In what basketball aficionados would clearly consider a better national championship matchup than the Connecticut Huskies and Butler Bulldogs, the Kansas Jayhawks and Kentucky Wildcats didn't draw quite the television audience that came last year, according to John Ourand of the Sports Business Journal.

Since the game was never really compelling, with Kentucky jumping out to a double-digit lead early and maintaining control of the game even in the midst of a Kansas run. Ourand says that hurt the ratings, but what also could have done it was such a bland game from last season between UConn and Butler. Also, the forgone conclusion that Kentucky was by-far the best team in the nation and that playing Kansas was just a formality is also a possible sentiment among casual fans who had other Monday evening programs to watch.

Monday's game barely moved the needle.

NCAA overnight comes in at a 12.1, which is down 9% from last year. Game was never really close, which hurt. Did the 9:30 start also hurt?

— John Ourand (@Ourand_SBJ) April 3, 2012

Read more about the Jayhawks at Rock Chalk Talk.