ESPN commentator Dick Vitale has some fun with the Kansas student section prior to tipoff against Florida on Friday, Dec. 5, 2014 at Allen Fieldhouse.

ESPN college basketball analysts Dick Vitale and Seth Greenberg shared interesting takes on the impact of new rules and offered their midseason picks to win it all during a joint conference call Wednesday.

The former Div. I coaches agreed that the new emphasis on existing rules translate to offense winning championships.

“If you think about all the freedom of movement . . . you think about the five-second call, you think about you can’t bump cutters, you think about you can’t tag rollers, you think about you can’t body guys off screens, the rules are basically set up for offense.”

Vitale agreed: “I think it is definitely a scenario where the scoring has become dominant.”
Vitale mentioned four schools — Villanova, UCLA, Kansas and North Carolina — on his way to singling out the one he thinks has the best shot to win it all.

Greenberg mentioned three — UCLA, Villanova and North Carolina — before zeroing in on his pick.

“We’ve got the real scrutiny and a watch on Villanova,” Vitale said. “Can they pull a Florida? Can they go back-to-back? Initially, I would have said no, but I’m not so sure saying no now.

They’ve got a bunch of winners with (Josh) Hart, (Kris) Jenkins and Brunson. Those kids know how to win. They make threes so well. They’ve got a star player (Hart).”

Vitale called UCLA’s resurgence “incredible” and then discussed the Jayhawks.

“Do they ever lose? Fifty-two in a row at home,” Vitale said. “Everybody talks about Baylor. People are talking about West Virginia now in the Big 12. You’ve still got to go through Lawrence, man. You’ve got to go through Lawrence, and Bill Self to me, nominated for the Hall of Fame, I hope he gets in because he’s so deserving for his achievements.”

And then Vitale revealed his choice to win the 2017 national title.

“The team that I think, if they just make a (defensive) commitment, which I think they’re going to do, I really do, and they’ve got enough bodies, they’ve got enough talent, they’ve got enough coaching, I’m going with the team in Chapel Hill. I’m going North Carolina. … I’m going Tar Heels all the way. Chapel Hill.”

Greenberg interjected: “You’re looking for a rematch, coach, like the football game.”

Greenberg then said that although it’s difficult to pick against defending national champion Villanova and runner-up North Carolina, he likes another team even better.

“I just think the way the rules are right now, UCLA is poised to be that type of team,” Greenberg said. “They have a dynamic leader, obviously, in (Lonzo) Ball. They’ve got great shot-makers. They’ve got depth up front. They’ve got six starters.”

The Bruins, who play some of their games when most of America sleeps, have six scorers in double figures, led by coach Steve Alford’s son Bryce (17.8 points per game) and two players close to averaging a double-double: T.J. Leaf (16.8 points, 8.9 rebounds) and Ball (14.6 points, eight assists).