No. 1 seed Purdue and No. 1 seed UConn play Monday, April 8 in the NCAA National Championship Game at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, the culminating game of the 2024 Men’s NCAA Tournament.
Purdue defeated No. 11 seed NC State in the Final Four on Saturday, 63-50. UConn beat No. 4 seed Alabama, 86-72.
UConn is a 6.5-point favorite in the game in March Madness odds provided by BetMGM Sportsbook. The Huskies are -275 on the moneyline. The Boilermakers are +230. The over/under for the game is set at 144.5 points.
Follow our live Purdue Boilermakers vs. UConn Huskies national championship game coverage for the latest news, score, updates and analysis from the national final contest.
More: What time is men’s national championship game? NCAA Final date, location, TV channel
UConn owns a 36-30 lead, having closed the half by outscoring Purdue 15-7.
The Boilermakers hadn’t scored in nearly 2½ minutes heading into the break.
Zach Edey has 16 points on 7-for-12 shooting, five rebounds and three blocks to lead Purdue. Braden Smith has nine points, but nobody else has hit more than a single bucket.
Tristen Newton has 11 points to lead UConn. Cam Spencer, Donovan Clingan and Hassan Diarra each have seven.
The game has featured eight ties and five lead changes, with the Huskies leading the way for more than 12 minutes. UConn has a slight 16-15 edge in rebounds and 20-18 edge in points in the paint.
Teresa Meadows is a fan of San Diego State, but still traveled to the Glendale for the Final Four. She and her husband have made a tradition of going to the Final Four for 12 years because they are huge basketball fans. They have lucked out by winning a lottery to the event every year.“We just have a good time. We love the energy of college basketball.”She said the environment this year has been a little quieter compared to other years but thought Monday would have a good showing.“It’s a little quieter this year, not as energetic until today. Then you went through WestGate and it was a big party between Purdue and UConn.”
— Dylan Wickman
UConn has opened a 30-25 lead, its largest of the game, with just under four minutes to play in the first half, taking advantage of Purdue making just one of its last seven shots.
Zach Edey has 16 points and five rebounds for the Boilermakers.
Tristen Newton has nine points to lead UConn, which is spreading the ball around well, with Cam Spencer, Donovan Clingan and Hassan Diarra each contributing seven points.
UConn and Purdue are tied 23-23 with just under 7 minutes remaining in the first half.
Edey has 14 points on 6-for-8 shooting, three rebounds and three blocks to lead Purdue and is thoroughly dominating the matchup with Donovan Clingan, who has been limited to two points, two rebounds and one block.
Tristen Newton and Cam Spencer have seven points apiece for UConn.
Purdue big man Zach Edey delivered a two-handed dunk, and back-to-back blocks, then hit a pair of jumpers and a free throw to knot the score at 16.
He has 11 points on 5-for-7 shooting.
Cam Spencer has seven points to lead UConn. Tristen Newton has five.
Spencer has seven points on 3-for-3 shooting to lead the Huskies. Zach Edey has four points to lead the Boilermakers.
Both teams are shooting 57% from the field and are perfect from the foul line. There have been three lead changes and three ties.
Purdue
2 Fletcher Loyer, So; 3 Braden Smith, So.; 4 Trey Kaufman-Renn, So.; 15 Zach Edey, Sr.; 55 Lance Jones, 5th Yr Sr
UConn
2 Tristen Newton, Gr.; 5 Stephon Castle, Fr.; 11 Alex Karaban, So.; 12 Cam Spencer, Gr.; 32 Donovan Clingan, So
Fans get ready for NCAA championship game at State Farm Stadium
Fans brought the color and excitement of a great college atmosphere to the NCAA men’s basketball championship game at State Farm Stadium in Glendale.
Chris Blaney, also known as “The Mackey Mad Man,” claimed Monday evening to be the biggest Purdue fan of all time. He dawned a Purdue flag draped down his back, a golden belt, with his face painted black and gold. About 12 years ago, Blaney used to run the Paint Crew, Purdue’s official student section for the university’s men’s basketball team. Today, the organization brings nearly 3,000 passionate members to cheer on at home games within the Mackey Arena in West Lafayette, Indiana.
He said a national championship is probably the most exciting thing he could imagine happening to him.“I’m single without any prospects, and I say that just because I feel like this is how a female would feel on her wedding day. I think those are the emotions running through my veins at the moment.”He hopes to lead Purdue’s crowd one more time to victory and predicts a six-point win for the Boilermakers.
— Dylan Wickman
How to watch Purdue vs. UConn in National Championship Game
When: Monday, 6:20 p.m. Pacific time (9:20 p.m. ET)
Where: State Farm Stadium, Glendale, Arizona
TV channels: TBS/TNT/truTV
Announcers: Ian Eagle (play-by-play) Bill Raftery and Grant Hill (analysts), Tracy Wolfson (reporter)
Streaming: Sling TV
STREAM THE GAME: Watch Purdue vs. UConn on truTV, TBS, TNT with Sling TV
Purdue vs. UConn pregame reading
Purdue vs UConn picks, predictions, odds: Who wins men’s national championship game Monday?
Purdue vs UConn ticket prices: How much it costs to see national championship game Monday
Future Final Four sites, dates: Host cities, venues for Men’s Final Four 2024 and beyond
How many times has Men’s NCAA Tournament March Madness Final Four been in Arizona?
UConn’s Dan Hurley says Bobby Hurley will be in Final Four when Arizona State supports him
UConn looks to repeat as Purdue chases first championship: Storylines for NCAA title game
NCAA basketball: UConn meets Purdue in men’s championship with history on the line
What to know about UConn, Purdue basketball teams before the national championship game
UConn vs Purdue: Weighing basketball powerhouse vs planes, trains and chicken nuggets
Purdue’s Zach Edey vs. UConn’s Donovan Clingan is a throwback to the days of dominant centers
Social media reacts as UConn rolls past Alabama in Final Four
How UConn and 12-year-old fan built a special relationship
We occasionally recommend interesting products and services. If you make a purchase by clicking one of the links, we may earn an affiliate fee. USA TODAY Network newsrooms operate independently, and this doesn’t influence our coverage.
Christine Lake is a sports fanatic who lives and breathes athletics. With an extensive background in sports journalism, he covers everything from major league championships to grassroots sports events. When she’s not on the field or at the stadium, you’ll find Christine coaching youth sports teams.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23318433/akrales_220309_4977_0182.jpg)