The men’s Final Four features two No. 1–seeds and two underdogs
The GIST: The men’s Final Four start their semifinal dance tomorrow on TBS, and both blockbuster matchups feature powerhouse programs vs. scrappy underdogs. Will the cream rise to the top, or can the Cinderellas keep the ball rolling all the way to Monday’s title game?
No. 1 Purdue Boilermakers vs. No. 11 NC State Wolfpack, 6:09 p.m. ET: NC State’s improbable run began with their shocking ACC tournament win, and they’ll need all that momentum against their toughest postseason challenge yet. Between Purdue’s Zach Edey — the likely back-to-back Player of the Year — and NC State’s breakout star, DJ Burns Jr., this will be a big-man battle for the ages.
- Edey’s unparalleled ability to draw fouls will likely be a deciding factor: If Burns gets into foul trouble, the Wolfpack could lack answers for Edey’s 7-foot-4 frame. But if Burns can play clean, history could repeat itself.
No. 1 UConn Huskies vs. No. 4 Alabama Crimson Tide, 8:49 p.m. ET: UConn’s a runaway train heading toward their second straight natty: They rolled over their first four tourney opponents by an average of almost 28 points. Their one weakness? Teams who can sink risky shots from beyond the three-point arc…which just happens to be Alabama’s bread and butter.
- The Tide’s success rests heavily on senior guard Mark Sears’ shoulders. He drained an impeccable six second-half three-pointers in Alabama’s Elite Eight win over No. 6 Clemson, and Bama will need another stellar performance to have a, ahem, shot tomorrow.
