FACTS & STATS: Site: Ford Field (72,000) -- Detroit, Michigan. Television: CBS. NCAA Tournament Record: Villanova 48-29, North Carolina 100-39. Series Record: North Carolina leads, 9-4.

GAME NOTES: The North Carolina Tar Heel and Villanova Wildcats collide at Detroit's Ford Field this evening in the second game of the 2009 Final Four. The winner of this contest will take on either Michigan State or Connecticut for the national title on Monday.

The Tar Heels' tournament resume' is as good as it gets, as the team is making its NCAA-record 18th Final Four appearance, while amassing more tournament victories (100) than any other program. Roy Williams' Tar Heels are trying to bring a fifth national title to Chapel Hill, with UNC capturing national crowns in 1957, 1982, 1993 and 2005. The top seed in the South Region, North Carolina navigated its region with relative ease, posting double-digit wins over Radford (101-58), LSU (84-70), Gonzaga (98-77) and finally, Oklahoma (72-60).

Villanova is making its fourth appearance in the Final Four and first since winning the national title in the memorable 1985 event. The Wildcats have reached the title game in two of their three visits to the Final Four, winning in 1985 and losing in 1971 to UCLA. This year, the Wildcats captured the East Region crown as the three seed, besting familiar foe and top-seeded Pittsburgh in the Elite Eight in a 78-76 thriller. That victory capped a brilliant run through the region that saw coach Jay Wright's team knock off American (80-67) and rout UCLA (89-69) and Duke (77-54), before edging out the Panthers. The win against Pitt was the 300th for Wright, who is in his 15th year as a collegiate head coach (eighth at Villanova).

This is the 14th all-time meeting between these two teams, with North Carolina winning nine of the previous 13 matchups. Villanova and North Carolina have met four times in the NCAA Tournament. The last time these two met was in the 2005 tourney, as UNC squeaked out a 67-66 decision in the Sweet 16, before going on to win the national title. Oddly enough, Villanova's only tournament win over the Tar Heels came in 1985, en route to Nova's only national crown.

Villanova has played the kind of inspired ball that is needed when tournament time comes around. It was never more evident then in the Elite Eight against Pittsburgh. Familiar Big East foes, the 'Cats and Panthers battled for a full 40 minutes, with senior Scottie Reynolds making a clutch shot in the waning moments of the game, propelling the Wildcats to their first Final Four in 24 years. Villanova, which got off to a slow start shooting 34.4 percent in the first half, went off in the second stanza by converting nearly 60 percent from the floor (.583) to earn the victory. Four players finished in double figures for 'Nova, led by Dwayne Anderson's 17 points. Reynolds added 15 points, while Dante Cunningham and Shane Clark delivered 14 and 11 points, respectively.

Veteran leadership is the major reason that Villanova is in the position it is in, something that Wright is very aware of.

"The seniors came to college to be a part of a program and to get a great education and be a part of our culture. Not a single one of them ever asked me about what would happen if they left early. They are old school guys that came here to be a part of something and it is so special for me to be a part of it with them."

Reynolds is the court leader, ranking second on the team in scoring (15.2 ppg), while pacing the club in both assists (123) and steals (58). Cunningham has been a force in the paint, leading the way in both scoring (16.2 ppg) and rebounding (7.4 rpg), while converting 52.9 percent from the floor. Corey Fisher is the third double-digit scorer at 10.7 ppg, while Corey Stokes (9.5 ppg) and Anderson (9.1 ppg, 6.0 rpg) are instrumental as well. The team's offensive prowess is evident, as 'Nova is netting a healthy 77.0 ppg. However, in shutting down teams like UCLA and Duke in the last couple of weeks, the 'Cats have shown their defensive tenacity. On the year, the numbers are good as well, limiting the opposition to just 66.9 ppg and just over 40 percent shooting (.403).

Tough defense will be needed in this one, as there aren't many teams in the country more explosive at the offensive end than North Carolina. The Tar Heels have dominated the competition in just about every facet of the game, shooting .483 from the field this year, while rolling up 90.0 ppg. With a +17.9 scoring margin and a +7.0 rebounding edge, it's no wonder that UNC has made it look easy at times. Former National Player of the Year Tyler Hansbrough paces the team in both scoring (20.9 ppg) and rebounding (8.1 rpg) and was named a First Team All-American for the third time. However, the scary thing is that the 6-9 senior wasn't the best player on his team this season. That distinction goes to Second Team All-American and ACC Player of the Year Ty Lawson. Regarded as the top point guard in the country and the winner of the Bob Cousy Award, Lawson is both a prolific scorer (16.3 ppg) and deft distributor (216 assists, against just 61 turnovers). Hampered down the stretch by a toe injury, Lawson looks to be back to 100 percent at the right time. The scoring deluge continues for UNC in the form of Wayne Ellington (15.6 ppg), Danny Green (13.3 ppg) and Deon Thompson (10.7 ppg), who complete the nation's best starting five.

Still, even with that kind of offensive firepower, every player on the UNC roster knows they will have to tighten things up defensively.

"We're going to have to have some guys play defense, first of all. It's not just one person playing defense on them. When they penetrate, we have to have help-side. It's going to be the whole team that's going to have to contribute defensively and commit to that," Hansbrough said.

Hansbrough had a tough outing in the Elite Eight against Oklahoma, finishing with just eight points and six boards, but Lawson and Green picked up the slack, netting 19 and 18 points, respectively. Thompson chipped in 10 for the Tar Heels, who shot 51 percent from the field while forcing OU into 16 turnovers.

Conventional wisdom would have the Tar Heels once again rising to the occasion and posting yet another double-digit victory. While that may be the case here, Villanova is a dangerous adversary that will lean on its veterans. If the Wildcats can keep things close in the second half, it could very well be another 'Nova shocker with the Wildcats playing for the national title on Monday night.

Predicted Outcome

Villanova 77, North Carolina 75