The Final Four

We are getting pretty close to tip off this afternoon so it's time for my final predictions of the year. I will be back after the games to summarize what happens. Ultimate winner? I would have to go with Ohio State at this point.

UCLA vs Florida

The consensus of course favors Florida, but I hate Florida almost as much as I hate Ohio State, so I am going to go with the Bruins.

Donovan got the best of Ben Howland and Florida got the best of UCLA for the second straight year at the Final Four, adding this semifinal win to a 73-57 rout in last year's title game. This victory for the Gators (34-5) set up another sort of rematch. They'll play Ohio State on Monday in the final, hoping for the same kind of result as their 27-point victory in the championship football game earlier this year. The Buckeyes beat Georgetown 67-60 in the first semifinal Saturday.

Ohio State vs Georgetown

Sure I hate Ohio State, but they still have the best big man standing in Greg Oden. Greg is a difference maker unless he gets into foul trouble early, and if I was the Hoya's I would attack him from the get go and try to get three quick fouls on him during the first three minutes of the game.

Not even three minutes into the game, and the whistle blew. Greg Oden dropped his head and started a slow walk to the bench. Two quick fouls, and he was done for the half. That much-anticipated matchup between Oden and Hibbert fizzled because of foul trouble. Instead, it was Mike Conley and the rest of the Buckeyes who carried top-seeded Ohio State to its first national title game since 1962 with a 67-60 victory over Georgetown on Saturday night.