Connecticut Opens As 6.5-Point Favorite Over Purdue in NCAA Championship Game
GLENDALE, Ariz. — Connecticut is marching through its second straight NCAA Tournament, winning 11 straight games by double digits. They're hoping to repeat as champions on Monday night when they take on the Purdue Boilermakers at State Farm Stadium in suburban Phoenix.
The oddsmakers think UConn will win again. According to the Fanduel.com gambling website, the Huskies are 6.5-point favorites in the title game. The over/under is 146.5.
Connecticut and Purdue have been the two best teams in the country all year. The Huskies are 36-3 on the season, winning the Big East regular season and tournament titles and rolling through the NCAA Tournament as a No. 1 seed, winning by an average of 25 points per game.
Connecticut has won five national championships since 1999. They are looking to be the first back-to-back champions since Billy Donovan's Florida teams did it in 2006 and 2007.
Purdue is 34-4 and was the Big Ten's regular season champion. They have won and covered in all five NCAA Tournament games this year. This is just their third trip to the Final Four, also going in 1969 and 1980. They lost in the semifinals in 1980, and lost in the NCAA final to UCLA in 1969.
The Boilermakers have won 49 NCAA Tournament games, but they've never won a title. That's the most wins ever for a team that's never won a championship. They are also trying to win the Big Ten's first national title since Michigan State in 2000.
"We're not done," said Purdue sophomore guard Fletcher Loyer, who finished with 11 points. "We didn't even play that good. I think we have a lot more to prove. We have a good day of rest. We'll take advantage of it and be ready to go Monday."
Related stories on Purdue basketball
- PURDUE BEATS N.C. STATE: Zach Edey scored 20 points and had 12 rebounds, and Purdue put together a late run to beat N.C. State 63-50 in the NCAA Tournament semifinals. Now they'll play in their first NCAA title game in 55 years on Monday, in hopes of winning their first-ever national championship. CLICK HERE
- POSTGAME PRESS CONFERENCE: After Purdue beat N.C. State, players Zach Edey, Fletcher Loyer and Lance Jones and coach Matt Painter talked with reporters about the game. Here's what they had to say in the postgame press conference. CLICK HERE
- PURDUE FANS GO CRAZY: Purdue fans attending the watch party at Mackey Arena on Saturday night went crazy as the final buzzer sounded. For the first time since 1969, the Boilermakers are playin in the national championship. CLICK HERE
- EDEY MEETS SHAQ: After Purdue defeated North Carolina State in the Final Four, NBA legend Shaquille O'Neal waited to meet Boilermakers big man Zach Edey. CLICK HERE
Tom Brew is an award-winning journalist who's worked at some America's finest newspapers, including the Tampa Bay (Fla.) Times, the South Florida Sun-Sentinel and the Indianapolis Star. He also owns the book publishing company, Hilltop30 Publishing Group, and he has written four books and published 16 others.