A Final Four Battle for the Ages: Ohio State vs. Georgetown

Oden vs. Hibbert, Lewis vs. Green, Conley Jr vs. Sapp, Butler vs. Wallace and all the role players in between

It has turned into a heavyweight battle. Strength against strength, height versus height, and confidence throughout. The eyes of a nation will be focused on the opening tip when freshmen sensation Greg Oden at 7-0, 280 pounds stands toe-to-toe with junior beast Roy Hibbert 7-2, 278 pounds.

The paint will shrink to almost nothing when both these two are on the court; however, players like Jeff Green, Jessie Sapp, and Dajaun Summers will take their shots at Oden for Georgetown, while Ron Lewis, Mike Conley Jr., and David Lighty will show no fear in driving against Hibbert. The match-ups are incredible with all key players playing at all-time highs. Therefore, don't be surprised when this game comes down not to the giants patrolling the lane, but the slashers, offensive leaders, and 3-point specialists.

The match-up of Jeff Green versus Ron Lewis is one of great intrigue. The 6-9 Jeff Green has the versatility to guard the 6-4 Lewis on the perimeter and inside. Green displayed his versatility against North Carolina were on consecutive possessions he guarded center Tyler Hansbrough, forward Rayshawn Terry, and speedy point guard Ty Lawson. Lewis will not be guarding Green, but it will be their production offensively that could prove to be the difference maker.

Another key match-up is between the two stellar point guards, Ohio State's speed-demon Mike Conley Jr. and Georgetown's physical Jessie Sapp. Conley Jr.'s play throughout the tournament has rightfully given him the title of "Best Point Guard in the Country." His ability to drive the lane, sick dishes, changes in tempo, and overall poise have been displayed throughout the tournament. Meanwhile, Sapp showed he is no slouch whatsoever when he shut down freshmen star Ty Lawson to the tune of five points on 2-9 shooting and forced him into five turnovers. Sapp also had the energy to tally 15 points and eight assists in the Hoyas victory over UNC Sunday. This match-up will also play huge dividends for whichever team gets the most production.

Another match-up features the main 3-point specialists for each team, Buckeyes' Jamaar Butler and the Hoyas' Jonathan Wallace. Butler responded admirably to his disappointing performance against Tennessee in which he netted only three points by dropping 12 points and four assists against Memphis. However, it was Wallace's clutch 3-point shot that brought the Hoyas all the way back from 11 down against UNC to tie it at 81 with 31 seconds remaining. That shot proved to be the deciding factor as the Hoyas blasted UNC 15-3 in overtime and cruised to a 96-84 victory. Wallace finished with 19 points and seven assists, while remaining one of the most accurate overall shooters in Division I basketball this year. Whichever guard gets going early from distance will enable Oden or Hibbert to work more freely inside.

The final match-up features role players versus role players, and there are plenty of them. The Buckeyes' possess two super freshmen in Daquan Cook and high-riser David Lighty, while the Hoyas' boast freshmen talent Dajaun Summers and junior garbage man Patrick Ewing Jr. All four of these players will have an impact on the game, but whether it is negative or positive is the difference. All four players had positive impacts on their teams in the the elite eight match-ups so expect the same trend to continue.

However, it is Dajaun Summers that stands out the most of these role players. Summers dropped 20 points and snatched six boards against an extremely athletic UNC front line, after tallying 15 points and seven rebounds against Vanderbilt. If Summers becomes the third scoring threat and scores in double-digits the Hoyas will be unbeatable. It will be up to Lighty and Cook to use their athleticism to control Summers and Ewing Jr. on the glass, inside, and on the perimeter.

Yet in the end, all eyes will return to the talented big men on the inside, Oden and Hibbert. Their presence alone as caused tons of shots to be altered, while their emphatic blocks make the opponent think twice about driving to the hole. Both have been in foul trouble throughout the tournament, so it may easily come down to whoever is able to avoid those silly fouls.

Regardless, this Final Four match-up is not just about Ohio State-Georgetown, it has so many more dimensions. There will be an incredible amount of young talent on the floor with Ron Lewis being the only senior to see significant action. Freshmen's Greg Oden, Mike Conley Jr, and Dajaun Summers will have immediate impacts on the game, while upperclassmen Jeff Green, Roy Hibbert, and Ron Lewis will display leadership to the youngsters.

However, when the final buzzer sounds, it will be Greg Oden's dominance, Ron Lewis' clutch play, Mike Conley Jr's brilliance, and the role players' consistent play that will propel the Buckeyes to the national championship game on April 2.

The only question left is who will claim victory in the night cap in a rematch of last year's championship game between Florida and UCLA to face the Buckeyes?