GLENDALE, Ariz. – “This is the videogame everyone desires to see.”
Those were the words of Purdue’s Zach Edey when asked to explain Monday night’s nationwide champion videogame.
It’s 36-3 UConn. It’s 34-4 Purdue. The finest group in college basketball all year lookingfor to repeat as nationwide champs on one side, and the two-time nationwide gamer of the year leading a program making its veryfirst nationwide title videogame look consideringthat 1969 on the other.
Dan Hurley referred to it as “The Clash of the Titans.” In so numerous methods, he is right. UConn and Purdue squaring off Monday night at State Farm Stadium will mark the veryfirst time the top-two groups in KenPom will play in the nationwide champion videogame because 2021 (Baylor vs. Gonzaga), and simply the 5th time ever.
Then there’s the match within. It marks the veryfirst time we will see a set of 7-footers beginning in the nationwide champion videogame giventhat 1984, when Patrick Ewing’s Georgetown Hoyas beat Hakeem Olajuwon’s Houston Cougars.
Edey (24.9 PPG, 12.2 RPG) has currently endedupbeing the veryfirst gamer in NCAA Tournament history to post 5 videogames of at least 20 points and 10 rebounds while shooting 60% from the flooring in the exactsame competition. Clingan integrated for 40 points, 15 rebounds and 9 obstructs in the local last win over Illinois and the nationwide semifinal success over Alabama. In overall, he has notched 18 obstructs over 5 March Madness videogames.
That being stated, Edey isn’t shying away from going up versus another 7-footer, something he’s seeing plenty of throughout his 4 years playing in the Big Ten.
“He’s a distinct gamer in the method he can secure the rim, block shots and relocation around,” Edey stated of Clingan. “We’ve played huge 7-footers my entire profession … that’s kind of like the Big Ten’s thing. I’ll be prepared for him.”
While Edey and Clingan haveactually shared in being the 2 most dominant huge males in the nation this season, they puton’t share the exactsame pregame meal options, which was a source of homeentertainment when they fulfilled with the media on Sunday. Edey stated he would get prepared for the nationwide champion videogame by consuming sushi on Sunday night. Clingan’s option? A steak. Medium.
“You may coach or play your entire profession and neverever coach or play versus someone of his stature,” Hurley stated of Edey. “He is genuinely a giant gamer. I suggest, we’re a quite physical group. We shot to fly to the ball. I believe we’re disciplined like they are. They’re an outstanding rebounding group. We’re an exceptional rebounding group. We both block out. A lot of the time it simply comes down to tracing that ball and who’s going to make that life-or-death pursuit to get it.”
If there was one takeaway from Painter and Purdue throughout Sunday’s media schedule, it was the quantity of regard they have for the ruling nationwide champs.
“UConn is a extremely, really great basketball group,” Painter stated. “They are extremely excellent defensively. They run a lot of actually great things offensively. I’m mostlikely going to take a couple of things for next year.
“Dan [Hurley] has simply done a extraordinary task. To win the nationwide champion, then to be back in this position, I believe there’s a lot of things that come with supreme success that’s tough to do what they’ve been able to do. To be able to piece a group together, be able to complete and win several champions in their conference, in the competition, and to keep that focus. The method they’ve won, you understand, there haveactually been some groups that have hung in there with them, then they’ve apart from them. There are some other groups that haveactually gotten flat-out blitzed.”
Painter did handle to fracture a joke when goingover Connecticut’s supremacy.
“They comprehend what we’re up versus,” Painter stated of his group. “They comprehend we sanctuary’t played anyperson like UConn. They’re no fools. We have cabletelevision where we’re from, so we’re really familiar. I believe that’s the number one thing – not fearing your challenger, however appreciating your challenger. We have a lot of regard for UConn.”
That regard is simulated by Hurley, who stated he seen 3 Purdue videogames instantly following UConn’s win over Alabama, and would watch 5 more videogames on tape Sunday and Monday earlymorning.
Three secrets to the videogame:
1. How will it be officiated? As The Field of 68 initially reported, Terry Oglesby, Jeffrey Anderson and Roger Ayers will officiate the champion videogame. Edey’s capability to get individuals in nasty difficulty might outcome in high feeling from Hurley and might force Samson Johnson into more minutes.
2. Turnovers. Matt Painter strengthened it Sunday. The Boilermakers are 27-0 when they dedicate 13 or less freegifts and 7-4 when dedicating at least14 UConn will appearance to pressure the ball, and appearance for Huskies freshman Stephon Castle to continue his rise.
3. Complementary shotmaking. Can Lance Jones and Mason Gillis spark the Boilermakers, or will Cam Spencer and Alex Karaban serve as the difference-makers from 3? It bears keepinginmind: UConn turned the switch defensively on Alabama in the 2nd half Saturday, holding them to 25% shooting from downtown in the last 20 minutes. On the flip side, the Boilers kept NC State’s guards from finding a rhythm, exterior of DJ Horne, holding the Wolfpack to 5-for-19 from deep. Both groups shot 10-for-25 from deep on Saturday.
My forecast:
UConn is 11-1 all-time in Final Four and nationwide champion videogames. The Huskies have won 11 straight NCAA Tournament videogames by at least 13 points. So, 13 is the magic number in Storrs, and Connecticut gets its 6th crown.
UConn 85, Purdue 72
John Fanta is a nationwide college basketball broadcaster and author for FOX Sports. He covers the sport in a range of capabilities, from calling videogames on FS1 to serving as lead host on the BIG EAST Digital Network to supplying commentary on The Field of 68 Media Network. Follow him on Twitter @John_Fanta.
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