Wildcats vs. Jayhawks

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — One of the coolest things in a college basketball player’s career is to be introduced in the starting lineup for the national championship game.

Everybody involved in the sport is watching. The dome du jour — this year it’s the Superdome — has a football-sized crowd waiting for the season’s final game.

On Monday night, when Kentucky meets Kansas for the title, it would be great to save one player from each team to be introduced last and let them bump fists at midcourt to whip the crowd into a frenzy.

“From Kentucky, the consensus national player of the year, freshman forward Anthony Davis.”

“From Kansas, the only unanimous first-team all-America, junior forward Thomas Robinson.”

Forty minutes of dominant inside player against dominant inside player. Let the better man walk away with a net around his neck and the satisfaction of having outplayed the other best big man.

Well, Kansas coach Bill Self threw some water on that thought.

“I don’t see it as a matchup between Davis and Robinson,” he said Sunday. “I don’t see that at all.”

They did go head to head all season as the two favorites for national player of the year honors. Neither was on the landscape when the season got started. Davis was known as point guard turned big man after a late growth spurt. Robinson played seven minutes a game as a sophomore and wasn’t expected to be a factor on the national stage.

The 6-foot-10 Davis leads six double-figure scorers on Kentucky with a 14.4 average, and he grabbed 10.2 rebounds per game. His 180 blocked shots lead the country and are a Kentucky season record.

The 6-10 Robinson averages 17.7 points and 11.7 rebounds, and his 71 assists are third on the team.

Both are impressive dunkers, and that was on display Saturday. Davis had a one-handed slam of an alley-oop pass that was part of every highlight reel. Robinson went up strong over and over in the second half against Ohio State all-America Jared Sullinger, and after one of his dunks he landed and let out a primal scream.

Notre Dame, Baylor to meet for women’s title

DENVER — Unfinished business.

It’s been the mantra for both Notre Dame and Baylor all year. Now, one of them will cut down the nets Tuesday night in the women’s national title game.

The Irish beat Connecticut 83-75 in overtime Sunday night, and the Lady Bears denied Stanford 59-47 at the Pepsi Center.

Natalie Novosel scored 20 points to help the Irish reach the championship for the second straight year. They lost 76-70 to Texas A&M in the title game last year in Indianapolis.

AP Player of the Year Brittney Griner led a balanced, efficient Baylor offense with 13 points. The Lady Bears will attempt to become the first basketball team in NCAA history to go 40-0.

The Irish are 35-3.

Tags: college sports, sports, ncaa, basketball