Point guard

Marquis Teague had one of his most difficult games in UK's first matchup with Kansas, committing six turnovers in what was his second college game. The Kentucky freshman is a different player now and has averaged 13.2 points with a 2-1 assist-turnover ratio (26-13) in the NCAA tourney.

KU senior Tyshawn Taylor (16.5 ppg, 4.8 assists) is both talented and erratic but has had his best college season in 2011-12. The 6-foot-3 Taylor, however, is shooting only 38.1 percent in the NCAAs and has never made a three-point shot in a domed stadium. He is capable of brilliance or bust — and maybe both — Monday night.

Advantage: Kansas

Shooting guard

Doron Lamb continues to lead Kentucky in scoring in the NCAAs (15.4 ppg) but is only 7-for-16 from the floor in UK's past two games. Surprisingly for an 82.5 percent foul shooter, Lamb has missed six free throws in the past two contests.

Junior Elijah Johnson has been stellar in the NCAAs, averaging 13.4 points and 5.0 rebounds and shooting 54 percent from the floor in the Dance. The 6-4 junior from Las Vegas is averaging 10.1 points and shooting 43.2 percent for the season. He leads the Jayhawks in steals (54) and made three-pointers (66).

Advantage: Even

Small forward

"Big-game" Michael Kidd-Gilchrist was in foul trouble and making little contribution for 30 minutes against Louisville in the semifinals. But with the outcome on the line, he scored nine points down the stretch. MKG had 12 points and nine rebounds against Kansas in the first meeting.

Travis Releford is considered KU's defensive stopper, but the 6-6, 210-pound Kansas City product has been scoring lately, too, having made nine of 13 shots combined in Kansas' last two NCAA tourney wins over Ohio State (15 points) and North Carolina (11 points).

Advantage: Kentucky

Power forward

Terrence Jones struggled for three-fourths of the Louisville game in the semifinals, but played strong down the stretch and finished with six points and seven rebounds. If the game is close late, Kansas could look to send Jones to the foul line. After going 0-for-3 against U of L, the 6-8 sophomore is now 0-for-8 in his career on Final Four free throws.

Thomas Robinson (17.7 ppg, 11.7 rpg) was named National Player of the Year by ESPN.com and Big 12 Player of the Year after a stellar junior season. The 6-10, 237-pound Washington, D.C., product has 26 double-doubles, tops in the nation. He figures to be especially motivated after Anthony Davis edged him out for the Wooden Award, the Rupp Award and most other national player of the year honors.

Advantage: Kansas

Center

Against Louisville, Anthony Davis displayed the offensive growth he's achieved by scoring on an array of hook shots, a move he did not have earlier this year. In the NCAA tourney, Davis is averaging 15.2 points, 11.6 rebounds and 4.6 blocked shots.

In 7-foot junior Jeff Withey, Kansas has a center who has actually blocked more shots in the NCAA Tournament than Davis (27-23). The transfer from Arizona snuffed seven shots against Ohio State, three against North Carolina and 10 against North Carolina State. Withey has also been on the glass, with eight rebounds each in Kansas' last two games.

Advantage: Kentucky

Bench

Darius Miller hit a huge three-pointer that gave Kentucky second-half breathing room against U of L. For the Dance, the senior from Mason County has hit 21 of 36 field-goal attempts and 17 of 18 free throws. Freshman Kyle Wiltjer hit a big three-pointer and made a steal late in the first half against Louisville. UK could need his shot-making if Kansas resorts to a trick defense.

Kansas sixth man Conner Teahan (tee-HAN) is a three-point-shooting specialist. On the season, 75 percent of his field goals have been treys. He has not shot well in the NCAAs, however, making only four of 19 three-point tries. Kevin Young, a 6-8 junior transfer from Loyola Marymount, has been a plus for the Jayhawks on the glass with five rebounds against Ohio State and eight boards against UNC. He has missed his last six shots in the tournament, however.

Advantage: Kentucky

Intangibles

Will Kentucky be drained after its intense Armageddon against Louisville in the semifinals? Or with that emotional ordeal behind the Cats, will they let loose with a big effort?

Kansas, as much as college basketball Rockefeller as Kentucky, is cast in the role of plucky underdog. But it is hard to imagine the basketball gods allowing John Calipari to lose another national title game to the same coach, Bill Self, whose 2008 KU team denied Cal and Memphis with a miracle rally in the NCAA Championship.

Advantage: Kentucky

Kansas

Kentucky