The showdown for the NCAA men's basketball championship is set: UConn will face Purdue on Monday night after knocking out Alabama 86-72 in a Saturday night semifinal in Phoenix. In the first men's semifinal at the Final Four, it was No. 1 Purdue 63, No. 11 NC State 50.
The Huskies are aiming to become the first team in men’s college basketball to repeat as champions since Florida did it in 2006-07, while the Boilermakers will be playing for their first basketball championship.
UConn defeats Alabama
Purdue defeats NC State
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Nice effort, NC State. You too, Alabama.
Now, for the national championship, it’ll be No. 1 seed UConn vs. No. 1 seed Purdue. Which means Donovan Clingan, UConn’s 7-2 center, vs. Zach Edey, Purdue’s 7-4 center and two-time national player of the year.
"A battle of the giants," UConn coach Dan Hurley said. “I think it’s just great for college basketball. You know, us and Purdue have clearly been the best two teams in the country the last two years, and I think it’s just great for college basketball to get the two big dogs playing on Monday night."
UConn subdued feisty Alabama, 86-72, Saturday at the Final Four and now is in position to win a second straight national championship.
All five of UConn’s starters scored in double-figures, and Stephon Castle led the way with 21 points. Donovan Clingan had 18 points and five rebounds.
Mark Sears led Alabama with a game-high 24 points.
The Huskies capitalized on their size with eight blocked shots and by going 14-for-18 from the free-throw line.
A Clingan dunk served as the official KO blow. UConn’s lead is up to 12 with less than 1:30 to play.
Alex Karaban’s deep 3-pointer stretched UConn’s lead to 11 points at 76-65 with 3:39 left to play. Sears answers with a three of his own.
The Huskies took their biggest lead, at 71-61, on Clingan’s second-chance layup with 5:07 left. Then he delivered a blocked shot.
UConn stretched its lead to nine, but the Huskies haven’t been able to land a knockout blow. This time, Sears answered for Alabama with a corkscrew-like layup while getting fouled, followed by a free throw.
Sears has a team-high 19 points on 8-of-11 shooting.
UConn leads 69-61 heading into a commercial break with 7:34 left to play.
Hard to imagine Alabama has a chance unless it can heat up from 3-point range again. In the first half, Alabama was 8-for-11 from the 3-point range. This half, the Crimson Tide is 2-for-7. And yes, UConn's defense has greatly influenced that.
Alabama coach Nate Oats apparently is calling for great energy from his team, per TBS.
UConn leads 64-58 with less than 10 minutes to play.
Down by as many as eight points in the half, Alabama rallied and tied the game on Grant Nelson’s short hook shot in the lane, and suddenly the game is tied 56-56 with less than 13 minutes to play.
Not much time to celebrate for Alabama fans.
UConn promptly went on an 8-0 run and leads 64-56 with 10:27 left to play.
The Huskies are benefitting from their size and strength while drawing fouls. They’re 14-for-18 from the free-throw line.
Alabama’s Grant Nelson just dunked over UConn’s 7-2 Donovan Clingan, leading Bill Rafferty to exult, “We just got the full Nelson from Grant Nelson!’’
UConn leads 55-54 with about 14 ½ minutes to play.
The Crimson Tide fell behind by eight points when UConn opened the half with a 4-0 spurt for a 48-40 lead. But the Crimson Tide responded with a 3-pointer – what else? – and pulled within 48-47.
UConn’s size is paying off at the line because it’s drawing fouls. The Huskies are 11-for-14 on free throws. Alabama is 4-for-5 on free throws.
Despite the breakneck pace, UConn has committed only two turnovers and Alabama has committed an acceptable five.
Mark Sears led Alabama with 11 points and his next missed shot will be his first missed shot. He’s 5-for-5 from the floor.
Pretty clear UConn has the superior talent and depth. But wow, Alabama can shot the three and is playing with high energy.
The Crimson Tide is 8-for-11 from 3-point range, and all five starters have made at least one trey. It’s a key reason Alabama led by as many as five points in the first half.
But the Huskies proved more dominant inside, while Stephon Castle led UConn with 13 points.
The Huskies, who have trailed by as many as five points, took a seven-point lead at 42-35 on a basket from Clingan with 1:15 to play in the half.
