After three weeks and five games, the two best teams in the nation clash on Monday night when 1 seeds Purdue and Connecticut throw down for the 2024 NCAA Men’s College Basketball National Championship. UConn is a -6.5 spread line favorite to get past Zach Edey and Purdue.
Will the Boilermakers prove that they have what it takes to take down the defending champs?
Check out March Madness Odds, analysis, and a free pick for the final time this year with UConn and Purdue battle for the title.
2024 March Madness Odds: Purdue vs. UConn Odds and Pick | MyBookie Betting Preview of the National Championship Game Matchup
2024 NCAA Division I men’s basketball tournament | 85th annual edition of the tournament
1 Purdue Boilermakers (34-4) vs 1 Connecticut Huskies (36-3) | National Championship Game
Spread Odds: UConn -4
Moneyline Odds: UConn -240 / Purdue +170
Total Odds: 145.5
Saturday, April 6, 2024 at 9:20 PM | TBS
State Farm Stadium, Glendale, AZ
Why Purdue is a Good Bet Versus UConn
Purdue boasts one of the best big men to come out of college basketball in more than a decade. The difference between Zach Edey and other bigs that have leapt to the NBA is that Edey has amazing footwork.
His footwork is so good that even with double teams, or even triple teams, it’s going to be difficult for the Huskies to stop Edey. For sure, Donovan Clingan, UConn’s big man, is a good basketball player. But Clingan has yet to guard someone with Edey’s incredible abilities.
Edey dominated NC State forward DJ Burns Jr., dropping 20 points and grabbing 20 boards. The problem all opponents have versus Edey is that he step to the right or left because he’s effective shooting a short hook with either hand.
It makes it extremely difficult to keep Edey from getting enough space to get off a decent shot. Not only that, but Edey is an incredible passer. If he can find Braden Smith, Fletcher Loyer, and Lance Jones for open threes, Purdue could push the favorite to the limit.
Purdue at the March Madness Tournament
- W – 63-50 vs NC State
- W – 72-66 vs Tennessee
- W – 80-68 vs Gonzaga
- W – 106-67 vs Utah State
- W – 78-50 vs Grambling
Purdue Predicted Starting Lineup
- F – T. Kaufman-Renn
- C – Z. Edey
- G – B. Smith
- G – F. Loyer
- G – L. Jones
Why UConn is a Good Bet Versus Purdue
Donovan Clingan isn’t Zach Edey. The Purdue big man has footwork that is making NBA scouts drool. Clingan doesn’t have the type of footwork that Edey possesses. So we can’t expect Clingan to put up stats the way Edey does.
But on Monday night, Clingan will serve a different purpose. The best way to defend Edey, and Purdue won’t win unless Edey dominates, is to make the big man work for every shot. DJ Burns Jr. is only 6’ 9”. So it was difficult for the NC State big to handle Edey.
Donovan Clingan is 7’ 2”. Edey goes up against the best big he’s faced all season long. If Clingan can make Edey work on both ends of the floor, if Dan Hurley sets up Clingan for shots inside the paint, UConn will handle Purdue’s big.
When it comes to UConn’s guards versus Purdue’s, the Huskies have the edge. Cam Spencer, Tristan Newton, and Cam Spencer all average double figures in scoring. So Braden Smith and his mates could have issues on the defensive end come Monday night.
UConn at the March Madness Tournament
- W – 86-72 vs Alabama
- W – 77-52 vs Illinois
- W – 82-52 vs San Diego State
- W – 75-58 vs Northwestern
- W – 91-52 vs Stetson
UConn Predicted Starting Lineup
- F – A. Karaban
- C – D. Clingan
- G – S. Castle
- G – G. Newton
- G – C. Spencer
Final Betting Analysis: 1-UConn Huskies vs 1-Purdue Boilermakers
This is a tough game to handicap. But when it comes down to it, Connecticut, as good as they have been, is going to have trouble keeping Edey from finding the open man.
By no means is Purdue the better team. However, the matchup of Clingan versus Edey is no contest. Edey moves like a gazelle in the paint, meaning he will force Clingan into positions where Edey should get off good look shot after good look shot.
