Kentucky vs. Louisville: Anthony Davis Must Control the Game

Anthony Davis is going to be a top-two draft pick in the NBA this summer, and his performance against Louisville could very well cement that reality.

Reaching the Final Four is an accomplishment on its own and beating an in-state rival is always noteworthy.

But beating an in-state rival in a Final Four game will be a dream come true for the Kentucky Wildcats and coach John Calipari.

And it starts by stopping Chane Behanan.

The 6'6" freshman is a huge part of the reason Louisville find themselves in New Orleans. Behanan has averaged 14 points per game through four games, while shooting a dominant 64% from the field.

The forward has done most of his damage on the inside, where Davis makes his living defensively.

Sounds like a showdown.

But wait, there's more.

Louisville boasts Gorgui Dieng, a 7'0" Senegalese center who should give Davis a very good game on both ends of the floor.

It will be very important for Davis to work Dieng at both ends. Although Dieng isn't an offensively gifted player, but he did average about nine points per game during the regular season.

Instead, he will look to shut down Davis defensively and on the boards.

Dieng is a very solid rebounder, and averaged over three blocks per game in the regular season. His contributions on offense often stem from offensive rebounding putbacks, so it will be important for Davis to keep him off the boards.

Offensively, Davis needs to stay involved in the game. Though he generally doesn't disappear for long stretches, he will be facing a very tough matchup in Dieng and it may be more difficult than normal for him to get the easy buckets he's used to.

If Kentucky's guards go cold, the load may fall to Davis to keep his team in the game on both sides of the ball.

He has to be extremely disciplined on defense, and alter shots without giving up easy looks to Dieng. His shot-blocking tendencies can sometimes take him away from the rim, and that could lead to plenty of offensive rebounding from the Cardinal big men.

Davis has shown throughout the year that he can be dominant on both ends of the floor, especially defensively. But he comes off a little like Hasheem Thabeet: A defensive terror whose limited offensive repertoire could scare NBA teams at the top of the draft into avoiding him.

If he can show against Louisville that his offense can be a weapon without sacrificing his defensive presence, Davis will be a lock for a top-two spot, competing to be the first pick with a couple of other players, most notably North Carolina's Harrison Barnes.