Sullinger-Robinson matchup of friends

NEW ORLEANS -- Kentucky center Anthony Davis was named college player of the year by The Associated Press on Friday, but if Ohio State forward Jared Sullinger had a vote, it would have gone to Kansas forward Thomas Robinson, the guy Sullinger will have to cover when the Buckeyes meet the Jayhawks in the national semifinals Saturday night at the Superdome.

"In my eyes, he's college player of the year," Sullinger said. "I know some think different, but with the way he took his team to the top, you just got to give it to him. He plays hard, plays smart, strong, physical, quick, athletic . . . Great basketball player."

While the first semifinal matching intrastate rivals Kentucky and Louisville is generating much of the NCAA Final Four buzz, the head-to-head confrontation between Robinson and Sullinger, both of whom are potential NBA lottery picks, should be the best individual matchup of the tournament. They were supposed to meet in a Dec. 10 game at KU won by the Jayhawks, but Sullinger sat out with back spasms.

"I would have hurt the basketball team if I had played in December," Sullinger said. "I could barely move. We thought about the long run."

Just as Sullinger and Deshaun Thomas work well in the paint for Ohio State, Robinson and tough rebounder Jeff Withey are an effective inside combination for Kansas in what figures to be a physical affair if the referees allow contact.

"Jared is a great player, and it's going to be a good matchup," Robinson said. "I was disappointed he didn't play in the last game, and I'm sure he was, too.

"This is the biggest stage, and I'm going against another big-time player . . . He's a go-to-the-rim-type player, and he can finish with a lot of contact. You have to get a body on him."

Robinson smiled when told Sullinger called him player of the year. He's been running second behind Davis for all the awards despite averaging 17.7 points and 11.8 rebounds and recording a nation-leading 26 double-doubles.

"Me and Jared built a relationship through the summer," Robinson said. "We were at every camp together. He's a real cool guy off the court. Like he said, everybody's got their opinion. I agree with him."

Sullinger was nearly as impressive with 17.6 points and 9.1 rebounds per game. He likely would have been a top-five NBA draft pick had he chosen to enter the draft last spring after his freshman year. But after butting heads with Robinson all summer at one camp after another, he knows he'll have his hands full.

"We're cool," Sullinger said of their relationship. "Everybody expects this big, strong man with tattoos to be ultra-aggressive off the court, but he's a very good guy. Very chill. Even though we knew we were playing each other , we still were helping one another out. We were just learning off one another."

Sullinger has an advantage in that the Buckeyes have more scoring help around him, but Robinson is the horse who has carried Kansas into the Final Four.

"I think I needed to prove for myself that I was capable of doing it," Robinson said. "Before the season began, I wanted to take my team far, and I wanted to have a great year. Reaching the Final Four is good. If we win, it would be great."