Tar Heels Return To Final Four With History, Fans On Their Side

UNC's basketball team is playing in the Final Four once again this weekend, facing off against Oregon Saturday in what has become almost a Carolina tradition.

This is the Tar Heels' 20th trip to the national semifinals. To put that in perspective, they've been to about a quarter of all the Final Fours ever played. That includes last year's run, when they came within a stunning game-clinching Villanova three pointer of winning it all.

So this year, they'll be the most experienced team. South Carolina and Gonzaga are making their first appearances, while Oregon hasn't been to a Final Four since they won the first NCAA tournament in 1939.

If public opinion had any impact, UNC would also have the edge. According to a Public Policy Polling survey, 21 percent said they wanted the Tar Heels to win it all this year.

That was higher than any of the other remaining teams. Oregon was the favorite of 17 percent, Gonzaga 14 percent, and South Carolina came in last at 11 percent. But more than a third of those polled said they had no preference among the national championship contenders.