UConn vs. Alabama
(Andrew Langdon)
UConn enters this game as an absolute juggernaut and the defending National Champion. They are the clear favorite to win the National Championship as the 1st seed out of the East . They haven’t just won their last 4 games but they have done so in dominating fashion. They have won these games by an average of 27.5 points. They have destroyed 16. Stetson, 9. Northwestern, 5. SDSU and 3. Illinois on their path to the Final Four. They can put up a lot of points in a hurry and they are very good defensively as evident in their 30-0 run vs Illinois in the Elite Eight. UConn is led by dominant big man Donovan Clingan and guard Tristen Newton. This team also has a great supporting cast with Cam Spencer, Alex Karaban, and electric Fr. Stephon Castle. This team is determined to repeat and it doesn’t look like anyone will be stopping their run.
In their first final four in school history, Alabama comes into this game as a 4 seed from the West Region. Head Coach Nate Oats has made his mark on the program and is trying to go out and prove that they belong. They have beat 13. Charleston, 12. Grand Canyon, 1. UNC and 6. Clemson in order to advance to Phoenix. They are led by their All-American guard Mark Sears who is averaging over 21 points per game. They play at an incredibly high pace and shoot the 4th most threes per game in all of college basketball with over 30 per game. NDSU transfer Grant Nelson has played at a very high level throughout this tournament and has been huge for the Crimson Tide, especially in the Sweet 16. Guards Aaron Estrada and Rylan Griffin have stepped up to provide Mark Sears with help in the backcourt. Latrell Wrightsell Jr. has missed the last 2 games and he should be returning to the lineup in Phoenix with the highest 3PT percentage on the team. This team puts up a lot of points in a hurry and if they are hot they can beat any team in the country. They have stepped up their defense in the tournament too, making timely stops at the end of games to secure the win.
This will be a high-scoring game and I think Alabama will surprise a lot of people and hang with UConn in the 1st half. UConn will pull away in the 2nd half and I think they will win this game by 15+ points. UConn has a clear advantage on the inside and I think they will capitalize on this. Alabama needs someone other than Mark Sears to step up if they want a chance to win this game. I think Tristen Newton will have a huge game against the weak Alabama defense and will be the best player for the Huskies. The Tide’s best season in school history will end on Saturday and UConn will continue their 2 year domination by advancing to their second straight national title.
Purdue vs. NC State
(Isaac Ericksen)
I believe this will be the most exciting final-four matchup in a while. The NC State Wolfpack have been on fire recently winning 9 games in 20 days. They will be facing one of the best teams in the country the Purdue Boilermakers who have the national player of the year Zach Edey. The matchup of Zach Edey and DJ Burns is all anybody has been talking about two of the best big men in college basketball will face off. They are both well-sized and have a great feel around the rim when it comes to creating for themselves and their team. The most overlooked matchup in this game is Braden Smith and DJ Horne. Both guards are great playmakers who can get hot and get buckets when their team needs it most.
This is the first final four for the Boilermakers since 1980 with Matt Painter and his team eager to win their first national championship as a program. The past three seasons have not been kind to the Boilermakers in March. In 2021 a rough loss to 13 seed North Texas, 2022 lost to 15 seed St. Peters, and FDU in 2023 who was a 16 seed. They are seeking revenge for these last couple of NCAA tournament runs as it feels the whole country had no belief in them making it to where they are now. I think this is the best possible matchup for Purdue because NC State doesn’t have an elite forward which is usually where they have matchup problems and trouble guarding. Fletcher Loyer and Mason Gillis must be able to hit their open threes Zach Edey or else NC State will be able to get out and run making this game a track meet which is not what Purdue wants. They need to slow this game down and force the Wolfpack to play in the halfcourt.
The Wolfpack are back in the final four since their appearance in 1983 where they ended up winning a national championship. They are run by the dynamic duo of DJ Horne and DJ Burns who have been unstoppable throughout the entire tournament. They are both unselfish playmakers who have the ability to get a bucket whenever they want which could possibly cause problems for Purdue. A key factor for the Wolfpack so far this tournament has been Mohamed Diarra who is a rebounding force averaging around 13 throughout the tournament. The NC State Wolfpack will need to get out and run, playing at a fast pace to keep the Boilermakers out of a half-court offense and get more transition points. The only problem with this is I’m not sure DJ Burns will be able to get out and run with Zach Edey so maybe we will see Ben Middlebrooks have a huge game and come up with some big minutes. Overall this game will be exciting for both teams and I know that here in North Carolina there will be loads of Wolfpack fans hoping to make their long-awaited return to the NCAA March Madness Championship.
