SAN ANTONIO _ The Final Four amplifies position matchups, and when Kansas meets Villanova in Saturday's national semifinal, all eyes will be on the point guards.
The Wildcats' Jalen Brunson against the Jayhawks' Devonte Graham is the game's biggest storyline.
They are exceptional players, unanimous All-America teammates. Brunson has started to accumulate top individual hardware, including The Associated Press player of the year awarded Thursday. Villanova's Jay Wright calls Graham the nation's best combination of scorer and distributor.
Others have played starring roles throughout the NCAA Tournament, like Kansas' Malik Newman and the Wildcats' Mikal Bridges. But the path to Monday's national championship game starts with Brunson and Graham, although Brunson quibbles with the notion.
"The outside thinks about this one-on-one matchup between me and Devonte," Brunson said. "I just really focus on Villanova versus Kansas."
Really?
"He's a great player and obviously there are going to be times when we're guarding each other," Brunson said. "He's done so much for that program."
When the teams met in the region final two years ago, a Villanova victory on the way to the national championship, Brunson thought Graham was good enough to take the next step then.
"He was a guy I thought could possibility enter the draft, he was that good," Brunson said.
Graham returned the friendly volley.
"There's a reason why he's national player of the year," Graham said.
They're the leaders of the NCAA Tournament's remaining top-seeded teams. Brunson leads Villanova with 19.2 points and 4.6 assists per game. Graham tops the Jayhawks with averages of 17.2 points and 7.3 assists.
"I think Devonte clearly is the best combination of scorer and distributor of any point guards, he and Jalen are the two best in the country," Wright said. "They both have the ability to take over a game scoring, and they both have the ability to set up their teammates and distribute to win a game."
With the Wildcats' run through the East Region last week, points of comparison through common opponents are available.
Villanova defeated West Virginia and Texas Tech from the Big 12. The Mountaineers' Jevon Carter and the Red Raiders' Keenan Evans also made All-America teams. How did the point guards match up in Boston?
Brunson finished with 27 points against West Virginia and 15 against Tech, team highs on both occasions.
Carter and Evans each finished with 12 points and went a combined 1-for-9 on 3-pointers. Suffice to say, if Graham has similar production against Villanova, it likely will be a long night for the Jayhawks.
But Graham also had success against West Virginia and Texas Tech, with Kansas winning three of four games. He averaged 21 points in those games.
Carter and Evans combined to average 12.5 against Kansas, although Evans was dealing with a toe injury and was limited in the meeting at Lubbock.
But Graham knows he hasn't seen anyone quite like the left-handed shooting Brunson.
"He's a great player, unbelievably poised and knows how to get his own shot," Graham said.
At 6-3, Brunson has an inch on Graham.
"We haven't played against a point guard that posts and Jalen posts a lot," Self said. "I do think there are some unique challenges in guarding someone that's different."
Kansas and Villanova play similar styles. The Wildcats lead the nation in scoring at 86.6 points per game and in 3-pointers made with 436 overall. Kansas averages 81.4 points per game, and its total of 384 3-pointers is easily a school record and ranks fifth nationally.
Graham shoots more 3-pointers. Brunson has a smooth stroke and is better going to the basket.
"He's strong," Self said of Brunson. "And he can stretch it, at a clip that nobody has that we've played against can."
Perhaps with the exception of Oklahoma's Trae Young, who will finish the season as the nation's leading scorer and assist man. But Young, the player of the year leader over the season's first half, slumped over the final few weeks, while Brunson maintained his pace.
Brunson now has Villanova closer to a second national title in three years but faces a major obstacle on Saturday. Perhaps his equal.
