Predictions, picks, odds for Final Four game
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Jay Williams breaks down all things March Madness
The Final Four is here and Jay Williams stops by to break down all the action. He also tells us about his new partnership with Coke Zero Sugar.
In a few hours, the NCAA Men’s Final Four will take center stage at State Farm Stadium, where top-seeded Purdue Boilermakers will face underdogs N.C. State Wolfpack in a must-see matchup.
Purdue secured their place in the Final Four for the third time after defeating Tennessee 72-66 in the Elite Eight. Zach Edey put up an outstanding performance with 40 points and 16 rebounds. He also made the game-winning block against Tennessee’s Dalton Knecht that kept the Boilermakers’ hopes of becoming national champions alive. Edey is also a finalist for the prestigious Wooden Award, which is given annually to the best college basketball player in the country.
N.C. State is set to make its first Final Four appearance since winning the championship in 1983. DJ Burns Jr. has been a crucial player in their success, scoring 29 points, four rebounds, three assists, and two blocks in the upset 76-64 win over Duke.
March Madness: NC State’s 1983 national champion Wolfpack men remain a team, 41 years later
NC State vs. Purdue predictions
Yahoo Sports: Purdue 85, N.C. State 71
Sam King writes: “The Boilermakers are on a mission. The Wolfpack are on the improbable ride of their lives. Somehow, those unlikely NCAA Tournament upsets for the ages tend to happen at Purdue’s expense. Not this time.”
SportingNews: Purdue 78, NC State 72
Sloan Piva writes: “10 points is a lot to give a Cinderella that’s playing with house money and as confident as any team in sports. The Wolfpack may not be howling at the moon by the end of Saturday night, but they certainly won’t be whimpering back to Raleigh. Pick Purdue to win but take N.C. State to cover as long as the spread is north of nine.”
New York Post: Pick Over 146
Staff writes: “With Edey scoring on Burns, I’d imagine the Boilers generate plenty of open jumpers, and some are bound to start falling against N.C. State. However, Edey is laterally slow like Burns, making him similarly vulnerable on defense. Again, if you move him around, you can score on him. So, neither star big man nor team defense grades out well defending post-up or ball-screen sets, which is problematic against two post-centric offenses. And if either defense attempts to bring extra resources toward Burns or Edey, both can effectively dish it to secondary scorers. Therefore, I think we’ll see consistent, efficient offense for 40 minutes on both ends. These two teams are a combined 43-26 (62%) to the over this year for a reason.”
ESPN: Purdue has a 89% chance to win
According to ESPN’s Matchup Predictor, the Purdue Boilermakers have a 89/6% chance to beat N.C. State Wolfpack in the Final Four.
NC State vs. Purdue: Odds, spread and lines for March Madness
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Read More: Predictions, picks, odds for Final Four game 2024-04-06 15:55:47