The UCONN Huskies are national champions again defeating the Purdue Boilermakers 75-60. Danny Hurley’s squad is the first to go back-to-back since the Florida Gators did so in 2007 and they do so in dominating fashion outscoring their six opponents by an NCAA record 140 points.
TBS’ Ian Eagle closed the game broadcast with the perfect summation of the performance of the Huskies. “Utter domination for two years.”
Tristen Newton led the way for the Huskies with 20 points, 7 assists, and 5 rebounds and was named the Most Outstanding Player of the Final Four. Stephon Castle chipped in 15 for UCONN and Donovan Clingan and Cam Spencer each added 11.
Zach Edey was nearly two thirds of the Purdue offense scoring 37 of the Boilermakers’ 60 points. Braden Smith scored 12 but nobody else had more than 5 for Purdue who goes home still seeking their first national championship.
This is UCONN’s 6th national championship. Only UCLA with 11 and Kentucky with 8 have more championships. Only six coaches in the history of the sport have won more national titles than Danny Hurley.
No time like the present to take a look at the odds for the 2025 National Championship. The Kansas Jayhawks (+1100) and Duke Blue Devils (+1100) are co-favorites followed by the 2-time defending champion UCONN Huskies (+1200) the Houston Cougars (+1400) and the Tar Heels of North Carolina (+1600).
And the UCONN Huskies defend the national championship. They defeat the Purdue Boilermakers 75-60.
In the words of TBS’ Ian Eagle, “Utter domination for two years”.
Edey keeps scoring but UCONN has silenced his running mates. 90 seconds to play and despite Edey’s 37 points, the Huskies are on their way to defending their title.
2:14 to play with UCONN up 69-56. Tristen Newton has 20 for the Huskies. Zach Edey has 33 for the Boilermakers.
3:03 remaining in the game and UCONN is in the driver’s seat leading 67-54 despite 31 points from Zach Edey. Tristen Newton has controlled the game for the Huskies with 18 points and 7 assists. The Spread now has the UCONN laying 14.5 points with the Game Total sitting at 134.5 points.
Zach Edey has scored 29 of Purdue’s 49 points and collected 9 of the team’s 25 rebounds, but the Boilermakers trail 65-49 with 4:52 remaining.
With 8 minutes to play, the UCONN Huskies are in control and now favored by 14.5 with the Game Total down to 132.5 points.
Tristen Newton leading the way for the Huskies. UCONN up by 16 with 9:27 to play in the Second Half.
11:45 remaining in the Second Half and UCONN is starting to think about cutting the nets as they lead 51-38. Tristen Newton now has 16 points. Zach Edey has 20 for Purdue.
Samson Johnson picks up two quick fouls after converting on two alley-oops and he is replaced by Donovan Clingan. The SPread is UCONN -11.5-points and the Game Total is 138.5.
Camden Heide with a monster jam to try and keep Purdue in this game.
This is a Dangerous Time for Purdue. Trailing by 9 early in the 2nd Half. Can they right the ship? The Spread now has the Huskies laying 10.5 and the Game Total sits at 138.5.
A quick check of a handful of player point totals with their projected totals in parentheses. Purdue’s Braden Smith has 9 (10.5). Zach Edey has 16 (24.5). UCONN’s Tristen Newton has 11 points (15.5) and Cam Spencer has 7 (13.5).
UCONN Head Coach Dan Hurley headed to the locker room pleased with the outcome of the first 20 minutes.
“I really like the pace of the game. The pace of the game favors us a little bit. We’re forcing them to play a little faster than they are used to.”
UCONN bettors are pleased as well. The Huskies cover the First Half spread of 3.5 points and the UNDER 68.5 1H total points cashes.
UCONN is 45-0 when leading at Halftime.
Purdue answers with 5 straight points to pull within 2 with 2:15 left in the First Half.
Tristan Newton Leads the Huskies with 9 points as UCONN goes on a 9-2 run to lead 30-25 with 3:49 left in the First Half. The Spread is now UCONN laying 9.5 points. The Game Total is 144.5 points.
6:50 left in the 1st Half and we are tied at 23. It is the Zach Edey show. The 2-time Player of the Year has scored 14 of Purdue’s 23 points. UCONN is now a 5.5-point favorite and the Game Total is now 145.5 points.
11:28 Remaining in the First Half. UCONN leads 18-16. Zach Edey has 11 points for Purdue. Cam Spencer has 7 for the Huskies.
The Game Total continues to climb. It sits now at 150.5 points.
15:04 Remaining in the First Half. The Huskies lead 11-9 over the Boilermakers. UCONN remains a 6.5-point favorite. The Game Total is climbing and is up to 147.5 points.
Here are the Odds for Who Will Score the Game’s First Basket
Zach Edey +290
Donovan Clingan +380
Stephon Castle +700
Cam Spencer +725
Alex Karaban +800
Trey Kaufman-Renn +950
Tristen Newton +1050
Fletcher Loyer +1100
The First Half Spread has UCONN (-225) favored by 3.5 points over Purdue (+190) with the 1H Total set at 68.5 Points.
A last-minute look at NBC Sports Analyst Vaughn Dalzell’s plays for the Title Game>
#CBB Natty Bets 🏀
2u: UConn -6.5 (-112)
Risk 2u: Edey Under 24.5 Points (-145)Rooting for Uconn ML and Clingan MOP for a potential +7.1u. Clingan bout to lock Edey up (MGM odds). BOL! 🤙🏽
Szn Record: 94-98 (48.9%) -10.23u#MarchMadness on @NBCSports: https://t.co/xbHdBjAXiy
— Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports) April 8, 2024
Thirty minutes from tip-off and the Defending Champion UCONN Huskies are favored by 6.5 points over the Purdue Boilermakers with the Game Total set at 143.5. Earlier today the Huskies were 7.5-point favorites with the Game Total sitting at 145.5.
