NCAA Tournament 2012: Key Players to Watch in Kentucky vs. Louisville Battle

The Final Four showdown between the Kentucky Wildcats and Louisville Cardinals promises to be one of the better games of the 2012 Tournament.

One major reason for that is the number of superstar athletes involved.

Let’s take a look at some of the major players who are sure to impact this game and kids you must not take your eyes off of when they are on the court.

Anthony Davis

The freshman phenom is a shot-blocking extraordinaire and will likely be the No. 1 pick in the 2012 NBA draft because of his incredible defensive presence and blossoming offensive game.

Davis averages 14.3 points, 10.0 rebounds and a mind-blowing 4.6 blocks per contest and is definitely one of the best players in college hoops.

Michael Kidd-Gilchrist

MKG is another excellent freshman that is relentless on defense and equally as skilled on offense.

He’s got incredible length and athleticism to go with a motor that simply will not quit. It’s quite possible, if he declares, that Kidd-Gilchrist goes second overall.

Gorgui Dieng

The 6’11”, 235-pound sophomore is an absolute force in the paint. He’s a huge reason why the Cardinals have made it this far and is averaging 9.4 points, 9.1 rebounds and 3.2 blocks per game.

While he’s not as skilled as Davis, he’s definitely just as fearsome.

Peyton Siva

The junior guard has been playing his butt off every time he steps on the court this tournament and makes sure he gets his teammates involved.

He dishes out assists at a high rate and has averaged 8.5 over the past two games. Look for him to facilitate the Cardinals’ offense and keep them in the game until the final buzzer.