The 2024 NCAA basketball tournament has reached its crescendo as the championship tournament has entered the Final Four stage. The first main game of the championship semifinals features the defending champion UConn Huskies taking on the Alabama Crimson Tide. Dan Hurley’s Huskies have been a juggernaut squad in the tournament, demolishing multiple opponents by double-digits, including Illinois, 77-52, in the last round. Alabama has also had a great tournament run, defeating No. 1 seed North Carolina, along with Clemon (sixth seed) and Grand Canyon as well. Meanwhile, the other championship semifinal is set between Purdue and (BLANK). The Boilermakers are coming off an exciting victory over Tennessee in the Elite Eight while their opponents, NC State, were able to outlast Duke.
For this article, SBS will be highlighting each of these teams, a predicted winner in both contests along with even more information about NCAA basketball wagering.
| NCAA Basketball 2024 Final Four | The Pick |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UConn vs. Alabama | UConn ML | -850 | -850 | -850 |
| Purdue vs. NC State | Purdue ML | -425 | -425 | -425 |
Team Spotlight: UConn Huskies
The defending champions, UConn, has had a fantastic tournament run thus far. In the opening round of the tournament, the Huskies crushed Stetson, 91-52, and then went on to knock off Northwestern in the Round of 32, 75-58. While these initial victories could be written off as facing inferior competition, the Huskies followed up those two wins with a thrashing of San Diego State, 82-52, and then defeating Illinois last week, 77-52. Guard Tristen Newton has been excellent in the backcourt for UConn, notching 15 points per game (ppg) while center Donovan Clingan was awesome against the Illini, scoring 22 points. After being tied at 23 points with 1:51 left in the first half, the Huskies went on a tear, outscoring Illinois, 54 to 27 and cruising to victory.
Team Spotlight: Alabama Crimson Tide
Opposing the defending champions is the Tide which had a solid campaign in the SEC this year, notching a record of 25-11 and a mark of 13-5 in conference play. Guard Mark Sears has been electric this year for Alabama, notching 21.5 ppg along with a tremendous 50.4% field goal percentage for a guard. In fact, the Tide backcourt has featured a fantastic duo with Sears and Aaron Estrada (13.4 ppg and 4.7 apg) out dueling most of their foes. The former was fantastic in the win against Clemson, scoring 23 points against the Tigers in a game that the Tide were able to pull away from in the second half.
Prediction: In what should be an awesome contest, the Tide presents a gritty squad that can potentially upset the defending champions, but that will not be the case when they match up. Take the Huskies to keep the good times rolling and continue their quest for a repeat title.
Team Spotlight: Purdue Boilermakers
The success of the Boilermakers of course hinges on the talents of the marvelous Zach Edey. At a towering 7-foot-4 (perhaps taller), the Purdue center is coming off an incredible performance against Tennessee, accounting for 40 points in the 72-66 win against the Vols. The Boilermakers are heading to their first Final Four since 1980 and have a bevy of weapons they can befuddle opponents with, but it starts and ends with their dominating center. Of course, if the Wolfpack can figure out how to confuse and mitigate Edey, they will have a much stronger chance in this game. However, that is much easier said than done as Purdue went 33-4 prior to the NCAA Tournament and has taken care of business so far in the postseason. With averages of 25 ppg and 12.2 rpg, few have been able to figure out the imposing Purdue big man.
Team Spotlight: NC State Wolfpack
In what has been the Cinderella story of this tournament, NC State has had an incredible run in this tournament after entering as an 11-seed. The Wolfpack is coming off a great 76-64 win over the favored Duke Blue Devils and has become the darlings of America thanks to their own dynamic big man in forward DJ Burns Jr. With an average of 13 ppg and 4.1 rpg during the regular season, the South Carolina native has his toughest challenge yet when the Wolfpack takes on Purdue. Regardless, the frisky NC State squad has taken on all comers since finishing the ACC conference season at a mediocre 9-11. This team is truly the epitome of what makes March Madness so special and is a fantastic showcase of teams having success when they get hot at the right time.
Prediction: This should be a fantastic battle as Edey squares off against Burns, but unfortunately this is where NC State’s magical ride ends as the Boilermakers send them packing.
After you are all dialed in regarding the latest updates and notes coming from the world of NCAA basketball, check out the great variety of information for you only at SBS. Of course, for even more betting markets on the sport, the NCAAB betting sites guide has your back on the latest betting markets and updates on the sport. Moreover, for even more notes and updates on the sport and the annual NCAA Tournament, check out the March Madness betting sites rundown. On this page, you can find all of the most updated reports and notes coming from the NCAA’s annual March Madness showcase. Finally, for those interested in maximizing their wagers, make sure to check out the best bonus betting sites breakdown which contains a catalog of the latest and greatest welcome bonus offers.
About the Author
As a devout aficionado of sports, Chris Boline has carved a career within the athletic realm. A skilled scribe, he boasts a decade-long portfolio that encompasses coverage of the NBA G League, the Los Angeles Chargers, football and basketball across the country. Beyond his professional pursuits, Chris is deeply invested in his community and dedicates his leisure hours to serving on boards, collaborating with community organizations, and cherishing the company of loved ones. CURRENTLY Business Development and freelance sports writing RESIDES IN Reno, NV EDUCATION University of Nevada BS and MBA EXPERTISE -Sports writing proficiency in: NFL, NBA, UFC, boxing, golf, and some motor sports -Topical news -Promotional and marketing ideas/updates -Business development Summary Chris Boline serves in a business development sales capacity as his day job. He has previously held sales/marketing positions with The Applied Companies (TAC), KTVN 2 News and the NBA G League’s Reno Bighorns, affiliate of the Sacramento Kings. He is a Reno native and is a member of various community boards including the Nevada Sagebrush Alumni Chapter, NCET and the College of Business Alumni Association (COBAA). Chris graduated from the University of Nevada in 2015 with a bachelors in management and economics and also earned his MBA from Nevada in 2023. More about Chris: Past president of the College of Business Alumni Association (COBAA) 2022-23 Two-time honoree for University of Nevada Alumni Chapter of the Year (Nevada Sagebrush Alumni Chapter, 2017 & COBAA, 2021) 2021 NCET award for Professional Services Organization of the Year with TAC Northern Nevada Human Resources Association 2020 Best Places to Work-Northern Nevada, Second Place with TAC 2016-17 Reno Bighorns MVP from the Sacramento Kings The Nevada Sagebrush editor-in-chief 2013-15 Associated Collegiate Press 2015 Four-year Non-daily Newspaper Pacemaker honoree University of Nevada, Reno College of Business Dean's List honoree (5x) from 2011-2015 Nevada Press Association award for Best Sports Column – Community in 2015 Education
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