Matchups for today's NCAA men's basketball championship game between North Carolina and Michigan State:

Road to Detroit

North Carolina: Beat No. 16 Radford 101-58; No. 8 LSU 84-70; No. 4 Gonzaga 98-77; No. 2 Oklahoma 72-60; No. 3 Villanova (East) 83-69

Michigan State: Beat No. 15 Robert Morris 77-62; No. 10 Southern California 74-69; No. 3 Kansas 67-62; No. 1 Louisville 64-52; No. 1 Connecticut (West) 82-73

Championship pedigree

North Carolina: 4-4 1946, lost to Oklahoma State 43-40; 1957, beat Kansas 54-53 (3OT); 1968, lost to UCLA 78-55; 1977, lost to Marquette 67-59; 1981, lost to Indiana 63-50; 1982, beat Georgetown 63-62; 1993, beat Michigan 77-71; 2005, beat Illinois 75-70

Michigan State: 2-0 1979, beat Indiana State 75-64; 2000, beat Florida 89-76

Starting backcourt

North Carolina: Boasts two of the game's best guards in juniors Ty Lawson and Wayne Ellington. Lawson is the motor of the Tar Heels' engine, utilizing his lightning-fast speed to get easy buckets in transition, but still has the ability to navigate through defenses to the basket. Ellington is a deadly three-point shooter who also has the speed to run the break and the strength to get to the rim. The duo has combined to shoot 42.7% on three-pointers this season.

Michigan State: Point guard Kalin Lucas leads the team at 14.7 points a game and keeps the offense running smoothly. The 6-0 sophomore is joined by Travis Walton, a defensive stopper who is coming off a stellar performance in the semifinals, helping hold Connecticut's A.J. Price to 5-for-20 shooting. Walton isn't the scoring threat Lucas is, but his 18 points in the second round vs. Southern California shows he has the ability.

Edge: North Carolina

STARTING FRONTCOURT

North Carolina: It starts with four-time All-American Tyler Hansbrough. He averages 20.9 points and 8.1 rebounds and is sixth all-time on the NCAA tournament scoring list. He's a defender's nightmare with his tenacious style and never-give-up attitude. He is joined by senior swingman Danny Green, who can play inside and out, as well as junior Deon Thompson, who has shot 60% from the floor in 13 NCAA tournament games.

Michigan State: The emergence of Raymar Morgan (18 points, nine rebounds) in the semifinals gives Michigan State a much-needed boost in the paint. Morgan also had five steals vs. Connecticut, showing off skills on the defensive end that will be needed against the Tar Heels. He is joined by Goran Suton, who emerged in the Indianapolis regional with 39 points in two games, and Delvon Roe, a freshman who creates plenty of second-chance opportunities.

Edge: North Carolina

BENCH

North Carolina: This group might not dazzle the way its starting five does but brings great energy and toughness. Ed Davis, a 6-10 freshman, is the most talented player to come off the bench and averages 6.5 points and 6.5 rebounds. Seven-footer Tyler Zeller has returned from a wrist injury and offers added depth. In the backcourt, senior Bobby Frasor and freshman Larry Drew II offer consistent relief, but the duo is not a threat to get a lot of points.

Michigan State: The reserves are relied upon heavily. Eleven players saw action in Saturday's semifinals with three key contributions. Freshman Korie Lucious scored nine in a row during a short stretch in the first half to help the Spartans grab the halftime lead, followed by solid performances from Durrell Summers and Draymond Green in the second half. They did a little bit of everything and can contribute in a variety of ways.

Edge: Michigan State

COACH

North Carolina: Roy Williams is coaching in his seventh Final Four (four with Kansas, three with North Carolina) and has one national title. His 69 victories the last two seasons are the most in UNC history. He is third all-time in NCAA tournament victories with 54.

Michigan State: Tom Izzo has been to five Final Fours and owns one title. His .756 winning percentage in the tournament ranks third among active coaches. But this year might be some of his best work, guiding a team that had struggled at times to consecutive victories against last year's defending champ (Kansas) and two No. 1 seeds (Louisville and Connecticut).

Edge: Michigan State

Intangibles

North Carolina: Loaded with talent and experience. Tyler Hansbrough, Danny Green, Wayne Ellington and Ty Lawson returned to campus after passing on the NBA draft to play for a national title. They'll be facing a disadvantage in Detroit, with a majority of the 72,000 in attendance rooting for the home-state team.

Michigan State: Confidence has been building throughout the tournament. The Spartans have allowed an average of just 59 points over their last 16 games, largely because they've held teams to just 39.8% shooting from the floor in that time. Emotions are high as Izzo's squad will play in front a Detroit crowd itching for something to cheer for.

Edge: Michigan State

Stattitude

North Carolina: The Tar Heels have reached the title game with five consecutive double-digit victories. Last team to do that was Duke in 2001, which went on to win the title with a double-digit victory against Arizona.

Michigan State: Center Goran Suton was 3-for-5 from three-point range in the regional final victory against Louisville. Meanwhile, shooting guard Travis Walton is just 3-for-5 from three-point range on the season -- and hasn't attempted a shot from beyond the arc since Dec. 31 in a win against Minnesota.