March Madness is at its pinnacle tonight, as the Connecticut Huskies and Kentucky Wildcats face off for a chance to take home a national championship. The game pits the #7 Huskies against the #8 Wildcats, the highest combined seed total for a national championship. Both teams had a long and hard road to the title game and both did so while shocking some people. It wasn’t widely believed that either team could make it to the national championship game, much less the second round. The Cinderella slipper fit for both teams and tonight they will battle it out to see whose unexpected run will stop one victory short of the title.

The Huskies are a very experienced team, led by seniors Shabazz Napier and Ryan Boatright. Napier is one of the top players in college basketball this season, winning AAC Player of the Year and also being a First-Team All-American. Napier has put the team on his back at many times this tournament and has dazzled when he does. UConn is a defense first team, coming into the game boasting a top-10 defense. Napier and Boatright are known for frustrating opposing guards and their big front line is excellent at erasing shots.

The wildcard for the Huskies is forward DeAndre Daniels. Daniels has lottery pick talent, but has been very inconsistent so far for the Huskies. He played a stellar game against Iowa State in the Sweet Sixteen. If he plays up to his potential, it could mean another national championship for Connecticut.

Kentucky has had a roller coaster season thus far, but they hope to end it on a high note. They came into the season as the number one ranked team in the nation, and featuring what was said to be the most talented group of freshman ever assembled. The Wildcats didn’t play like that most of the season, though, playing like a good-but-not-great team. Things have changed come March for Kentucky, as it looks as if the freshmen on this team are growing up quite fast. The Wildcats are a lengthy team that will really test the Huskies. Kentucky plays through the post, with freshman Julius Randle being the focal point of the Wildcat offense. It will be interesting to see if the undersized Huskies are able to contain the double-double machine that is Julius Randle.

My Pick: I think that the Connecticut Huskies cap off their Cinderella story with a national championship. Shabazz Napier has been here before, and I think that experience will help him push the Huskies over the top and take a championship back to Connecticut.