Photo Credit: Getty Images
It will be the unlikeliest of match-ups when No. 7 Connecticut takes on No. 8 Kentucky Monday night for the NCAA National Championship.
So much so that It will be the highest combined seeds to ever face off in the title game.
2011 winner, Connecticut shocked overall number one Florida in the Final 4 where the Huskies defense troubled Scottie Wilbekin and the Gators guards. DeAndre Daniels and Shabazz Napier also led UConn on the offensive end.
2012 winner, Kentucky found a way to survive against No. 2 Wisconsin, using Aaron Harrison’s three-pointer with 5.7 seconds left to catapult them into the Championship. It was nearly an identical shot that beat Michigan, but this time from NBA range.
It seems the championship will be a battle of the guards. Napier and Ryan Boatright have played suffocating defense while the Harrison twins, Andrew and Aaron, have grown up before our eyes in the tournament.
It was also be veteran coach John Calipari, who has led his team to three out of the last four Final 4’s, against second year coach Kevin Ollie.
Kentucky, as we all know by now, is the epitome of youth, starting five freshman and bringing two more off the bench. Meanwhile, UConn is led by senior, scoring machine Napier who has a chance to win his second championship.
One advantage Kentucky surely has is on the boards, more specifically offensive rebounds. Nobody does it better than the Wildcats, it’s also an area UConn struggles mightily in.
UConn on the other hand will have to do to Kentucky what they did to Florida: slow the guards down. They will need to frustrate Andrew and Aaron Harrison as well as the much forgotten James Young.
The match-up certainly isn’t what anyone predicted at the start of the tournament but will be an an entertaining and excitng one nonetheless.
