The second matchup between 7-foot starters in National Championship Game history takes place when Zach Edey and the Purdue Boilermakers take on Donovan Clingan and the defending champion UConn Huskies in the 2024 NCAA Tournament title game on Monday. The 7-4 Edey recorded his fifth double-double of "The Big Dance" on Saturday as Purdue (34-4) defeated North Carolina State 63-50 to reach the National Championship Game for the second time in program history. Meanwhile, the 7-2 Clingan (18 points) was one of five players to score in double figures for UConn (36-3) in its 86-72 triumph over Alabama in the Final Four. The Huskies, who defeated San Diego State for the title last year, are looking to become the first team to repeat since Florida accomplished the feat in 2007.
Tipoff from State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz. is set for 9:20 p.m. ET. The Huskies are 7-point favorites in the latest UConn vs. Purdue odds via SportsLine consensus, while the over/under for total points scored is 143. Before making any Purdue vs. UConn picks, you need to see the college basketball predictions and betting advice from SportsLine expert Larry Hartstein.
A former lead writer for Covers and The Linemakers, Hartstein combines a vast network of Vegas sources with an analytical approach he honed while working for Pro Football Focus. Larry also excels in college basketball and is coming off a 116-98 season, earning $825 for $100 players with every bet being 1 unit. Over the past four seasons in college hoops, he has gone 494-426 against the spread for a $2,465 profit. Hartstein is on an impressive 82-63-3 run on his college basketball spread picks, returning over $1,200 for $100 players. Anyone following him has seen huge returns.
Now, Hartstein has his sights on UConn vs. Purdue and just locked in his national championship game predictions. You can visit SportsLine now to see his picks. Here are the college basketball lines and trends for Purdue vs. UConn:
- UConn vs. Purdue spread: Huskies -7
- UConn vs. Purdue over/under: 143 points
- UConn vs. Purdue money line: Huskies -303, Boilermakers +240
- UCONN: The Huskies are 17-1 against the spread in their last 18 neutral-site games
- PUR: Big Ten teams are 0-7 ATS in their last seven national championship game appearances
- UConn vs. Purdue picks: See picks at SportsLine
Why UConn can cover
There is no weak link offensively in the Huskies' starting lineup as all five players are averaging at least 11 points overall this season and double figures in the NCAA Tournament. Tristen Newton is scoring a team-high 14.9 points per game in 2023-24 and has recorded an average of 13.4 during March Madness. The senior guard registered a double-double (20 points, 10 assists) against Northwestern in the second round of "The Big Dance" and nearly had another on Saturday, finishing with 12 points and nine assists versus the Crimson Tide.
Clingan has been UConn's top scorer in the NCAA Tournament with an average of 16.2 points and also has done a superb job at the other end of the court. The 7-foot-2 sophomore center has recorded 18 blocks over five games, the most by a member of the Huskies in an NCAA Tournament since the statistic became official in 1986. Guard Stephon Castle led UConn with a career high-tying 21 points against Alabama, the highest total by a freshman in the national semifinals since Derrick Rose scored 25 for Memphis in 2008 against UCLA. See which team to pick here.
Why Purdue can cover
The Boilermakers have lost only two of their last 22 games, with one of the defeats coming in overtime. They have registered 49 victories in the NCAA Tournament, the most ever by a team that hasn't won a national title. Purdue outrebounded North Carolina State 41-28 on Saturday and has a plus-89 differential in this year's "Big Dance" thus far.
Edey posted his eighth consecutive double-double and 29th overall this season as he scored 20 points and pulled down 12 rebounds against the Wolfpack. The senior center, who is averaging 28 points and 15.4 boards during this year's March Madness, added four assists in the win to become the first player since Syracuse's Carmelo Anthony in 2003 with at least 20 points, 10 rebounds and four assists in a Final Four game. Edey has registered 140 points and 77 boards over Purdue's five games, making him the first player with at least 140 and 70, respectively, in one Tournament since Houston's Elvin Hayes racked up 167 and 97 in 1968. See which team to pick here.
How to make Purdue vs. UConn picks
Hartstein has analyzed UConn vs. Purdue from every angle, and while we can tell you he's leaning Under the point total, he also has discovered a critical X-factor that has him jumping all over one side of the spread. He's sharing what it is, and which side to back, only at SportsLine.
Who wins UConn vs. Purdue, and which critical X-factor makes one side of the spread a must-back? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Purdue vs. UConn spread hits hard, all from the expert who is 82-63-3 on his college basketball picks, and find out.
