The best part of the year for sports is coming to an end. We had a pretty chalk tournament all things considered, but some amazing stories have been created along the way. The field has been narrowed down to four teams. UConn looks to go back-to-back for the first time since 2007. Alabama is in the Final Four for the first time in program history. Purdue wants to relinquish their March demons. NC State is ready to pull off a historic upset. Let's get into the games and preview the last weekend of the 2023-24 college basketball season.
From: Gregory Shamus (Getty Images)
1. Purdue vs 11. NC State
This matchup is the living example of why this tournament is so awesome. Purdue has made their first Final Four in 40 years. It looks as though they have finally lived up to their regular season hype. Years and years of heartbreak must make this moment pretty sweet for Boilermaker fans. The state where basketball becomes religion has a team in the Final Four. And then we have NC State. If it weren't for 2 missed free throws and a banked-in three at the buzzer 3 weeks ago, the Wolfpack would not be here. NC State rattled off five wins in five days, a feat only accomplished by Shabazz Napier's UConn team (they won the title that year btw). In a year where it looked like Kevin Keatts was getting canned, his team has won 9 games in 19 days to get to Phoenix.
The Case for Purdue
Flat out, Purdue should steam roll NC State. They have the size inside to deal with DJ Burns and Mohammed Diarra. Lance Jones is a more than capable defender to stop DJ Horne. Zach Edey is a matchup nightmare for anyone not named Ryan Kalkbrenner or Donovan Clingan. Braden Smith has been one of the best guards in the country. When anyone other than Smith and Edey are hitting shots, they are nearly impossible to beat. They have the better coach. They are the more talented team. Purdue proved it in the regular and postseason. All signs point towards Purdue getting to the national championship.
The Case for NC State
Flat out, it's gonna take some more magic for NC State to pull this one off. DJ Burns has captivated the country, and continually finds ways to score. DJ Horne has been the balance they need from the perimeter. An efficient game from Casey Morsell presents a three-headed monster that has been proven tough to stop. Can the Cinderella run continue? It'll take just about a miracle. But the Wolfpack have surprised everyone continuously, so why not one more?
Game Prediction
I love NC State. I hate to pick against a team as fun as the Wolfpack, but Purdue is simply too good. Every team NC State has played have had some sort of flaw. Texas Tech was alright offensively, but poor defensively. They got Oakland in the second round. Shaka Smart has struggled to win in the tournament since his days at VCU. Finally, Duke was regarded as one of the softer teams in the country, and without an injury to Jamal Shead, they probably lose to Houston. Purdue is just too balanced for NC State to handle, but man do I wish this run for the Wolfpack continues.
Purdue 81, NC State 69
From: Steven Senne (AP)
1. UConn vs 4. Alabama
While Purdue/NC State is fascinating due to storylines, this game is fascinating because of the style matchup. UConn prefers to play at a slower, half-court tempo. If you have watched Alabama at all, they love to push the tempo and shoot threes. UConn doesn't like to run, but they are capable of it. The Huskies tend to just stay connected in the first half and then overwhelm opponents in the second half with their adjustments. This game boils down to Alabama's ability to push the pace. If they can go full-speed for 40 minutes, the Tide have a chance to pull off the upset.
The Case for UConn
The pitch for UConn winning is a simple one: they are the best team in the country. They're balanced, calculated, and stone cold killers once they enter tournament mode. The Huskies' entire starting five is capable of giving you 20, but Donovan Clingan is the X-Factor here. Clingan will have a clear size advantage on everyone that Alabama throws at him. The matchup is similar to Illinois, and we saw how that went. Look for Tristen Newton to feed Clingan early to get him going.
The Case For Alabama
Alabama is known for their offense, but their defense has been the story in the tournament. The Tide have been able to lock down and get a stop when they need it most. Nate Oats needs to get his boys ready again for a 40 minute dog fight. If Alabama gets lazy defensively, it's going to lead to UConn winning big. Offensively, they cannot deviate from the plan. Run, get in transition, and launch threes. Mark Sears is going to have to have the game of a lifetime. One of Grant Nelson, Rylan Griffen, and Aaron Estrada needs to get hot from deep. If Alabama gets hot from the perimeter, they have a shot to knock out the reigning champs.
Game Prediction
Despite UConn's historic tournament streak and ATS run, I think that Alabama will be able to keep it close. They have shown the ability to score on pretty much anyone, and although the Husky defense is stout, I like Alabama to score in this one. That being said, UConn is just better. Alabama might be up at half, but once the second 20 minutes start, Danny Hurley and co. are going to pull away. Donovan Clingan has a monster game down low, setting up a mammoth matchup with Purdue.
UConn 83, Alabama 74
Those are my game predictions. In the Sweet 16, I went 4-2 on the picks I posted. Let's stay hot. If you want any of our gambling picks and advice, check us out on Twitter here. If you liked this article and want to read more of our March Madness content, click here.