Tonight's NCAA national championship game poses a great match up. If the semi-finals weren't as dramatic as the tourney itself, perhaps tonight will live up to its championship expectations. UCLA the perennial power in search of their 12th national championship matching up with the University of Florida making their second appearance in the final this decade after losing to Michigan State in 2000.

For the Bruins it's "dance with who brung you" - defend, rebound and score.

UCLA is 32-5 when limiting their opponents to less than 80 points, 16-1 when keeping their opponents shooting percentage under 40%, 13-2 when their opponents shoot between 40% and 50%. Also when they shoot 50% or better they’re 17-1. Therefore, the keys for the Bruins are to defend, rebound, convert shots and control tempo. They will want to the score to be in the neighborhood of the temperature in LA these days – in the 60s.

Taurean Green may have something to say about the tempo of tonight’s game. The Gators average 78.4 points per game and have a balanced scoring attack with all five starters averaging in double figures. They also shoot the 3 reasonably well as a team at 39.4% and no doubt Lee Humphrey sent the UCLA coaching staff scrambling for red markers for their scouting report when he unleashed a few threes to start the second half single-handedly in effect striking the clock at midnight for the Cinderella –like George Mason Patriots.

Up front will be a battle of wills as Joakim Noah has been sensational in the NCAA tourney averaging 16.2 points, 9.6 rebounds and 4.6 blocks per game. Al Horford is averaging a double double in the tourney – 11.4 points and 10.6 rebounds. Want to double down on Noah or Horford? Oops! Corey Brewer is shooting 50% from behind the arc and we know Humphrey (45.8% for the season) can shoot it and don't forget Green is crafty from the perimeter as a shooter, penetrator and assist man!

The Bruins held LSU to 32% from the field and out rebounded the Tigers 42-33. Luc Richard Umbah a Moute is simply getting it done in the NCAA tourney, rising to the occasion averaging 11.8 points in addition to his team leading 8 rebounds per game. Senior Ryan Hollins is also embracing the spotlight going for 11.8 points, 5.6 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per contest. The sophomore backcourt duo of Arron Afflalo and Jordan Farmar will be fun to watch tonight matching wits with Green and Humphrey. Both teams are deep in the frontcourt as the Bruins will send in Alfred Aboya and Lorenzo Matta and the Gators will counter with Chris Richard and Adrian Moss off the bench.

Head Coach Billy Donovan is attempting to become only the second active coach to win a national championship by 40. Bobby Knight won it at 35 and 40. It would be ironic if his youthful Gators starting four sophomores and one junior delivered it. In what could be a meaningless stat, Florida has not lost a game outside of the SEC all season. If the Gators can control tempo and score, perhaps they’ll be celebrating in Gainesville their first national championship!

Coach Ben Howland is after his first NCAA championship and is also trying to prove the age old adage – “defense wins championships.”

What are we going to do after the champagne has been uncorked and we're without college basketball until next November? Oh, thank goodness, we’ve got the NBA playoff run to look forward to!