MEMPHIS, Tenn. – One big man was last year's national player of the year. The other appears poised to take his place.

Now, Tyler Hansbrough and Blake Griffin will go head-to-head with a lot more at stake than any individual honor.

Hansbrough has led top-seeded North Carolina to within a victory of a second straight Final Four. But to get there the Tar Heels will have to go through Griffin and Oklahoma today in a clash of low post stars.

Hansbrough was The Associated Press player of the year in 2008, and when he and three key teammates decided to stay in college another year, the Tar Heels became immediate favorites to win this season's national title. Along the way, some other contenders joined them – including Griffin and his Sooners, seeded No. 2 in the South Regional.

Griffin, a 6-10 sophomore, is averaging 22.7 points and 14.4 rebounds after passing on last year's NBA draft. In Friday night's win over Syracuse, he plowed over Jonny Flynn en route to a layup, then jumped so high for a dunk that he hit his head on the bottom of the backboard.

"He's really explosive. You know, that's pretty obvious," Hansbrough said. "You watch some of his games and his highlights – he's pretty explosive, and he's a good offensive rebounder."

The 6-9 Hansbrough can score inside as well, and he's improved his outside shooting. The result: He's now the Atlantic Coast Conference's career leader in scoring.

"I've seen him play a lot since his freshman year," Griffin said. "I've seen him play a lot of games every season."

Both players sought to downplay their personal matchup, as their supporting casts are impressive. OU's Tony Crocker scored 28 points against Syracuse, and guard Willie Warren can score in streaks.

As for the Tar Heels, Hansbrough might not even be their best player. Ty Lawson scored 19 points with nine assists in Friday night's win over Gonzaga, and backcourt mate Wayne Ellington has scored 67 in the team's three NCAA Tournament wins.

Lawson, Ellington and Danny Green all decided to stay at North Carolina along with Hansbrough, setting aside the NBA for the time being. The Tar Heels (31-4) are now on the verge of a record 18th Final Four. OU (30-5) is trying for its first Final Four appearance since 2002.

A look at the head-to-head matchup between North Carolina's Tyler Hansbrough and Oklahoma's Blake Griffin, with their season averages.