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North Carolina has favorable start to latest title run

Mar 21, 2008 - 11:17 AM No. 16 Mt St Marys (19-14) at No. 1 North Carolina (32-2) 7:10 pm EDT

RALEIGH, North Carolina (Ticker) - Top-ranked North Carolina has a clear path to the Final Four. It runs through Raleigh and Charlotte.

The Tar Heels begin a quest for their fifth national championship and second in five years on Friday when they face Mount St. Mary's.

After receiving a record 12th No. 1 seed in the East Regional, North Carolina (32-2) can reach the Final Four without traveling more than two hours from its campus. Its first two games would be here, with the regional semifinals and final set for Charlotte next weekend.

"It's an advantage if you play well," said Carolina coach Roy Williams, who guided his alma mater to a national title in 2005. "Just because the crowds cheering for you, I've never had a crowd win a game. I know it sounds wacko."

While the Tar Heels will have the benefit of a home crowd cheering for them, they are by no means guaranteed a spot in the Final Four.

North Carolina arguably is in the toughest region with a possible regional semifinal contest against No. 4 seed Washington State and a regional final matchup with second seed Tennessee looming.

Assuming the Tar Heels don't become the first No. 16 seed to lose in the first round, they would face either Indiana or Arkansas in the second round on Sunday.

Mount St. Mary's (19-14), the winner of the Northeast Conference, is making its first tournament appearance since 1999.

The Mountaineers secured a spot in the main draw with Tuesday's 69-60 victory over Coppin State, the Mid-Eastern Athletic tournament winner, in the opening-round game.

Jeremy Goode, the team's second-leading scorer, had 21 points for Mount Saint Mary's, which absorbed a 76-53 loss to top seed Michigan State in its only other appearance in the NCAAs.