The 2024 NCAA Tournament National Championship game is here. The Purdue basketball team faces UConn as the Huskies try and repeat as national champions. Zach Edey was named the Player of the Year for the second straight season as he has paced the Boilermakers to a thrilling Final Four run. Just a year ago, this Purdue team fell to 16-seed Fairleigh Dickinson in a historic upset.
Now, they are 40 minutes of game time away from cutting down the nest and becoming national champions. Here are some bold predictions as Purdue faces UConn on Monday night with everything on the line.
Zach Edey drops a 20-20 performance on the big stage
Edey has been playing at the highest of levels all season long, and this March Madness run has been no different. The big man is averaging 24.2 PPG with 11.7 rebounds and has a double-double in each of his last eight games and nine of the last 10.
Edey is coming off a 20-point, 12-rebound performance in the Final Four win over DJ Burns. However, with Donovan Clingan guarding him, the Edey-Clingan matchup has been widely discussed, although the Canadian star hasn't appeared to be very worried about it.
“He's a unique player in the way he can protect rim, block shots and move around. We've played big 7-footers my whole career…that's kind of like the Big Ten's thing. I'll be ready for him.”
Edey has just two 20-20 performances this year. The first was against Penn State in January and the other in the first round against 16-seed Grambling State. But, the best players in the game save their best performances for when it matters most. Edey had 40 points and 16 rebounds in the Elite Eight win over Tennessee, so he could be in store for a career performance on Monday.
Purdue gives UConn its first big test of March Madness
Is this really a bold prediction? Yes, especially with the way UConn has played this tournament. The Huskies have defeated every single opponent by double digits. Here are the results during this run:
- Stetson, 91-52
- Northwestern, 75-58
- San Diego State, 82=52
- Illinois, 77-52
- Alabama, 86-52
The last time UConn won by less than double digits was against St. John's during the Big East Tournament when they beat the Red Storm, 95-90, It has ben a historic run for Dan Hurley's team, but Purdue is destined to give them a real test on Monday.
Winning games by double digits is a common occurrence for UConn, but Purdue should be able to keep things close all the way until the finish line. It will be interesting to see how UConn handles that pressure.
Braden Smith responds and notches another double-double
The Boilermakers defeated NC State in a 63-50 Final Four victory. However, Braden Smith had his worst game of March Madness, statistically speaking. He played all 40 minutes of game time but scored just 3 points on 1-9 from the field and has five turnovers. To make things a bit better, he had eight rebounds and six assists with three steals, but the second-highest scorer for Purdue was expected to do more offensively.
He has had a pair of double-doubles in this tournament: He had 14 points with 15 assists against Gonzaga and 11 points and 10 assists against Grambling State. He was just two rebounds shy of a triple-double in that Goznzaga showdown, so Smith is destined to bounce back in a big way.
Despite the poor performance against NC State, Smith is trying to move on and focus on the national title game.
“Just live in the present. Be in the moment…Playing in the national championship game.”
The attention will be on Zach Edey, and rightfully so, so Smith should be able to rack up some easy buckets and get some assists in the paint to the Boilermakers big man per usual. If Braden Smith can bounce back from that poor Final Four output, it will be a huge boost to Matt Painter's team.
Purdue ends UConn's run at a national title repeat
The task at hand is incredibly difficult for Purdue. UConn has made easy work of everybody both this year and in last year's March Madness run, so they are the favorites once again to take home the trophy. But, the way Purdue has played as of late is a terrific step in the right direction for Matt Painter's team.
Zach Edey and company returned for another run and have been even more motivated after that disastrous Fairleigh Dickinson loss a year ago. Now, they are on the cusp of a national title victory.
This game comes down to the wire, but Edey and company do just enough to get the win and spoil UConn's hopes of repeating as national champions.
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