UConn’s Alex Karaban goes to the bench with two fouls. By contrast, Alabama has left Mark Sears and Grant Nelson on the floor with two fouls apiece. The Huskies have the depth to be conservative, and would Alabama be in the game with Sears and Nelson on the bench?
UConn leads 35-31 with about three minutes left in the half.
Alabama is now having trouble finding open shots against UConn’s suffocating defense. Problem for the Huskies: They’ve missed eight straight threes.
UConn leads 30-28 with about five minutes to play in the half.
Play’s still a little ragged at times, but fast-paced, and appears to be benefitting Alabama. Yes, UConn went on a 10-2 run and retook the lead at 28-25. But then the Crimson Tide did what it does: fire from 3. Aaron Estrada’s 3-pointer pulled Alabama even with UConn at 28-28 and 7:31 left in the half.
Donovan Clingan, UConn’s 7-2 center, has surfaced. Though his right hand is bandaged, it appears to be no serious impediment. Clingan made a left-hand hook shot and on UConn’s next possession threw down a monster dunk on a fast break to put UConn back in the lead, 24-23. About 9½ minutes left in the half.
Alabama has made 5 of 7 3-pointers and looks more than comfortable in its first Final Four appearance. Rylan Griffen has made a pair and three other Alabama players have made 3s. Alabama leads 23-20 at a commercial break with 10:24 left in the half.
Alabama star Mark Sears finally scores, despite it taking almost seven minutes. Alabama is deadlocked with UConn at 15-15 with about 13 minutes left in the first half. The Crimson Tide looked slightly undersized but not at all intimidated.
Alabama’s known for the 3s and has made 3-of-4 attempts. But UConn’s not afraid to let it fly, and now is 3-of-5 from 3-point range.
It didn’t last long but let the record show that Alabama, in its first trip to the Final Four, opened the scoring on Grant Nelson’s 3-pointer. Not bad considering UConn’s Donovan Clingan blocked Nelson’s layup attempt.
UConn now leads 13-8 heading into a commercial break with 15:31 left in the half.
Stephon Castle leads UConn with eight points and has buried two open 3-pointers. Nelson leads Alabama with five points.
UConn is heavily favored over Alabama for good reason. They Huskies have steamrolled opposing teams in the NCAA Tournament.
But Jay Wright, the retired Villanova coach, pointed out during the TBS telecast that UConn’s last loss came when the opposing team (Creighton) made 14 3-pointers. (The Huskies lost that game on the road, 85-66, on Feb. 20.)
Alabama certainly is capable of a 3-point barrage. The Crimson Tide average 11.2 3-pointers per game this season, second highest in the country.
Purdue was led by Zach Edey (20 points and 12 rebounds). He was joined in double figures by Fletcher Loyer (11 points) and Lance Jones (14 points). Braden Smith was off from the field (1 of 8) but filled the box score with eight rebounds, six assists and three steals. It was all about DJ Horne (20 points) for the Wolfpack, who only got eight points on 4 of 10 shooting from forward DJ Burns and couldn’t do anything inside the paint against Edey and Purdue’s frontcourt.
The Boilermakers have put N.C. State in their rearview mirror with 3:12 left. The lead is now 61-43 and the Wolfpack just don’t have the offensive punch to keep pace with Purdue’s deep collection of scorers. The big edge in the second half has been shooting from deep: Purdue has now scored 30 points from 3-point range, supporting another solid effort from Zach Edey (20 points, 12 rebounds, 4 assists). The Boilermakers are on a 12-1 run over the last four minutes.
OK, Purdue might be on the verge of putting N.C. State away. The lead is now up to 55-43 with 5:20 left, marking the Boilermakers’ biggest advantage of the game. That Purdue hasn’t looked good while building this advantage isn’t something to lose sleep over. (Though they’ll have to clean things up before meeting Connecticut or Alabama.)
Where would N.C. State be without guard DJ Horne? With teammate DJ Burns struggling to get going, Horne has carried the offensive load with 20 points on 8-of-18 shooting. He’s accounted for almost half of the Wolfpack’s total as Purdue takes a 49-42 lead into yet another commercial break with 7:37 to play.
Purdue leads 47-38 with 9:51 to go thanks to N.C. State’s struggles from the field. The Wolfpack are just 3 of 16 in the second half. While the Boilermakers aren’t much better at 4 of 12, three of those makes are from deep. You’ve heard this already several times through 30 minutes: Purdue is threatening to pull away.