Then if Hurley decides to double Edey, forget it. Jones, Smith, and Loyer will make the Huskies pay. At the beginning of this tournament, this writer believed Purdue was due for a letdown like they had in 2023.
Instead, Purdue has gotten better with each victory, playing their best hoops in the Final Four versus a scrappy NC State squad. Purdue will show no fear, Zach Edey will have a huge game and Donovan Clingan will struggle against Edey’s size and the way Purdue’s big uses his body.
Taking the points on the Boilers makes sense. But the optimal bet is on Purdue on the moneyline. The Boilermakers end UConn’s dream of a second straight National Championship.
NCAA Tournament National Championship Pick: Purdue Boilermakers +223
Purdue vs UConn
Final Four ATS Pick: UConn Huskies -4 | March Madness Odds to Win National Championship
MyBookie College Basketball lines for the matchup
National Championship Odds to Win
Updated Top 25 College Basketball National Championship Odds to Win
| Teams | Odds |
|---|---|
| UConn Huskies | -240 |
| Purdue Boilermakers | +170 |
Also, looking for the Final Four Betting Over/Under Picks, check it out, worth the read and worht the bet.
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Favorite to Win March Madness
MyBookie Odds for the Games
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2022 NCAA Basketball National Championship Odds: Last Minute Betting Analysis and Prediction
Previous Betting News
Just a few weeks ago, some were doubting whether or not the North Carolina Tar Heels would even make the tournament. Well, that was then, and this is now, and the Heels will be playing for the National Championship on Monday night in New Orleans against the Kansas Jayhawks. Let’s have a final look of North Carolina and Kansas so you can make your bets against their NCAA Basketball National Championship Odds.
Last-minute National Championship Betting Prediction | Kansas vs North Carolina
North Carolina, an #8 seed, advanced to the title game with a hard-fought victory over their bitter rivals, the Duke Blue Devils. Ironically enough, it was North Carolina who ended Mike Krzyzewki’s storied coaching career.
The Kansas Jayhawks, the only #1 seed to advance to the Final Four, defeated a pesky Villanova squad to advance to the championship game.
Kansas has been on a roll throughout the NCAA Tournament, and the oddsmakers have made the Jayhawks a 4.5-point favorite. This is Bill Self’s 19th season at Kansas, and he has won one national championship with the Jayhawks.
Kansas Jayhawks Betting Analysis
This is the 16th time in school history that the Jayhawks have been in the Final Four. This will be their 10th national championship game. As we mentioned before, Bill Self’s squad won a national championship in 2008, and they will be playing for the fourth title in program history.
Kansas has been led by All-American guard Ochai Agbaji. Agbaji was a star against Villanova, as his hot shooting from beyond the arc was key to the Jayhawks’ victory.
David McCormack also had a great game against the Wildcats. While Remy Martin didn’t play well against Villanova, he has been a huge part of the Jayhawks’ run. They’re a very versatile team, and any number of players can light up the scoreboard on any given night.
North Carolina Tar Heels Betting Analysis
This is the 21st time, which leads all NCAA schools, that North Carolina has advanced to the Final Four. The Tar Heels will be looking to win their seventh national title. It would be quite the story if first-year head coach Hubert Davis could win a title in his first season leading the team.
Armando Bacot has been huge for the Tar Heels throughout the postseason. The post player has been especially good on the glass, grabbing 21 boards against Duke.
Even though he rolled his ankle late in the game, we anticipate him playing on Monday night. The hot shooting of Brady Manek, RJ Davis, and Caleb Love, who had 28 points against Duke, have sparked the Heels.
Betting Numbers
Heading into the title game, the Jayhawks have won 10 games in a row. In those ten games, they’ve gone 7-3 against the spread.
The Tar Heels have been good in their last ten games as well, as they’ve gone 9-1 straight up and against the spread. So, these numbers don’t give us much help when looking to make our prediction.
In looking at both teams, we like the Kansas Jayhawks to win this one. Their defense was stellar against Villanova, and they can score in a variety of ways.
With Bacot’s ankle being an issue, we don’t think that the Tar Heels will have enough firepower to beat Kansas.
While we like Kansas to win, we see this one being very close. Kansas wins by less than 4.5 points.
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