Montrezl Harrell on comparison to Branden Dawson: 'I don't take any plays off'

Combo forward. Energy player. Hard worker. Elite athlete.

Those terms get thrown around for both Montrezl Harrell and Branden Dawson, two forwards that will go head-to-head in the Elite Eight on Sunday. 

It's a terrific matchup that should prove a lot of fun, but Louisville's Harrell isn't ready to accept the comparison. Asked about their mirrored scouting reports on Saturday, Harrell was quick to point out that his Michigan State counterpart fails to check one box that Harrell checks emphatically.

"I don't take any plays off," Harrell told reporters. "I just don't see him running with as much energy as I have."

It appears that Harrell's done his homework: one of the biggest knocks on Dawson over his four years as a Spartan is that he's been inconsistent, game to game and even play to play. That's absolutely not the case for Harrell, who appears to have just a single gear.

It will be interesting to see if Harrell's comments light a fire under Dawson, who could be playing in the final game of his college career. While Harrell's a junior expected to be taken in the first round of June's NBA Draft, Dawson, a senior, may be on the outside of the draft entirely and could use a strong showing against an elite opponent.

If Dawson comes engaged, expect this matchup to be physical and high-energy, as their ESPN scouting reports lay out: