The ball has been tipped, and here we are. After a month's worth of bractetology, snubs, and sleepers, the Final Four is on center stage this weekend in Atlanta's Georgia Dome. What makes this year's foursome so interesting are the teams, which seem like they are out of a Back to the Future movie (anybody seen Biff Tannen's Sports Almanac?) Here are a few reasons this year's event has sparked up more nostalga than the smell from Will Smith's charcoal grill in Summertime:

• The second straight Final Four appearance for UCLA. For the baby boomer basketball fans, this must just feel right. Like the Yankees in the World Series, the Celtics in the NBA Finals, or the Canadiens in the Stanley Cup Finals.
• The re-emergence of Georgetown as the beast of the Big East. And the fact that the Hoyas are coached by a Thompson (John III) and a Ewing (Patrick J.) runs the court brings back the days of Hoya paranoia.
• The realization that this Final Four will create a matchup of two legitimate, 7-foot, first round draft choice, back to the basket big men, in Ohio State's Greg Oden and Georgetown's Roy Hibbert.
• Ohio State being back on top. Yeah, Scoonie Penn and Michael Redd took them to the show in 1999, but this the first juggernaut Ohio State Final Four team since the days of Lucas, Knight, and Havlicek (there were no Foot Lockers back then....right John?)
• And most importantly, the defense of the throne by a Florida team that has returned ALL FIVE STARTERS, which is an absolute anolomy in 2007, especially considering three of the five starters (Corey Brewer, Joakim Noah, and Al Horford) would have been first round draftees in 2006 and will in 2007. Heck, PG Taurean Green has progressed so nicely that the Gators may have four first-rounders in this draft.

OK, enough about nostalga. Let's talk about the matchups:

UCLA vs Florida

The rematch of last year's National Title game is a contrast of styles. UCLA is the best defensive team in America, bar none. The way that they get back and challenge you in the half court in a testament to the toughness Coach Ben Howland has brought back to Westwood. Guard Darren Collison and wing men Aaron Afflalo and Josh Shipp are marvelous players that have the ability to score when necessary. The Gators, on the other hand, play a free-wheeling offensive style that is buoyed by Green's ability to push, Noah and Horford's ability to block shots and fill lanes, Brewer's ability to finish, and Lee Humphrey's knack to find the open spots and drain long distance shots. I just think the Gators have too many ways they can win, whereas, UCLA can only win this game by slowing the pace and holding the game in the 50's and 60's. Usually, in dome semifinal games, I like the better defensive teams, but since the Georgia Dome is Florida's home away from home (the SEC Tourney was in the dome three weeks ago), I'm betting on Humphrey finding the range and breaking open a tight game late.

Florida 74  UCLA 66

Ohio State vs Georgetown

Both of these teams fit into the Destiny's Child role so well in this tourney that you would think Beyonce Knowles and Kelly Rowland were playing the wings in this matchup. Both of these teams narrowly avoided the Tennessee Trap (Ohio State's coming from 20 down to beat the Vols and Georgetown narrowly escaping Vanderbilt's death grip after Jeff Green got away with a pretty blatent travel on his game winning shot). The Hoyas are very well coached and very talented. Jeff Green is the most versatile offensive player in College Hoops and Roy Hibbert has become what John Thompson III envisioned when he took a flier on a raw big man project three years ago. And to be honest, I don't know if freshman phenom DeJuan Summers may not be the best future NBA player out of the bunch. Jessie Sapp and Jonathan Wallace are solid, but not spectacular in the backcourt, but when you have a front court as good as the Hoyas have, the guards just need to not get you beat. Thad Matta's Buckeyes are the youngest, but most talented team out of the four. Oden is an absolute beast defensively. His activity at his size defensively  and his ability to catch feeds clean and power his way to the cup is just overwhelming. Mike Conley has become the best PG in America in about thirty college games. His uncanny knack to hit tough shots in traffic must make him the best 6'0" 36-player on the planet. Ron Lewis is the best clutch shooter in college hoops. Ivan Harris is a face the bucket four man who hits open shots when teams decide to double Oden. David Lighty is a poor man's Corey Brewer. He makes the athletic hustle plays and his ability to slash and hit open shots give the Buckeyes a potent fifth wheel. This matchup really comes down the X's and O's. To be honest, I think Thompson can coach circles around Matta, but I think Matta may have a better hand at the poker table. I look for Thompson to go to a 2-3 zone like he did late against North Carolina (call timeout Roy) and hope that OSU is cold outside. If Lewis and sixth man Daequan Cook are shooting well, it could be a long night for the Hoyas. Green will have a big night because Lighty is too small and Harris is too slow, but I look for the Buckeyes to get Hibbert in foul trouble and win fairly comfortably.

Ohio State 83  Georgetown 71

All in all, I look for an exciting Saturday of basketball and check back with me on Sunday as we'll preview the National Title game.