We have ourselves the finals matchup for March Madness this year. On one side of the Final Four, the University of Connecticut Huskies knocked out Alabama to advance. On the other side, Zach Edey and the Purdue Boilermakers conquered DJ Burns and NC State. It was a highly anticipated matchup between two traditional big men, arguably the two best centers in the country.

After the dust settled, Edey's performance was just enough to power the Boilermakers out of the Final Four and into the championship game. Let's take a look at the performance of both Edey and Burns to see how the two darlings of March Madness fared in their titanic matchup.

Zach Edey, Purdue overpowers DJ Burns, NC State

All season long, both Edey and Burns gave opposing offenses problems. Edey, the pillar of Purdue basketball, used all of his 7'4 frame to disrupt opposing offenses while capitalizing on the same height on offense. On the other hand, Burns' combination of speed and strength gave NC State's opponents fits. Fans were eager to see how the two would fare against each other in a matchup.

As it turns out, Edey's large frame would prove to be a tough assignment for Burns. Previously, Burns would use his strength to outmuscle his opponents. If that didn't work… well, he could just move around them. In the Purdue-NC State matchup, it became clear that Edey was a completely different monster for Burns. The NC State big man couldn't push Edey out of position, and the Boilermaker center was able to contest his shots pretty well.

In addition, Edey's height made it hard for Burns to contest his shots. In fact, NC State big Ben Middlebrooks fared much better in the matchup. The result was Zach Edey completely outplaying DJ Burns. The Boilermakers star had a double-double with 20 points, 12 rebounds, four assists, and two blocks. Meanwhile, the Wolfpack star only had eight points, four assists, and one rebound as he battled foul trouble.

A complete team effort

While Edey dominated his individual matchup, it was Purdue's entire offensive attack that put away NC State. All season long, the Boilermakers shot the lights out. That trend continued in their Final Four game: they shot 10-25 from deep (40%), while the Wolfpack could only manage 5-19 (26.3%). Lance Jones paced Purdue with four threes in nine attempts.

That inside-out attack completely unlocked the Boilermakers' offense. NC State couldn't double-team Edey comfortably due to the threat of Purdue's shooters patrolling the perimeter. That left Edey on an island with Burns or Middlebrooks. And let's be honest: there's no stopping a 7'4 guy one-on-one, especially if said guy is as skilled as Edey.

After years of heartbreak and disappointing results, Purdue has a chance to finally capture that elusive title. It would be the perfect send-off for the graduating Zach Edey. As for NC State, this magical run to the Final Four has put them back on the map. After years of being overshadowed by the Trojans and the Gamecocks, the Wolfpack made their presence known in the scene. Here's to hoping they build off of this success and finally make it to the Finals.