UConn and Purdue will square off for the National Championship on Monday. The Huskies are looking to repeat as champions, while the Boilermakers are out to cut down the nets for the first time in program history. This is just the 9th time two #1 seeds will face off for the title. Which dominant team will have the edge on Monday?
Everything for Purdue starts with the 7-foot-4 Zach Edey down low. The two time National Player of the Year is averaging 28 points and 15 rebounds per game in the tournament. The big man is also a threat on defense, averaging about 2 blocks per game in the tourney. His presence in the paint forces defenders to collapse in on him, which can lead to some great looks from deep for the Boilermakers’ guards. This was a main factor in them shooting 40% from behind the arc on the season, the second best in the country in that category. Purdue’s offense will have to fire on all cylinders if they want to take down the Huskies, who are elite in almost every facet of the game.
UConn might just have the only player in the country who can match up with Edey on defense. Donovan Clingan has shown why he is considered one of the best interior defenders in the country, averaging 7 blocks per game in the tournament. The Huskies also have a talented trio of guards in Tristen Newton, Stephon Castle, and Cam Spencer. The latter of the three is capable of getting hot from behind the arc at a moment's notice. Alex Karaban can also shoot from deep and is an exceptional ball handler for a player of his size. UConn has covered the spread in every tournament game in the last two seasons. They will look to continue that streak going on their way to a second straight championship.
