[Online Exclusive]: Battle of the columnists

Columnists Ben Azar and Sagar Parikh squared off on the
subject of Monday’s men’s basketball title match
between the UCLA Bruins and Florida Gators.

Which Florida team will show up to the game? The one
that won 17 in a row to open the season or the one that lost three
in a row to unranked teams? Ben Azar: Even though Florida
didn’t play its best game against George Mason on Saturday,
it’s a good bet they will show up strong for Monday’s
game. The Gators have been playing their best basketball lately,
closing out the season by winning the SEC Championship and beating
some very good teams on their way to that win. Florida will bring
their best game to the RCA Dome on Monday. Sagar Parikh: Florida
hasn’t had a close game throughout the NCAA Tournament and
has pretty much overwhelmed every opponent. Like UCLA, they are
playing their best basketball right now. Their athleticism draws
comparisons to Alabama, and they have at least two or three NBA
prospects on their roster. I think those three straight losses were
an aberration, and the Gators will pose the toughest matchup the
Bruins have had all season.

With their young starting lineups, are the Gators and
the Bruins the two teams of the future? BA: No. The future
of college basketball is constantly changing. With the new NBA age
limit, quality young teams are going to become more commonplace.
Ohio State, with prep standout Greg Oden topping an outstanding
recruiting class, is already a national title contender for next
year. Florida and UCLA are an indication of where the future is
headed. SP: Florida and UCLA are great teams with extremely young
talent, but this season shows how difficult it is to reach the
Final Four in consecutive seasons. U-Conn. and Duke were both
loaded, but neither reached the Final Four. Also, Florida will
likely lose a lot of its talent to early entry in the NBA
Draft.

Can UCLA repeat its defensive performance against
Florida’s inside game? BA: Yes. Florida’s Al
Horford and Joakim Noah are not as good as LSU’s Glen
“Big Baby” Davis and Tyrus Thomas, and will be
frustrated by the physical Bruin defense. UCLA has been playing
great post defense throughout the tournament, and there is no
reason to expect a letdown. Florida’s guards will have to hit
shots if the Gators are going to have a chance to win the game. SP:
No. I think Horford and Noah are much more athletic than
LSU’s two big men. Florida plays at a frenetic pace and can
create a lot of easy baskets against UCLA’s interior defense.
UCLA’s Ryan Hollins and Lorenzo Mata will have to stay out of
foul trouble and get a lot of help from their teammates in the
post. I believe the Bruins will be successful inside, but it will
not be as easy as it was against LSU.

Who is the best NBA prospect in this game? BA:
Even though the popular choice is probably LSU’s Noah or
UCLA’s Arron Afflalo, I think that when all is said and done,
UCLA freshman Luc Richard Mbah a Moute is going to be the best NBA
player. Only five years into his career, Mbah a Moute has an
unparalleled feel for the game. He can play both forward positions
and has so much room to improve, despite the fact that he would
contribute to any team right now. In two years, Mbah a Moute is
going to be scary. SP: I believe Noah is just a freak athlete, who
is going to have a major impact on the next level. Once he grows
stronger and develops his inside game, he will be a major NBA
contributor. Some of the dunks he has had this season are just
mind-boggling, and he is currently projected to be a borderline
lottery pick. Noah’s ability will be tested at best on Monday
against the Bruins.

Who will win the national championship? BA:
UCLA. The way the Bruins are playing defense right now, I
don’t think any college team should be favored against them.
There is no scheme a coach can draw up to match the toughness on
defense that UCLA has shown in its last two games. The Bruins have
proven to only get better as the stakes go up. Florida will make it
a closer game than LSU did, with Florida’s ability to hit
perimeter shots, but UCLA will win the game 63-54. SP: UCLA. I have
consistently picked against the Bruins all season, but the way they
are playing right now, it would be hard for anyone to go against
them. The Bruins’ defense is stifling all their opponents,
and their big men have stepped up far more than was ever expected
of them. I think the Gators are the best team the Bruins have faced
all season, but their youth will show against the Bruins. I vote
UCLA 65-63 in a thriller.