path" notion in any capacity anyway. If you win and advance in the tournament, you are beating teams that are playing well, regardless of seed. But if you buy into that idea, which many THR posters obviously do, this UNC team has an easier path than any championship Duke team has ever had.
Also, UNC's potential Elite 8 opponent will be at best a #6 seed. In Duke's five championship runs, that has only happened once (Duke's 2001 team played #6 USC - after beating #4 UCLA in the Sweet Sixteen).
I don't believe in the "easy path" notion in any capacity anyway. If you win and advance in the tournament, you are beating teams that are playing well, regardless of seed. But if you buy into that idea, which many THR posters obviously do, this UNC team has an easier path than any championship Duke team has ever had.
