Ringer's NCAA Tournament Record
ATS: 38-28
SU: 44-22
The 2012 NCAA Tournament will come to an end on Monday night when Blue Bloods, Kentucky and Kansas square off for the National Championship. This game will cap off a terrific season in college hoops. This game features the 2 most winningest programs in college basketball history. Kentucky is searching for their 8th National Championship, while Kansas is searching for their 4th. John Calipari can win his 2st National Championship against the man who beat him in the 2008 National Championship Game, Bill Self. Another win for Self will join him with Mike Kryzewski, Jim Calhoun, Billy Donovan, and Roy Williams as the only active coaches with multiple National Championships. This game could be great; 2 blue blood programs, 2 Player of the Year finalists, what else could you ask for?
1 Kentucky (-6) vs. 2 Kansas
How they got here:
Kentucky beat - W. Kentucky 81-66, Iowa St. 87-71, Indiana 102-90, Baylor 82-70, Louisville 69-61
Kansas beat - Detroit 65-50, Purdue 63-60, NC State 60-57, North Carolina 80-67, Ohio St. 64-62
Positional Breakdown:
Backcourt (Advantage Kansas) - Tyshaun Taylor is the best Guard playing on Monday night
Frontcourt (Advantage Kentucky) - Anthony Davis is the POY. MKG and Terrance Jones aren't bad either
Coaching (Even) - Bill Self and John Calipari are 2 of the best in the country
John Calipari was a couple missed free throws away from leading Memphis to a National Championship over Kansas in 2008. Instead the Jayhawks won it, giving Bill Self his 1st National Championship. Now Calipari gets a chance to get his revenge. This time around, Calipari does not expect to lose. His team has been the best team in the country all season long. Kansas has been the cardiac kids in March though. They should have lost at least 3 games in the Tournament, but have survived to play for the title. Not much was expected of Kansas this season, but here they are playing on the game's biggest stage. Thomas Robinson blossomed into one the best players in the country, Tyshaun Taylor grew up and became a top-notch PG, Jeff Withey became a defensive force, and many others stepped up their game. Kentucky has some unfinished business though. Their terrific Freshman class stepped on to campus in Lexington and joined forces with the likes of Terrance Jones, Doron Lamb, and Darius Miller to form the nation's most formidable team. Player of the Year, Anthony Davis has been dominant, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist has been explosive, and Marquis Teague has been steady. They have played well beyond their years and will need to continue doing so if they want to bring the National Championship back to Lexington for the 1st time since 1998. If Davis stays out of foul trouble and Kentucky controls the tempo of the game, Calipari will get his revenge. You never want to count out this Kansas squad, but I can't see them pulling this one out. The Kentucky Wildcats will have one shining moment and cut down the nets in the Superdome.
Prediction - Kentucky 73 Kansas 63
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