With speed, quickness, leadership and a much-improved jump shot, point guard Ty Lawson emerged as one of nation's best players in leading North Carolina to its fifth national championship.

Before the NCAA Tournament began, I picked Pittsburgh, Oklahoma, Washington and Louisville to make it to the  Final Four and figured the Panthers would win it all.

I know. None of them even made it to Detroit. Don’t remind me.

Anyway, my Final Four prediction had a couple of disclaimers. Here’s one of them:

“As much as I think North Carolina has the most talent of any team in the country, just unsure about Ty Lawson’s injury. If he was healthy, I’d have the Tar Heels winning it all.”

Well, after missing North Carolina’s first tournament game, Lawson played through the toe injury, got healthy and led the Tar Heels to their fifth national title.

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Villanova. Michigan State. North Carolina. Connecticut.

Michigan State coach Tom Izzo shared a magical moment with former Spartan All-American, Magic Johnson, following a 64-52 win against top-seeded Louisville in the Midwest Regional final to earn a spot in next week's Final Four in Detroit.

I didn’t pick any of those teams to make it to the Final Four.

Dang.

Oh well. Guess I can watch Saturday’s games without rooting for any one particular team and just enjoy the games.

Just for a quick recap, I picked Washington (What was I thinking?), Pittsburgh (Scottie Reynolds, why didn’t you give Pitt at least 1.5 seconds to win the game at the buzzer?), Louisville (What were the Cardinals thinking?) and Oklahoma (Ty Lawson, how did get so healthy so fast?).

Maybe I’ll have better luck next year.

Then again, maybe not.

After hitting the game-winning shot to beat Pittsburgh, Scottie Reynolds (center with black glove) celebrated with his Villanova teammates as the third-seeded Wildcats are headed to the Final Four after upsetting the top-seeded Panthers, 78-76, Saturday night.

As Scottie Reynolds’ game-winning shot trickled down through the nets Saturday night, my NCAA Tournament bracket was set ablaze.

Not literally, of course, but Villanova knocked out the team I picked to win the national title – Pittsburgh.

The Wildcats won, 78-76, on a driving Reynolds’ layup with 0.5 seconds remaining. Levance Fields flung a near full-court heave that had a good chance to go in, but it banged off the backboard at the buzzer.

Got to feel for the Panthers. They get past the Sweet 16, finally, and then fall to Villanova, but their style of play leaves little margin for error.

So going 21-of-29 from the free-throw line cost them the game. Villanova was nearly perfect from the charity stripe: 22-of-23.

Only two of my Final Four predictions are alive: Louisville and Oklahoma.

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Pittsburgh. Oklahoma. Louisville. Washington.

Sam Young (23) and the Panthers will win it all (if DeJuan Blair can stay out of foul trouble).

Ya’ll know me.

I just go by gut feeling on these picks.

So as much as I think North Carolina has the most talent of any team in the country, just unsure about Ty Lawson’s injury. If he was healthy, I’d have the Tar Heels winning it all

As far as picking Pittsburgh to win it all, it’s just time for the Panthers to cash in on all the talent they have. It all hinges on their big man, DeJuan Blair. If he stays out of foul trouble, Pitt will cut down the nets at the Final Four in Detroit.

If not, the Panthers will fold, early.

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