2013 National Championship Game: Top Five Match-Ups to Watch For
Top Five Match-Ups to Watch For
Months and months of hard work have paid off for two of college basketball's most elite teams here in 2013 and on Monday night, Michigan and Louisville will square off for the right to cut down the nets in Atlanta.
40 minutes is all that it will take (barring overtime) to determine a champion here in 2013 and there's no doubt that a lot will go into this contest even though both teams are just 48 hours removed from advancing in the Final Four round.
From the transition game to the tempo to the rebounding edge for example, the factors that run deep in this contest are aplenty. Yet one thing is undoubtedly certain, the individual match-ups will be interesting, they will be key and they certainly will be worth keeping an eye on.
Yet with so much riding on Monday night's contest, which match-ups are the most important and which match-ups will hold the most value in terms of the keys to victory?
In this slideshow, we will examine the starting five from each team's Final Four contest, squaring them up against what their anticipated match-ups would be.
With all the hype and talent being focused upon the perimeter, the match-ups in the front court will be just as important in determining a victor on Monday night.
The little things in basketball matter and each match-up serves it purpose and key, so where do the advantages lie and which team will make the most out of the other team's weaknesses?
We will surely find out on Monday night.
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Wayne Blackshear vs. Nik Stauskas
Believe it or not, Nik Stauskas actually has the height advantage in this match-up, but Wayne Blackshear certainly boasts better athleticism. Blackshear will need to contest Stauskas each time they are squared up because we know what the Michigan freshman is capable of.
Advantage: Michigan
Chane Behanan vs. Glenn Robinson III
Glenn Robinson III has through the roof athleticism and that's a main reason why his potential and NBA Draft stock is so high. Chane Behanan thought can attack the rim in his own right, so this is an intriguing match-up. The two both have similar numbers on the season, so this match-up could simply come down to who is having the better game.
Advantage: Michigan
Russ Smith vs. Tim Hardaway Jr.
Tim Hardaway Jr. is a potential first round NBA Draft talent, but he will have his work cut out for him. Both Hardaway and Russ Smith could have big games on Monday night, there is no doubt about that. Smith is averaging 25.0 points per game thus far in the tournament and is showing no signs of slowing down.
Advantage: Louisville
Gorgui Dieng vs. Mitch McGary
The match-up inside between Gorgui Dieng and Mitch McGary is going to be crucial. McGary has been a double-double machine, but Dieng brings a nice set of defensive tools to the table. However, Dieng was held scoreless on Saturday night against Wichita State, while McGary continued his tournament dominance. Think about this, McGary scored 25 points and grabbed 14 points in the Wolverines' Sweet 16 match-up against Kansas and the Jayhawks feature one of the nation's top defensive big men in Jeff Withey.
Advantage: Michigan
Peyton Siva vs. Trey Burke
There is no doubt that the match-up at the point guard position is the one to most keep an eye on. Peyton Siva, a senior who seems like he's been at Louisville for forever is playing in his final game on Monday night -- win or lose. So, what's he got left in the tank at the end of his terrific collegiate career? A match-up with the national player of the year. Siva has to find a way to slow down Trey Burke in this one or the Michigan superstar may simply continue doing what he has been doing -- leading the Wolverines to victory.
Advantage: Michigan
