Kentucky vs. Kansas Score: Key Matchups That Will Determine Championship

The winner of the championship clash between Kentucky and Kansas is going to be the team that wins the collective battle of three matchups. 

These head-to-head battles will dictate what each team is able to accomplish, and how they attack the other team. Here are the matchups. 

Jeff Withey vs. Anthony Davis

Withey has his work cut out for him here, and no one can realistically expect him to outperform Davis. However, he can certainly slow him down and make him work for his shots. 

When Kentucky beat Kansas, in the second game of the season for both teams, Davis had an easy go of things. He scored 14 points on 6-8 shooting. 

Withey cannot allow him to be this efficient this game. He must battle him for position, and stay right in his face in the post. He has the height to challenge Davis' shots, and that is exactly what he must do. 

Offense can be an afterthought for Withey. His value will come on the defensive end. 

Thomas Robinson vs. Terrence Jones

The Wildcats are in a much better position to lockdown their opposing star. Jones is a wonderful and lanky defender. They can also throw the athletic Michael Kidd-Gilchrist at him. 

The Kentucky defense held Robinson to 11 points on 5-12 shooting in their earlier matchup, but Robinson has been getting better as the season has gone on, and has been unbelievable in the tournament. 

Robinson won't be able to blow by these guys with foot speed. He will have to pull-up off screens and use his muscle to get low. These are two things he is certainly capable of doing. 

Jones must also force Robinson to play a little defense. He must try and take him to the rack and get him into foul trouble. 

Tyshawn Taylor vs. Marques Teague 

This is the real wild-card matchup. Both of these players are streaky enough that one could dominate this matchup so convincingly that it would make everything else moot. 

Taylor is going to try and get past Teague to create opportunities and easy shots. In the first matchup, he was a foul drawing machine. He finished 15-17 from the free throw line. However, he was just 3-13 from the field. 

He also helped harass Teague into six turnovers. Teague needs to do a much better job of taking care of the ball in this game, and Taylor can't afford to miss 10 shots. 

Efficiency and aggressive play-making don't go hand-in-hand, but the player that does it better will win this matchup.