Michigan, Louisville Reach NCAA Basketball National Championship Game 2013: PREDICT The Winner

PREDICT: Michigan vs. Louisville

After a pair of Final Four semifinals that were decided in the final minutes, the championship matchup is set.

Louisville, the No. 1 overall seed in the 2013 NCAA Tournament, will face fourth-seeded Michigan on Monday evening in the Georgia Dome.

In the opening semifinal on Saturday, Louisville rallied past No. 9 Wichita State to reach the championship game. Rick Pitino's Cardinals trailed at the half and fell behind by a dozen in the second 20-minute session before surging into the lead. Not surprisingly, Louisville's relentless defense was a key factor in its second half surge. The Cardinals held on for a 72-68 win.

Michigan faced another Big East team known for its defense in the second semifinal, edging Syracuse 61-56. Freshman forward Mitch McGary continued his dominant tournament performance and the young Wolverines solved the Orange's vaunted 2-3 zone defense.

Take a look at these capsule glances at the teams' 2012-2013 seasons and let us know who you predict will reach the national championship game.

Louisville

Regular Season Record: 27-5
Conference Record: 14-4 (Big East)
Conference Tournament Results: Won Big East championship vs. Syracuse
Top Player: Russ Smith (Guard)
Top 25 Wins: Missouri (#13), Marquette (#25), Syracuse (#12), Notre Dame (#24)
Worst Losses: Villanova (73-64)
RPI Ranking: 3

Michigan

Regular Season Record: 26-7
Conference Record: 12-6 (Big Ten)
Conference Tournament Results: Lost to Wisconsin in semifinals
Top Players: Trey Burke (Guard), Tim Hardaway Jr. (Guard)
Top 25 Wins: NC State (#18), Minnesota (#9), Ohio State (#10), Michigan State (#9)
Worst Losses: Michigan State (75-52), Penn State (84-78)
RPI Ranking: 17

Before You Go

PHOTOS: Final Four

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