Samstag, 31. März 2012

NCAA Final Four 2012: Players Who Will Guarantee Kentucky a Title Game Berth

John Calipari and the Kentucky Wildcats are going to beat Rick Pitino's Louisville Cardinals and move on to the NCAA Tournament title game. That seems to be all but set in stone.

But the one thing we don't know yet is which players will be the deciding factor in today's Final Four game.

 

1. Anthony Davis

Davis, the 2012 Player of the Year, is an absolute force in the paint. He's been huge for Kentucky this entire season, garnering as much hype as his coach's former protege, Derrick Rose.

Davis' main task will be to effectively neutralize Louisville big man Gorgui Dieng.

Dieng has been one of the Cardinals' most valuable assets in the tournament thus far. He has 13 blocks in four games, seven of those coming against Michigan State and Draymond Green.

Here's some bad news for Dieng: Davis has 19 blocks in the tournament. Also, he's accounted for nine-plus points and rebounds in every game, while shooting over 75 percent from the field.

 

2. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist

Another NBA-caliber player on the Kentucky roster, Kidd-Gilchrist, will have a pivotal role in deciding the outcome of this matchup.

After disappointing in the first two games of the tournament, he's turned it up in his last two tilts. He's averaged 21.5 points and 7.5 boards in his last two games and hasn't missed a free throw.

He'll need to step up and limit his Cardinals counterpart, Chane Behanan, on the glass so Davis doesn't get overwhelmed down low.

It won't be Kidd-Gilchrist's scoring that decides the game, but his ability to box out and pull down double-digit rebounds.

 

3. Marquis Teague

Another diaper-dandy for coach Cal, Teague leads the Wildcats in assists per game.

He doesn't seem to be as cold-blooded as Davis and Kidd-Gilchrist, which is what makes him an X-factor. Will the freshman out of Indianapolis be able to keep his nerves in New Orleans?

Signs point to yes, as he's been huge for his team in the tournament even though he was shaky against Baylor.

He turned the ball over four times, took just four shots and had his lowest assist output in over a month.

Teague will be able to compose himself in the Superdome, acclimate himself to the unfamiliar environment, and bring Kentucky back to the NCAA Championship Game with the help of Davis and Kidd-Gilchrist.

If that doesn't convince you to watch the game tonight, maybe this will.

Nothing like a couple of hardcore fans straightening out some Kentucky/Louisville issues at kidney dialysis.

Source: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1126671-ncaa-final-four-2012-players-who-will-guarantee-kentucky-a-title-game-berth

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