The Public is riding with the Champs
The Challengers Arrive at State Farm Stadium
Bet the Edge is your source for the day in sports betting. Get all of Jay Croucher and Drew Dinsick’s insight weekdays at 6AM ET right here or wherever you get your podcasts.
The Defending Champs are in the House!
NBC Sports Betting Analyst Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper) and one of the hosts of the Bet the EDGE Podcast is not aggressively taking the points with Purdue but believes taking the Boilermakers and the points is the correct side.
“Ultimately, I think there’s a little bit of bet to be had here on Purdue. I honestly don’t think that I have ever bet on Purdue with Zach Edey at Purdue…That said, 6.5 points is absurd. Like there is no way UCONN is that much better than this Purdue team. Can UCONN win and cover? Obviously…We saw it last year. We’ve seen it many times before where it’s just that experience and the the talent wins out and UConn has it. That said, the true difference between these two teams is somewhat closer to 2½-3 points. I expected before we got to this point in the tournament that we were going to see something like 3½. The fact that it’s 6½ is just building in an absolute obscene amount of recency bias around UCONN…I think UCONN is on upset alert here. Not dying to get involved with Purdue and the money line at +240, but I don’t think this is a fair market at all.”
For Drew’s full breakdown, enjoy today’s edition of Bet the EDGE with Drew and Jay Croucher.
UCONN and Purdue were the Top 2 seeds in the entire 68-team field when the 2024 NCAA Tournament began. Here is a look at the odds movement of each as they have progressed through the tourney:
UConn Huskies
Opened +1200
Round 64 +350
Sweet 16 +200
Final Four -190
Championship -300
Purdue Boilermakers
Opened +1800
Round 64 +650
Sweet 16 +650
Final Four +210
Championship +250
*odds courtesy of BetMGM
NBC Sports Betting Analyst Vaughn Dalzell is all-in on Donovan Clingan (+180) earning Most Outstanding Player of the Final Four honors. He explained his reasons and offered additional betting insight earlier this afternoon.
March Madness National Championship Best Bets: UConn Huskies vs Purdue Boilermakers – NBC Sports
Notable Attendees of Purdue University:
Comedian Jim Gaffigan
Ted Allen, Host of “Chopped” on The Food Network
Astronaut Neil Armstrong
10-time Olympic Gold Medalist Ray Ewry
Iconic College Basketball Coach John Wooden
Orville Redenbacher, revolutionized the popcorn industry
Actor George Peppard of the A Team
Robert Baker, Inventor of the Chicken Nugget
Notable Attendees of the University of Connecticut:
Actress Meg Ryan
U.S. Senator John Fetterman of Pennsylvania
Comedian Bobby Moynihan
Iowa Football Coach Kirk Ferentz
U.S. Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut
Nobel Prize winner David Lee
ESPN’s Molly Qerim
Actor Ron Palillo – Arnold Horshack from “Welcome Back Kotter”
Purdue Faithful Ready to Storm the Gates at State Farm Stadium
Here are the most popular player prop bets and their corresponding odds for tonight’s National Championship Game at BetMGM:
Most Bet Player Props
1. Zach Edey over 12.5 rebounds (-120)
2. Zach Edey over 24.5 points (-105)
3. Donovan Clingan over 13.5 points (-135)
4. Stephon Castle over 2.5 assists (+110)
5. Tristen Newton over 5.5 assists (-145)
Most Bet Game Props
1. UConn to win by 6-10 points (+320)
2. Purdue first to score 5 points (+105)
3. Purdue first to score 10 points (+115)
4. Will the game go to overtime (Yes +1250)
5. UConn first to score 20 points (-190)
The UCONN Huskies and the Purdue Boilermakers were the two best teams in college basketball this season. They may have been the two best last season. The difference is well-documented as Zach Edey and co. were upset as a 1-seed in the First Round of last season’s tournament while Danny Hurley’s squad ran roughshod over the field enroute to the national title.
The Huskies are looking to repeat as champions and claim their seventh in school history while the Boilermakers have their eyes set on their first ever national championship.
“The reason I came back is playing games like this,” said 2-time Player of the Year Edey.
How to watch the UConn vs. Purdue national championship game?
Tip-off: 9:20P ET
Site: State Farm Stadium in Glendale, AZ
Network: TBS
Streaming: Max
The Purdue big man is expected to be matched up against fellow seven-footer Donovan Clingan for much of the game. It is the most anticipated clash of talented big men since Georgetown’s Patrick Ewing played in the 1984 title game against Hakeem Olajuwon of the Houston Cougars.
Read More: Previewing UCONN vs. Purdue
The two sides are far more than their respective centers. Each have dependable and experienced players running the point and on the perimeter. Tristan Newton runs the point for the Huskies while Braden Smith controls the ball and tempo for Purdue. UCONN is the most efficient offense in the country and Purdue ranks third in that category.
Defensively, each side is ranked in the Top 12 nationally led by a relentless effort to rebound the basketball. To that end, it feels like Purdue needs to control the paint on both ends to win while UCONN can win simply by holding their own around the basket as Zach Edey’s presence is paramount for Purdue while Clingan’s is “only” important.
The Spread for the National Championship has tightened in the past couple of hours at BetMGM. UCONN is now favored by 6.5 points with the Game Total also dropping to 144.5 points.
For a more complete betting preview, listen to today’s episode of Bet the EDGE.
Stay with NBC Sports throughout Championship Monday as we bring you live scoring updates, betting information, highlights and other interesting moments from the final college basketball game of the 2023-24 season.
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