Paige puts up numbers, then crunches them: North Carolina's coaches have an account with Synergy, "a company that tapes, analyzes, breaks down and otherwise dissects basketball video, then puts that searchable library of clips and statistics online," explains Luke DeCock. "Marcus Paige doesn’t have his own account, but the North Carolina guard spends as much time fiddling with Synergy as any of the coaches whose passwords he borrows," writes DeCock. “A lot of this stuff he’s just watching on his own,” said Brad Frederick, North Carolina’s director of basketball operations and informal chief analytics officer. “He’s watching players he might guard or teams we have upcoming. Rather than us having to make a breakdown, he just does it.” -- The Charlotte Observer

Jim Boeheim and Roy Williams share joy, heartache of Final Four: "In 2003, neither Boeheim or Williams had won a national championship. Neither one was in the Basketball Hall of Fame. Both had experienced Final Four heartache on multiple occasions," notes Mike Waters. "But on April 7, 2003, Boeheim's Syracuse team held off Williams' Kansas squad for an 81-78 victory at the Louisiana Superdome," notes Waters. Since then, Roy Williams has won two titles at North Carolina. On Saturday, they will meet again in the Final Four. Williams recalls the post-game handshake with Boeheim in 2003. "I remember it like it was yesterday,'' Williams said Thursday. "I said, 'Jimmy, I'm really sad, but I'm really happy for you.' I meant that. I'll never forget Jimmy's response. He basically said, 'Thank you, but you're going to get one, too'." -- The Post-Standard

NBA Draft buzz builds for Tyler Lydon, Malachi Richardson: Neither Lydon or Richardson have declared for the 2016 NBA draft -- and they remain focused on the Final Four -- but Syracuse's tournament run has both names rising on draft boards. A new rule passed by the NCAA in January would allow them to "test the waters" at the NBA combine but still return to Syracuse if they choose, notes Brent Axe. According to Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman, both may be first-round prospects but could each benefit from another season at Syracuse. -- The Post-Standard

UNC's Britt shares brotherhood with Villanova's Jenkins: Nate Britt and Kris Jenkins first crossed paths at an AAU tournament in Florida in 2004 when they were each 10 years old, notes Laura Keeley. Jenkins’ team lost to Britt’s team which was coached by his father, notes Keeley. Three years later, Britt's parents became Jenkins' legal guardians at the request of his mother. The two juniors on opposite sides of the Final Four bracket are brothers in every way except blood. “It was tough at first, but the Britts, they accepted me,” said Jenkins. “The whole family just made me feel so welcome, and they accepted me for who I was and elevated me as a person and made me better. It’s something that I’m always thankful for. I thank God for it every day.” -- The Charlotte Observer