Final four Preview!

March Madness hasn't lived up to its moniker this year due to primarily one factor, the lack of Gus Johnson announcing games for CBS/Turner. With that, I am half joking, half serious. Because you look at a lot of the games Johnson calls, they almost always seem to bring excitement, and even if the game is a blowout, he makes it feel that much more exciting. However, that is not the case, and this year's tournament has lacked the excitement of previous tournaments. But, in some years, you have these rather lame tournaments. Anyway, CBS lucked out in this year's final four, bringing four brand names to the table, with Louisville, Kentucky, Kansas and Ohio State. Any of these teams could make a case for being the national champion, and for good reason, they've won four straight games against quality opponents and just need two more to proclaim themselves as the best in the nation for 2012. Now, on to the preview and picks!

Kentucky vs. Louisville, 6:09, CBS

This is the first match up in the final four of two teams from the same state in 50 years. The last time it happened, Ohio State lost to Cincinnati. These two teams have a lot of history against each other, and to give you an idea of how intense this rivalry is, think of Auburn/Alabama in football. These two teams are 69 miles apart, and it's a constant battle in the state for who reigns supreme. The match up in basketball is the one which counts every season, and this year, the Wildcats won it fairly easily, 69-62. But, in all reality, it was 69-56 in favor of Kentucky, as Louisville hit two threes in garbage time. Kentucky brings a lot of size to the game with Anthony Davis and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist taking up the middle and snatching any rebounds which come their way.
Louisville has some size, but they do not match up man for man against Kentucky, so the battle for the bluegrass state goes to the team which does wear blue.

Pick: Kentucky 70, Louisville 64

Ohio State vs. Kansas, 40 minutes after conclusion of LOU/UK, CBS

These two teams feature two forwards who are among the best in the nation, and have made themselves really known this season. These two forwards are Jared Sullinger of Ohio State and Thomas Robinson of Kansas. These two teams also played in December, but Sullinger didn't play, and consequently, the Buckeyes lost. the best part about this game is that both of these forwards passed on the NBA last season, and decided to return to college, partly because they didn't know if there would be a NBA season. (Remember, the NBA had a lockout, in which many thought the NBA would be like the NHL and cancel the entire season.) The other part is because they wanted to come back and win a national title. This game creates havoc for both teams as far as matchup problems, but it's good for the fans, as they'll see one heckuva game.

Pick: Kansas 77, Ohio State 73