The NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament concludes tonight or, as one coach christened it, the UConn Invitational.
And the UConn Huskies are seven-point favorites to win it all for the second consecutive season, with a significantly fresh cast of characters.
Standing in the way is Purdue, a serial tournament disappointer in the recent past that finally made it to the title game.
I’m thinking the seven points is not nearly enough to tempt me to back Purdue in this game.
The Boilermakers’ guard play, particularly at the point, stunk in a semifinal win over Cinderella story North Carolina State. The glass slippers finally turned to pumpkins for that No. 11 seed. It was as much a case of NC State blowing the game as Purdue winning it.
UConn was kept close by Alabama going into the second half of the other semifinal, but eventually won going away.
The Huskies’ edge in guard play vs. Purdue is immense. They have the size on the front line to match up with Purdue and 7-foot-4 center Zach Edey.
It’s possible Purdue could win, just incredibly unlikely.
I figure I will watch at the start, hoping to be proved wrong by Purdue. But, my hand will be on the remote to seek out alternative viewing if and when UConn begins to take control.
Lest you consider risking cash money on any of this thinking, understand that my best bracket in the CBS challenge ranked 308,000 and change out of I don’t know how many entries. I did somehow have Alabama and Purdue in the Final Four and had Purdue advancing to the title game, even winning there. But . . . I’d change that in a heartbeat now.
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