A-Level Championship – Monday- 7 p.m. – Lantz Arena –

#9 Blue Devils (6-3) vs. #1 OVC Champs (8-0)

At first look, OVC Champs would be the consensus favorite and should run away with the A-Level Championship but after winning four games in four days in its tournament run, Blue Devils is ready to take on its biggest challenge of the 2006 intramural season. Starting post player and team captain TJ Dosch sounded very confident as he described his teams’ chances in Monday’s title game at Lantz Arena.

“The only reason we lost three games this season is we lost not one but two of our best players,” Dosch said. “I challenge any team to lose its best players and make it as far as we have. That’s why I think we got a good shot.”

The statistics show that Dosch and his Blue Devils’ aren’t kidding themselves at all. In its eight-game winning streak, OVC Champs averages nearly 50 points per game and Blue Devils counters with 48.

The key to this game is the same for every team that steps on the floor with OVC Champs – tempo.

Blue Devils has to make OVC Champs play a slow-down half court game, which is something the last two OVC Champs opponents have tried to do but Blue Devils has more talent for that style to work.

There are two key matchups in this game that will decide who walks away with the championship shirt.

TJ Dosch will be matched up with OVC Champs’ Fred Miller in the paint and this battle will be special from two angles. Neither player has seen anybody capable of dealing with them from a physical presence and rebounding standpoint. Miller, who was an all-conference linebacker on the EIU football team, must make Dosch work in the post and be able to get offensive second-chance points like his has in previous games. Miller, like everybody else this season, will be surprised to find how proficient Dosch’s perimeter jump shot is because his size would normally say otherwise. If Dosch, who is a good passer, can make Miller come out beyond the arc to guard him it will open up the lane for uncontested layups for teammates.

The second battle will be the one with the ball and which point guard can run his squad. Blue Devils’ Casey Burkett has done a great job of running his team’s offense in this tournament and constantly found open teammates. Late in the game, Burkett is nearly automatic from the foul line which has secured tight victorious for his squad most recently in Blue Devils 68-63 semifinal win over Get Buckets.

Burkett will face the explosive Ben Brown as the 2005 preseason All-American cornerback for the football team has the ability to turn the game into a glorified track meet in the blink of an eye. If OVC Champs gets consistent odd-man breaks, the lack of depth in Blue Devils will be exposed and the football team will run away with the win. However, the last two opponents have used a zone defense and lured OVC Champs into a slower pace causing them to force outside shots. Perimeter shots by OVC Champs are the best way for Blue Devils to pull off an upset.

Burkett was forced to guard Get Buckets point guard Freddie Perry and those who thought Burkett was exposed on the defensive end are incredibly underestimating the playmaking abilities of Perry. His 30-plus points against Blue Devils proved he was the best backcourt player in the A-Level League not that Burkett struggles defensively.

After winning a marathon four games in four days, losing two of its best players to injury and not being picked by the majority to reach the finals, Blue Devils is used to the underdog role. In fact, they may relish it.

“No matter what happens Monday night, it’ll be a blast,” Dosch said.

Fraternity Championship – Monday – 8 p.m. – Lantz Arena

#4 Sigma Pi White (5-1) vs. #2 Sigma Chi Gold (6-0)

Fans (and trust me, there will be plenty for this one) will know within the first five minutes who is going hoist the fraternity championship.

Both teams got off to incredible starts and used that momentum to blow out its semifinal opponents. Both teams wanted to send a message to fraternities watching almost saying, “How are you going to start us?” with every bucket.

Both teams have similar styles and like to push the ball when the opportunity presents itself. The only difference may be Sigma Chi’s depth when it comes to perimeter shooting. Both teams can put up points and play late-game defense.

The difference while it may be corny and cliche’ is which fraternity can get its cheering section into the game quicker. Usually in the games involving greek players, the noise level of the winning fans essentially forces the losing team to play faster than normal along with hoisting bad shots making the deficit grow over time. Two years ago, Sigma Chi Gold won the title but in this pick’em type game it’s hard to determine either team a clear favorite.