Uh... Really?

Why doesn't Gary mention that almost every team has a higher tournament winning percentage in their home state. You know why that is? Teams normally play the first two rounds in their home state and later rounds elsewhere. UNC plays its first two games in the state of North Carolina almost every year. Those are games that they should win. Of course there is some level of home court advantage.

You're exactly right!

Two things. One, If Gary would check North Carolina's and Duke's tourney record in the Meadowlands I believe he'd find it's very good there too because they've both played the early round games there.

Two, does anyone remember reading a Whisky fan's post two days ago about Davidson playing in the friendly confines of North Carolina and how it was going to be different in Detroit?

The advantage is undeniable.  The simple fact of the matter is that once the first round is over no team should be in a bracket where they can continue to play in front of hometown fans with ease.  The location of games in the tourney is huge, homecourt advantage is huge.  I say we move the tournament to Canada where there is no chance of home court advantage.

Seriously the UNC fans cannot say that they think it is not an advantage.  UNC deserves no special treatment.  If any one deserved to play in their home state most of the way it was Memphis...they only lost one game....in their homestate of all places.

The advantage is undeniable...remember the '88 Fianl Four in Kansas City?  There was no way KU could have won it all that year playing anywhere else but KC.  That is a fact.

UNC WILL NOT WIN THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP.  Sorry to burst your bubble here fellas but they simple do not have the arsenal to get through the next two games.  U of L is tough and athletic and deep.  Even if UNC manages to get through the Cards there is a buzzsaw waiting for them in Kansas...should they get blessed by the almighty to win that I don't see them beating Texas or Memphis or UCLA.  It was a nice season for UNC, hell next to KU I like them most simply because of Roy Williams.  They just have a hard road to hoe...hell all the teams do now.

The advantage is undeniable...remember the '88 Fianl Four in Kansas City?  There was no way KU could have won it all that year playing anywhere else but KC.  That is a fact.

Wow!  Is that really a fact.  What you are saying is that you have indisputable evidence that shows without a doubt that KU would have lossed if they were not playing at home.  I would like to see this evidence.  I am giving you a homework assignment ft rommel.  You have from now until UNC runs Kansas over in the final 4 to produce this evidence.  That gives you one week to do whatever research is needed.  Get to work.

Odds makers usually give the home team (truly home game) a five point advantage over a visiting game. With that said, some teams defy odds makers and sometimes but rarely play better on the road. Despite that rarity, the statistical average is at about five points. If a home team wins by more than five points, then I would put the odds that the home team played at a higher level (did not play equally with a home court advantage) on that day.

For the game: I see UL of playing UNC tough and potentially beating UNC in a close game. I dont see UL blowing out UNC. Odds makers have UNC at between 5.5 and 6 points. I would expect a 2-3 point score differential. I see the score being 77-79 UNC, but wouldnt be suprised if UL wins in the final 30 seconds.

Odds makers usually give the home team (truly home game) a five point advantage over a visiting game.

That's true, but the advantage is not fear of the crowd on the part of the visiting team. A good ball player is concentrating in his game, not the crowd. The advantage is due to the tendency of the officials to give some close calls to the home team. 

While the home team may get fired up before the home crowd, some visiting teams get fired up by a &