NCAA Championship Game 2014: TV Schedule and Prediction for UConn vs. Kentucky

The seventh-seeded Connecticut Huskies have caught fire at the best possible time, running all the way to the NCAA tournament championship game to face the Kentucky Wildcats.

Coach John Calipari's team is stacked with freshmen that didn't meet expectations after beginning the season ranked No. 1. The Wildcats had to prove themselves by navigating through a brutal Midwest Region as an eighth seed—and they did.

Clutch shots, extraordinary responses to adversity and exceptional mettle brought Kentucky from the brink of epic disappointment to within one game of cementing itself as one of the most memorable March Madness champions in history.

But the Huskies are fighting to add to their own epic program legacy with a fourth title, once again to play the role of underdog despite knocking off the tourney's top overall seed in Florida by double digits in the national semifinals.

ESPN Stats & Info notes just how unlikely this matchup seems—despite the tradition of success at both basketball schools:

As the Final Four ambles toward its conclusion, here is a look at the updated bracket information, along with the TV schedule for Monday and a prediction as to who will cut down the nets in Arlington.

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Monday, April 7	Odds	Time (ET)	TV	Pick
No. 7 Connecticut vs. No. 8 Kentucky	Kentucky (-2)	9:10 p.m.	CBS	Kentucky

Preview and Prediction

The size and length that the Wildcats have across the board is daunting for the Huskies to deal with. That's especially so in the backcourt, with twins Aaron and Andrew Harrison having a significant advantage over the likes of UConn star Shabazz Napier and Ryan Boatright.

Dakari Johnson has stepped up for Kentucky defensively to compensate for the absence of standout center Willie Cauley-Stein. Shutting down DeAndre Daniels must be the Wildcats' focus in the frontcourt, because Daniels has been on a tear.

With a comparable skill set to Kentucky freshman phenom Julius Randle, Daniels should pose matchup problems. Randle's forte isn't defense, so he'll need all the help he can get. The Huskies paraded into the paint on Saturday, devastating Florida with dribble-drive penetration and Daniels' post prowess, as he led all scorers with 20 points.

Huskies coach Kevin Ollie remarked about the collective toughness of his team, who won't fear a foe featuring proven blue-chip talent, per March Madness' official Twitter account:

Senior swingman Niels Giffey has risen to the occasion for UConn, and he can match up with James Young better than most. His 11 points in just 23 minutes versus the Gators provided a huge spark, and he could serve as the X-factor in the title game.

But what it boils down to often in the Big Dance is guard play. Napier and Aaron Harrison have proven themselves to be cold-blooded in crunch time. BasketballInsiders.com's Alex Kennedy is excited for that showdown:

Even casual college basketball fans should be. Harrison, in particular, has proven himself to have a knack for hitting shots at the most critical junctures of a game.

ESPN's Stuart Scott showed how tightly contested the shots Harrison has hit—and how sudden his meteoric rise in those situations have been:

Randle can also be counted on to get his shot at the end of a game, along with Young. Three lethal options to turn to—while the Huskies really only have Napier as a proven commodity in that regard.

UConn may have the more senior-laden squad, but these young Wildcats grew up quickly in the NCAA tournament. Amid the chaos of March Madness, they have retained their composure, rallied from a multitude of deficits and avoided a disaster scenario.

Since Kentucky has come this far and is this close to winning its second title in three seasons, it's hard to imagine them being denied now. Then again, Florida's core of seniors seemed poised to march to the championship before the Huskies blindsided them in the semis.

Great offense beats great defense, and the Wildcats have just a little more firepower on their side. That should lead to victory in what will be a close game.

Predicted Score: Kentucky 67, Connecticut 63

As for what this would mean moving forward, Calipari has drawn criticism for bringing in one-and-done recruits. Some argue it's an unsustainable way to build a program. Others praise the coach for marketing Lexington well enough to pull that off.

A recent Twitter post revealed that Calipari wants to change the label to "Succeed and Proceed"—as in do well in a brief college stint, then move on to the NBA draft:

It's catchy for sure, and it should catch on if the Wildcats pull this off. There's something to be said for grooming talent and developing players, but that may not be the way of the future.

If Kentucky can pull this off—and new NBA commissioner Adam Silver is able to adjust the rules to keep prospective draftees in college for two years, which he believes is best, rather than the current one—there could be a slew of banners hanged in Rupp Arena in the next several seasons. Pulling in the classes Calipari has managed will continue to help attracting talent and reload a Wildcats dynasty. However, it may be more of a juggling act to give his top-flight recruits ample playing time, and could even prevent prospects from joining his squad if there are too many elite incoming freshmen.

Should the Huskies pull off yet another upset, though, Ollie has to be considered an elite coach. He's already emerged quickly from his predecessor Jim Calhoun's shadow, and proven that Connecticut is in good hands with him at the helm.

As amazing as Kemba Walker was in guiding the Huskies to the 2011 title, an epic performance from Napier in the final would put him in the same company among the best tournament players of all time.