Barnes picks North Carolina

By Eric Peterson

Correspondent

AMES -- The guessing games are over.

Harrison Barnes will play college basketball at North Carolina, the nation's No. 1 recruit told an Ames High School gymnasium crowd bursting at the seams to hear the star player's decision. 

The 6-7, 195-pound Barnes ended months of speculation in choosing the Tar Heels, who are the defending national champions.

Placards with the logos of each his six finalists -- UNC, Duke, Iowa State, Oklahoma, UCLA and Kansas -- were set in front of him.

Barnes spoke for a few minutes and was about to reveal his decision when he said his choice would be the school of the coach that showed up on a projection screen.

Barnes, who was wearing a blue shirt and navy suit, stepped to a podium and pulled up a live video of UNC coach Roy Williams surrounded by his team.

The 1,000-plus people crowd -- many of whom were wearing Iowa State gear -- cheered wildly.