Road to the Final Four at Ford Field: Top Big Men in The Nation

The guards will shoot the ball from everywhere, the wings will do some shooting and rebounding, but it's the big man who puts his back to the basket and muscles his way in the paint.

He'll take a beating game in and game out in the paint to grab an offensive board, rotate off his man to stop a pick and roll, and sneak behind the 2-3 zone to slam home an alley-oop.

If your team has a pansy in the paint, don't expect to win a lot of games. So without further ado here at the top big man the country. Comprising the list are most power fowards and centers, but a few players who can step in at the three spot on the floor.

1. 6'9'' UNC Senior Tyler Hansbrough

The best team in the nation, has the country's best collegiate player Tyler Hansbrough. Few players have produce the way Psycho T has in the college game. By the time this Tar Heel is done, he'll own practically every career ACC record a big man could own.

Hansbrough is one of the most passionate, hardest working players in college basketball. The game may not see another four year senior like Hansbrough for a very long time.

The All-American uses his solid size, athleticism, and pure grit to finish plays. No matter the angle, the defender, or situtation, Hansbrough seems to always find away to get the ball in the basket.

2. 6'8'' Notre Dame Junior Luke Harangody

If the nine point per game jump in scoring Luke Harangody made from his freshman to sophomore year is any indication of the kind of improvement Harangody will make this year, he'll trump Tyler Hansbrough as the nation's best big man.

'Gody emerged as the Big East Player of the Year last season after hammering Big East opponents to a tune of 20 ppg and 10.6 rbg. Against the toughest competition in the country, the ND forward scored at least 20 points in 14 of 18 Big East games including  40 point performance against one of the best defensive teams in the country, Lousiville.

3. 6'10'' Oklahoma Sophomore Blake Griffin

Most NBA draft experts say Arizona State's James Harden and Oklahoma's Blake Griffin will compete to be the 2009 number one overall pick. Potential success in the pros doesn't always mean the player is is the among the best, but in Blake Griffin's case, he is one of the premiere big man in the land. 

As a freshman, Griffin battled through knee injuries to still post a 14 ppg and 9 rbg average. Against fellow freshman phenom Michael Beasley, Griffin put up 27 points and grabbed 14 boards.

In his sophomore season, Griffin projects to be the Big 12 Player of the Year on a Sooner team that could play its way into the Final Four.

4. 6'7'' Washington Senior Jonathan Brockman

The all unknown, underexposed team has its power forward in Jonathan Brockman. The Huskie is a rebounding machine grabbing 11.6 rbp and had 22 double-doubles in 2008. He's the nation's leading returning rebounder and by far the best big man in the Pac-10.

Brockman also is one of the country's most consistent scorers. The senior scored in double digits in every single one of the game's Brockman played. He'll be the main the reason Washington will have a legitimate chance to get back to the NCAA Tournament.

5. 7'3'' UConn Junior Hasheem Thabeet

Few players get heckled like UConn's Hasheem Thabeet, but the heckling is opposing fans' way of saying, "We're jealous we don't have the most imposing player in the country." Saying he's the most imposing player in the country isn't an understatement either. 

Thabeet isn't an accomplish scorer or tremendous rebounder, but is presence in the paint is unmatched. He blocked 4.5 shots per game last year including 10 against Luke Harangody's Fighting Irish and at least eight blocks on five other occasions.

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