Final Four Preview: Can Anyone Stop Kentucky

The NCAA Tournament concludes this weekend with the Final Four as No. 1 seed Kentucky plays state rival No. 4 Louisville and No. 1 Kansas faces off against No. 2 Ohio State. 

Ohio State (31-7) has been one of the top teams in the country since the start of the season lead by Sophomore F Deshaun Thomas and player of the year candidate Jared Sullinger. That veteran leadership will serve them well in their matchup against Kansas in a game that figures to be physical from start to finish. The Buckeyes entered the tournament with a chip on their shoulder after receiving a No. 2 seed following their loss to Michigan State in the Big 10 Championship game and have barely been threatened during their first four tourney contests. However they have yet face a team with the pedigree of Kansas as the No. 1 seeded Syracuse team they knocked off in the Elite 8 was playing without their best player in C Fab Melo.

Kansas (31-6) has been one of the most consistently successful teams in the NCAA over the past decade under head coach Bill Self. They enter the Final Four as one of the hottest teams in the country winning 13 of the past 14 contests, a period in which they faced 4 Top 10 teams. They boast the leading candidate for player of the year in Junior F Thomas Robison who, at 6' 10" has averaged 18 points and 12 rebounds a game this year and has been a dominating force on the inside while also featuring a solid game from the perimeter. Along with the Senior leadership of G Tyshawn Taylor, Kansas may sport the only lineup that can matchup with the talent of Kentucky.

Louisville (30-9) began the season ranked in the Top-5 in the country but a disappointing 2-4 stretch in the middle of the season dropped them from the AP Poll altogether. However the Cardinals have gotten hot when it matters, winning their last 8 contests en route to the Big East Championship and an appearance in the Final Four. As the lowest remaining seed in the tournament it may seem easy to cross them off the list for title contention but this team is lead by veteran coach Rick Pitino and knocked No. 1 seed Michigan State in impressive fashion in the Sweet 16. They will not be an easy out.

The Kentucky Wildcats (36-2) are the best basketball team in the country. Period. Under superstar coach John Calipari they entered the season ranked No. 2 in the country, never fell lower than No. 3 and have been the No. 1 team in the Nation since January, winning 28 of their last 29 contests (dropping only their second game of the season in the SEC Title game to Vanderbilt) and were named the No. 1 overall seed in the tournament. Thomas Robinson may win the Naismith College Player of the Year but the best player in the NCAA and likely top overall pick in the next NBA draft is Freshman F Anthony Davis (14.3 pts, 10 rbs and 4.6 blocks per game this year). What's most impressive about Davis is that at barely 19 years old he seems to get better with every game right before our eyes. Kentucky's talent goes far beyond Davis however as they also feature the 3rd best player in the country in F. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist as well as two other potential first-round picks in Freshman G Maquis Teague and Sophomore Doron Lamb.

On paper at least it looks like nobody can beat Kentucky given the way they've played this year. It's not just their immense talent but also the unselfish, cohesive way they play the game as a unit. Calipari, much like he did at Memphis, has turned the Wildcats into a professional program highlighted by one-and-done stud freshman players like Derek Rose and John Wall. Since arriving at Kentucky his teams have never lost a home game (in over 50 contests) and this may be the best collection of basketball talent and athleticism he's ever fielded, which is saying something. However Calipari has never cut down the nets at the end of March as his teams have suffered from their inexperience (such as Memphis' 2008 loss in the title game to Kansas when they choked away free throws late and lost in overtime). Calipari has drawn many critics because of his "Pro Factory" style, all of whom point to his failure to win the big one. His Kentucky teams have drawn the kind of ire that the Miami Heat have during the past two years. However I think all of that is about to change this year when Calipari avenges his 2008 loss to Kansas and Kentucky wins the National Championship, a win that may have a lasting impact of the future of college basketball.

Predictions:
National Semifinals: Kentucky 77 - Louisville 64; Kansas 70 - Ohio St. 67
National Championship: Kentucky 81 - Kansas 76