NCAA Tournament 2012: Why Rick Pitino Has Major Coaching Edge over John Calipari

Great coaching makes a huge difference in college basketball, which is why the Kentucky and Louisville Final Four matchup on Saturday will be greatly affected by the brilliant minds of John Calipari and Rick Pitino.

Pitino's championship experience gives him a huge edge in this matchup because he will be able to adapt to any situation and adjust accordingly.

He won a national title with Kentucky in 1998 and is the only coach ever to bring three different schools to the Final Four. He knows how to get the most of his players because he uses their talent in just the right way and designs offensive and defensive schemes they can be most effective in.

His full-court press is so effective and it's really going to give the Kentucky players problems. Also, Pitino's ability to calm his players down and give them the confidence that they can beat everyone is extraordinary. 

Calipari's teams historically have crumbled at the end. He's been to three Final Fours, but has only been to the national title game once. That one appearance with Memphis in 2008 looked like it was going to be Calipari's first breakthrough, but his team, led by Derrick Rose, crumbled at the end as Kansas forced overtime in the final seconds and won the championship.

On Saturday, the Cardinals players will believe they can defeat the favored Wildcats from the opening tip. Why? Because Pitino isn't treating them as the underdog.

It was an incredibly smart move by Pitino because when you use the underdog mentality it can make your players feel inferior, and while it can motivate in some situations, it can also have negative effects.

Earlier this week, Pitino talked about the underdog role and how he's using it with his team as they prepare for Saturday's showdown.

Via NOLA.com:

"

"I have used it before in my life,'' Pitino said Friday. "I really haven't used it (this week), mainly because I want my team to have confidence that they can play with Kentucky. I think at this level, if you take the underdog mentality, then I think they feel they don't belong and it works against you.''

"

If the game is close between these two in the final minutes, you can count on the Cardinals being better prepared for the situation. Kentucky is under immense pressure to win the national title and haven't played in a close game the entire tournament. Kentucky is not invincible and don't have the experience of playing in high-pressure situations with everything on the line.

Pitino will have his players very well prepared and his ability to put them into situations they can thrive in will help Louisville upset Kentucky.

Pitino's superior coaching skills gives Louisville a tremendous advantage over Calipari and the Wildcats. 

Follow @NicholasGoss35