Now that your bracket is completely busted and now that you know you have no chance of winning whatever pool you bought into, you can watch tonight's game without the pressure of big-time consequences. Go ahead, root for Kansas if your mascot of choice is a Jayhawk.
Oh, you're more of a rocky-topper than a flatlander? Then pull for Memphis.
But if you're the type of gambler who, even after weeks of bad predictions, still feels the need to call the winner of tonight's game, then read on. I'll break down tonight's matchup for you in terms of guards, big men, coaches and the intangibles. After all, you've only got one more shot to get it right.
Guards
Kansas and Memphis can both make a case for having the top backcourts in the country. There have been times this year (like Saturday night) when Kansas guard Brandon Rush has carried his team. Against North Carolina in the Final Four, Rush tallied 25 points and helped the Jayhawks hold off a second-half Tar Heel comeback. The thing about Rush and fellow guards Mario Chalmers and Russell Robinson, though, is that they do it at both ends of the court. Kansas is one of the nation's top defensive teams, holding opposing teams to just 37.9 percent from the field. Throughout the tournament, they have clamped down on opposing guards, making it hard for them to set up any sort of rhythm on offense.
If there's a team that can counter the duo of Rush and Chalmers, though, it's Memphis' Derrick Rose and Chris Douglas-Roberts. The two combined for 53 points in Saturday's win against UCLA. They are quick, athletic and relentless. Perhaps even more important, they are big: Rose stands at 6-foot-3 while Douglas-Roberts is measured at 6-foot-7. Expect a lot of transition points, too. Both these teams like to run and both have the guards to make it happen. It's not unreasonable to expect tonight's score to be in the 80s or 90s.
Regardless, I see Rush and Chalmers getting the best of Rose and Douglas-Roberts. They are experienced, they can shoot and they play air-tight defense. Edge: Kansas.
Frontcourt
Memphis' Joey Dorsey has terrorized opposing post players throughout the tournament. He's dominated the boards, and more importantly, he's found his niche in coach John Calipari's system. Though he didn't score a single point against UCLA, he pulled down 15 rebounds -- epitomizing Calipari's ideal of each player finding his role on the team. Dorsey (6-foot-9) and Robert Dozier (6-foot-9) will match up against Kansas' Darrell Arthur (6-foot-9) and Darnell Jackson (6-foot-8). The role each of these big men play in tonight's game will be intriguing, as Kansas and Memphis are two transition teams. I have a feeling that, if anything, these big men will make an impact on the game through their rebounding, not the number of points they score. Considering that Dorsey feasts on boards -- and opposing big men -- I'll take him and Dozier over Arthur and Jackson. Edge: Memphis.
Coaching
Bill Self is in his fifth year at the helm for Kansas, while Calipari is in his eighth season with Memphis. Both coaches have been successful in getting their players to buy into their systems, but Calipari has been the most effective, as he now has his team running his dribble-drive motion offense to near perfection. He has led the Tigers to a near-perfect record (38-1) and has inspired his young players, such as Rose, to play like they've been to and dealt with the pressures of the Final Four before. Most importantly, however, he has had his team working as a unit throughout the entire tournament; the Tigers have blown out two teams by 18 points, beaten top-seed UCLA by 15, out-rebounded Michigan State by double-digits and shot more than 50 percent from the field for the tournament. Calipari has his team firing on all cylinders at the time when it matters most. Edge: Memphis
Intangibles
Memphis is an unbelievably deep team. Combine that with its ability to score in transition, and Memphis has a pretty dangerous squad. Kansas, though, seemingly has had the answer for every team it has played so far on defense. Furthermore, the matchup between Memphis and Kansas will likely favor whichever team has better play from the backcourt. Considering that Rush and Chalmers can both hit from beyond the arc (they both shoot more than 40 percent), they can both run with Memphis' guards and they both have the experience to lead Kansas to a national championship, I'll take the Jayhawks. Edge: Kansas.
Prediction: Kansas 92 Memphis 86
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