There are just four teams remaining in the 2024 NCAA Tournament, and those four teams are set to battle it out this weekend. The first Final Four game on Saturday will feature the surprising N.C. State Wolfpack against the dominant Purdue Boilermakers.
N.C. State is coming into this game riding a nine-game winning streak, and they had to win all of those games to be in this position. The Wolfpack were a number 11 seed in the NCAA Tournament, and they are just 26-14 this season.
Purdue has been near the top of the rankings all season long, and they are coming into this game with a record of 33-4. The Boilermakers were dominant throughout the first four games of the NCAA Tournament, and they are a tough team to deal with.
The Purdue Boilermakers are 8.5-point betting favorites in this game, and the over/under line is set at 145.5 total points.
Wolfpack Making Winning Plays
The N.C. State Wolfpack have been an average team all season long, but they have started to make big plays on both ends of the floor. Guard D.J. Horne is leading the way with 16.8 points per game this season, and he will need to be great in this game.
Center D.J. Burns has been the spark plug throughout this run, and the Wolfpack are starting to run the offense through him. Burns will have to find a way to slow down Edey in this matchup, but he can also score some points.
N.C. State will be looking to slow this game down at every turn as they just don’t have the weapons to keep pace in this game.
Edey Dominating Opponents
Purdue center Zach Edey is going to win his second straight National Player of the Year Award, and he has stepped up his game in the NCAA Tournament. Edey has been a double-double machine all year long, but he has been even better in the last few weeks.
Point guard Braden Smith doesn’t get enough credit for his play, but he is averaging 7.5 assists per game. Purdue is scoring over 83 points per game, and they can put points on the board in a hurry.
The Boilermakers have also been able to get stops when needed this season, and that will be something to watch in this game. Purdue wants to play fast, but they are facing a team that can slow them down.
Purdue Picks Up Close Win
N.C. State is going to be an underdog again in this matchup, but this is a role that has been suiting them well up to this point. The Wolfpack just continue to find a way to make some big plays, and that should be the case in this game as well.
Purdue is going to have to make some shots around their All-American center, and they have done that all season long. The Boilermakers aren’t going to run away from the Wolfpack in this game, but they should take control.
Take the 8.5 points and bet on the N.C. State Wolfpack, but Purdue will win to advance to the championship game.
