St. Louis ? Choosing a sentimental favorite for Monday night’s NCAA championship will be tougher than usual.

On one side is Roy Williams of North Carolina, in his 17th year, his fifth Final Four and still without the national title that would fill out his resume.

He came close at Kansas University a few times, then left suddenly to return to his alma mater, where he is close once again — only two seasons after rebuilding a program Dean Smith made great.

Opposing Williams will be Bruce Weber of Illinois, who worked as an assistant for nearly two decades before getting his first head-coaching job. Four years later, even Weber has admitted he doesn’t deserve this trip as much as some of those who came before him, especially his mentor, Gene Keady.

Weber made it, though, taking his team to the cusp of a championship just three weeks after the death of his mother, Dawn.

His team and Illinois fans rallied around him, and now they’re set to face Williams and North Carolina in a meeting of top seeds from the Chicago and Syracuse regionals. It will be the first final since 2001 pitting two No. 1 seeds.

“With two No. 1 seeds, it’s probably the way it’s supposed to be,” Michigan State coach Tom Izzo said after his team lost, 87-71, to North Carolina.

It’s also the first title-game meeting between Nos. 1 and 2 in the final Associated Press poll since UCLA defeated Kentucky in 1975.

“They are a great team and have been the best team in college basketball all year,” Williams said. “But the best thing about college basketball is we get to play them on Monday and not wait for the polls.”

Illinois advanced with a 72-57 victory over Louisville thanks to 20 points apiece from Luther Head and Roger Powell Jr.