With North Carolina’s win over Michigan State in the national championship game on Monday, the 2008-09 college basketball season has come to an end. While it was a fun ride, I’m sad to see this season go. It’s a long six months until Midnight Madness in October.

Fans cheer during the first half of the championship game at the men's NCAA Final Four college basketball tournament on Monday.

While it wasn’t the greatest way to end the season  - the Tar Heels won, 89-72 - it was the culmination of what we all thought would happen in the preseason. With so many players coming back for their senior year - including the reigning player of the year, Tyler Hansbrough - North Carolina was the favorite from the start.

Two loses to open the ACC regular season brought UNC back to the pack in the minds of everyone that didn’t play or root for the Tar Heels, and a loss in the ACC Tournament made them look beatable heading into the NCAA Tournament.

But it should be no surprise really at how dominant North Carolina was on its way to the program’s fifth title.

I’ve said all season that any of the top eight or 10 teams could win the title - as long as it that team played its best for six straight games in March. That’s what North Carolina did, and its best was clearly much better than everyone else’s. How else does a team win all of its tournament games by double digits?

They may not have shown it all season, but the Tar Heels were the best team this season. And they proved it on the floor.

Tags: college basketball, Michigan State, national championship, NCAA Tournament, North Carolina, Spartans, Tar Heels, Tyler Hansbrough