This has been a sloppy second half. Purdue committed four turnovers in a five-minute span, N.C. State has missed seven shots in a row during a scoring drought lasting almost four minutes and the Boilermakers have pushed their lead to 45-33 with 12:30 to go after a 3-pointer in transition by senior guard Lance Jones. That 12-point lead ties Purdue’s biggest of the game.
If N.C. State is able to pull off this upset and reach Monday night’s title game, Purdue will look back at the handful of missed opportunities in the first 25 minutes to deliver a knockout blow. Every time the Boilermakers push the lead to double digits, they’ll have a sloppy offensive possession or turn the ball over to give the Wolfpack life. And give N.C. State a lot of credit for sticking to its game and not overreacting when Purdue does get a little bit of breathing room.
Purdue’s 35-29 halftime lead has grown just slightly to 39-33 after the first four minutes of the second half. Both teams have been feeding the ball inside: N.C. State has tried to get DJ Burns more involved after a quiet first half and the Boilermakers are tossing it down low to Zach Edey, though the Wolfpack have aggressively combated Edey’s size advantage with some double teams and some quick hands and takeaways in the post.
What needs to change for both teams in the second half? For Purdue, it will be about cutting down on turnovers (eight at halftime) and continuing to feed Zach Edey in the post. The Boilermakers also need to keep hammering the boards for second-chance points. N.C. State has to scratch and claw to keep pace on the glass while getting more out of forward DJ Burns. With guard Michael O’Connell’s availability in doubt due to an apparent hamstring injury, the Wolfpack also need to find somebody who can pick up the slack from 3-point range. — Paul Myerberg
N.C. State is right in this game with Purdue. While the Boilermakers take a 35-29 lead into halftime after a late 3 from guard Fletcher Loyer, the Wolfpack have weathered a 12-point deficit, another dominant start from Zach Edey (14 points, 8 rebounds) and a poor performance on the boards to stay within striking distance with 20 minutes to go. DJ Horne (13 points) has been the top scorer for the ‘Pack, who have landed just four points from senior DJ Burns after he picked up two fouls. If they can get him going in the second half, look out.
The three main factors behind Purdue’s 30-25 lead with 3:45 to go until halftime: Zach Edey (14 points), turnovers and rebounding. N.C. State has turned the ball over four times, with the Boilermakers turning those takeaways into seven points. And the Wolfpack are getting dominated on the boards, as expected. Purdue has 18 rebounds, seven offensive, to N.C. State’s 10. But the ‘Pack have been feisty in transition to make this a competitive first half.
It doesn’t look like N.C. State is going to have an answer for Zach Edey. The senior is now up to 10 points and five rebounds as he heads to the line with 6:29 left in the first half, showing off an assortment of post moves and a surprisingly soft touch against the Wolfpack’s undersized front line. After averaging 30 points per game in advancing through the West Region, Edey is picking up where he left off to key Purdue’s 26-16 lead.
N.C. State guard Michael O’Connell was taken into the locker room after falling awkwardly in the open court. O’Connell was driving toward the Purdue basket with the Boilermakers up 14-9 with 13:47 left in the first half when he stumbled and lost control of the ball, leading to a turnover. Purdue has since pushed the lead to 18-11 with 11 minutes to go until halftime.
The early rebounding results do not bode well for NC State. Purdue has a 7-1 edge in rebounds and 10 second-chance points. The Boilermakers lead 12-7 with about 15 minutes left in the first half.
A media timeout with 15:46 left in the first half was about the most effective way yet. Purdue leads 12-4, with four different Boilermakers having scored. Zach Edey has two points. Only DJ Horne has scored for the Wolfpack.
The Boilermakers bolt to a 9-2 lead against NC State behind a 7-0 run.
Here is Saturday’s Final Four schedule:
TBS will air both of today’s Final Four games.
You can catch every second by streaming every game through a few different options.
North Carolina State (26-14) vs. Purdue (31-4), 6:09 p.m., TBS
Connecticut (34-3) vs. Alabama (25-11), 8:49 p.m., TBS
The men’s Final Four games are at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.
USA TODAY Sports' full Final Four picks
The Boilermakers are favorites to defeat the Wolfpack in Saturday's Final Four matchup, according to the BetMGM college basketball odds.
