NEW ORLEANS -- Eddie Sutton knew Oklahoma State was beaten. Risk a technical foul? Sutton saw the bigger picture when it came to recognizing what Nick Collison and Kirk Hinrich had meant to not only Kansas, but college basketball, the past four years.

So, he walked down in the final minute from his bench to Kansas' to congratulate Collison and Hinrich on their remarkable careers. While they don't play the same position -- Collison the forward and Hinrich the guard -- the Iowa natives are about as similar a pair of college players as any one could have put together.

	Kirk Hinrich and Nick Collison have given Kansas fans four seaosns to remember.

"They epitomize what everyone looks for in a student-athlete," Sutton said Friday at the Final Four. "We were already beaten, and if they had given me a technical for being out of the box then so be it. (Kansas coach) Roy (Williams) said if they had called a technical then he would have had his player shoot the shots over his head."

If the Kansas seniors meant that much to an opposing coach, image what they've meant to Williams and Lawrence, Kan. Only back-to-back Final Fours and being the favorite to win the title Monday night.

The unwritten rule of winning the national title is to have two players on the roster who are potential first-round NBA draft picks. Maryland nearly had three last year in Chris Wilcox, Juan Dixon and Lonny Baxter -- the first two did going in the first round. Duke had four on the roster in 2001 over the span of two drafts -- Shane Battier, Jason Williams, Mike Dunleavy and Carlos Boozer. Michigan State had Mateen Cleaves and Morris Peterson in 2000.

"That makes sense," Maryland coach Gary Williams said Friday. "I can't speak for Kansas, but Juan and Lonny started getting ready for last season's Final Four right after we got back from Minneapolis (the previous Final Four). They felt like they deserved to go back and work hard."

That's what Hinrich and Collison did.

These two could have joined Drew Gooden and jumped to the NBA early, but each spurned the league and thought only about Kansas' chances for the 2003 national title. Hinrich spent the summer in Lawrence then at Jordan's camp in Santa Barbara, Calif., in August. Collison was at the Nike camp in July in Indianapolis with three other starters -- Aaron Miles, Keith Langford and Wayne Simien -- and then was the only college player on the U.S. practice squad for the World Championships later this past summer.

Hinrich and Collison kept this team together during a rough 3-3 start, survived the on-again, off-again wait on Simien, and then willed these Jayhawks to the Final Four through the toughest regional -- the West.

"The team that does have two older guys who are that good does put a gap between them and the rest of the teams," Gary Williams said.

"They are great leaders and they play with such intensity and have a positive effect on the rest of the team," Sutton said. "They play so hard. It's very unusual to have two players like that who don't go to the NBA and finish in four years instead."

It's even more unlikely to see both have an off night on the same date. Against Duke in the Sweet 16, Collison scored 33 points and grabbed 19 rebounds. Hinrich was in foul trouble and was 1 for 9 for two points. Against Arizona in the Elite Eight, Hinrich scored 28 points and made six 3s. Collison scored eight and was in foul trouble.

When they are both on, Kansas is nearly unstoppable.

"They both compete and you have to play your butt off every game against them," said longtime nemesis Hollis Price of Oklahoma. "It's a major advantage for Kansas to be back here a second time with them. They've got the advantage over Syracuse, Texas and Marquette because they know what to do in these situations. That's what separates Kansas from the other teams."

Both players are two of the most versatile, too.

Hinrich puts up points, averaging 17.3 a game. He passes with ease, second on the team in assists with 3.5. He boards with 3.9 a game and he shoots 41.5 percent on 3s.

NBA scouts have been in love with Hinrich's ability to get from one end to another faster than most guards in the country. He can jump as well as any guard, as wel. He'll likely be the first senior to be drafted this spring.

Collison won't be too far behind. He had two of the best single-game performances this season with the 24 points and 23 rebounds against Texas on a Big Monday in January. His 33 points against Duke wasn't too far behind in the Sweet 16 -- as far as in terms of overall dominance. He was KU's leading scorer and rebounder, averaging 18.6 points and 9.6 rebounds. Shooting 54.9 percent from the field makes him an even tougher finisher in the post or from 19 feet in.

"Collison is the best player in terms of skill in the country," said Arizona State assistant coach Tony Benford, whose Sun Devils got pummeled by the Jayhawks 108-76 in the second round of the NCAAs. Collison scored 22 points, while Hinrich led KU with 24 in the rout.

"He's got great feet, can seal and can score with either hand," Benford said. "There really is no weakness to his game. Hinrich is such a great defender on and off the ball. It's hard to play those guys one-on-one. If you give Hinrich an open look then he'll make plays because he's such a great shooter. You choose your poison with them."

Collison and Hinrich are like John Stockton and Karl Malone, in as much as they are the best tandem in college without a title. They'll get their chance Monday night if they take care of business Saturday against Marquette.

And, since they are together in New Orleans, they might as well cut down one last net before going their separate ways in the NBA.

Andy Katz is a senior writer at ESPN.com.