They used to sit down as a family every Sunday night and talk about their dreams, what they wanted out of life, and this is what DJ Burns envisioned for himself.
OK, maybe not exactly this because there was no way to dream up how North Carolina State would wind up in a Final Four and how Burns would become one of those guys who goes from a largely unknown college basketball player to folk hero in the span of three weeks. It’s a story too ludicrous to invent, a set of circumstances too ridiculous to anticipate.
But in broad strokes, Dwight and Takela Burns knew they had a son who was gifted and a little bit stubborn and, most of all, huge.
“Whenever you tell him he can’t do something, he’s gonna prove you wrong,” Dwight said. − Read Dan Wolken’s full story
Matt Painter is in his 31st season as a college basketball coach, 19th with the Purdue Boilermakers.
He's never held a practice in April. But that changes this week as Painter's team hits the court at State Farm Stadium to get ready for the Final Four, taking on North Carolina State in the first semifinal on Saturday. The run to the national semifinals has Painter believing his team is playing its best basketball at present.
"Especially when you get on a neutral court, you know, Utah State won the Mountain West, they got six teams in the tournament. We got a pretty convincing win against them and then we beat programs like Gonzaga and Tennessee," Painter said Tuesday night right after the Boilermakers arrived in Phoenix.
"The problem is everybody that we play can say the same thing. But yeah, I think we're playing very good. And we got beat in our tournament,'' he said. "And I think a lot of coaches would talk, I don't think that's that big of a deal. Even though it's hard as a competitor, you want to win all the games you play." — José M. Romero, Arizona Republic
You can't have the men's NCAA Tournament without the potential back-to-back national player of the year.
Zach Edey is back and leading Purdue into March Madness again, and is a major reason the Boilermakers are a No. 1 seed for the second straight season. This time, Purdue is hoping for a better outcome than last year – when it was eliminated by a No. 16 seed – and looking to make the Final Four for the first time since 1980. If Purdue does that, Edey will likely be a big reason for the trip to State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. Here is everything to know about Purdue center Zach Edey.
The voice on the other end of the line boomed. "Great day to be a Wolfpack!" Dereck Whittenburg said at the outset of a phone call this week.
Just about every day has been a great day to be part of the North Carolina State Wolfpack during March Madness – especially for people like Whittenburg, a key member of the school's 1983 national championship team that went on a magical postseason run 41 years ago.
This week, the current NC State men’s and women’s teams will be playing at the Final Four, with the former never having been ranked in the USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll all season.
“It shows you all things are possible," Whittenburg said. “We showed that 41 years ago."
During the team’s 40-year reunion last year, Whittenburg commemorated its history. He gave each of his former teammates a plaque that included pieces of the court from The Pit, the arena in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where NC State won the national championship. (The court had been replaced and was in storage.) On each plaque, lettering on one piece of the court reads, “The Pass," and lettering on the second piece of the court reads, “The Dunk." Read Josh Peter’s full feature.
USA TODAY Sports' full Final Four picks
The Huskies are favorites to defeat the Crimson Tide, according to the BetMGM NCAA odds.
The North Carolina State men's basketball team's extraordinary postseason run continued Sunday, and coach Kevin Keatts' financial present — and future — kept getting brighter.
The No. 11 seed Wolfpack reached the Final Four with a 76-64 defeat of No. 4 seed Duke in the South Region final. As a result, in addition to $300,000 in on-court performance bonuses this season, Keatts now stands to gain at least $8.8 million in future scheduled contract value from his team’s five-wins-in-five-days run through the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament and continued roll through the NCAA Tournament. — Steve Berkowitz
The magical postseason run for the Wolfpack will continue after they booked their first trip to the Final Four since 1983. The Final Four appearance is significant as the No. 11 seed equaled six other teams as the lowest seed to ever make the national semifinals. Here are all the No. 11 seeds to make the Final Four, how they did it and how their tournament run ended.
NC State has done enough to prove they are not only worthy of a shot at the title, but they could very well earn a trip to the championship game. DJ Burns and DJ Horne have been the consistent duo you need to get this close to ultimate glory. But to finish the job, they will have to get past the immovable force that is Zach Edey and Purdue. Edey is that consistent presence in the middle on both sides of the floor that make this iteration of the Boilermakers darn near unbeatable so far. — Gabe Zaldivar
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