Boilermakers Country

UConn Coach Dan Hurley on Playing Purdue: 'It's Great for College Basketball'

UConn and Purdue — the two best teams in college basketball this season — will meet in the national championship on Monday night. Huskies coach Dan Hurley says the battle of titans is "great for college basketball."

Dustin Schutte

Apr 6, 2024; Glendale, AZ, USA; Connecticut Huskies head coach Dan Hurley reacts after a play
Apr 6, 2024; Glendale, AZ, USA; Connecticut Huskies head coach Dan Hurley reacts after a play / Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports
In this story:

Monday night's national championship will feature college basketball's two best teams. No. 1 seeds UConn and Purdue will meet at State Farm Stadium with a national title hanging in the balance. It's going to be appointment television for fans of the sport.

Not only is the matchup between UConn and Purdue appealing, but the battle between big men Donovan Clingan and Zach Edey should be incredibly entertaining. This is what college basketball is all about.

Purdue defeated No. 11 seed North Carolina State 63-50 in the first Final Four game on Saturday evening. The Boilers got 20 points, 12 rebounds, four assists and two blocks from Edey. In the nightcap, UConn defeated No. 4 seed Alabama 86-72. Clingan gave the Huskies 18 points, five rebounds and four blocks in the victory.

After UConn's win over Alabama, coach Dan Hurley was asked about Monday night's showdown with Purdue, as well as the matchup between Clingan and Edey.

"A battle of the giants," Hurley said of the matchup between Edey and Clingan. "And then, I just think it's great for college basketball. You know, us and Purdue have clearly been the two best teams in the country the last two years and I think it's just great for college basketball to get to get the two big dogs playing Monday night."

UConn ended the regular season ranked as the No. 1 team in the Associated Press Poll and owns a 36-3 record. Purdue concluded the year ranked No. 3 and sits at 34-4 heading into Monday night's championship contest.

Purdue is 2-1 against UConn but the Huskies won the most recent matchup — an NCAA Tournament game in the Sweet 16 in 2009.

Because of the nature of the NCAA Tournament, we don't always see the two best teams in college basketball compete for a national championship. Fortunately, we'll get that showdown on Monday night in Phoenix between the Huskies and Boilermakers.

Related stories on Purdue basketball

  • UCONN OPENS AS FAVORITE: Monday's championship game between UConn and Purdue should be an excellent way to conclude the college basketball season. The Huskies enter the matchup as the favorite to win it all. CLICK HERE
  • TOM BREW COLUMN: Purdue point guards past and present — P.J. Thompson and Braden Smith — are practically attached at the hip. So when Smith is having rough night, Thompson, who's in charge of his player development, is always right there with the right things to say. CLICK HERE
  • WHAT MATT PAINTER, PURDUE PLAYERS SAID: Everything that coach Matt Painter and players Zach Edey, Lance Jones and Fletcher Loyer said folloiwng Purdue's 63-50 win over North Carolina State on Monday. CLICK HERE
  • PURDUE FANS GO CRAZY: Purdue fans attending the watch party at Mackey Arena on Saturday night went crazy as the final buzzer sounded. For the first time since 1969, the Boilermakers are playin in the national championship. CLICK HERE
  • EDEY MEETS SHAQ: After Purdue defeated North Carolina State in the Final Four, NBA legend Shaquille O'Neal waited to meet Boilermakers big man Zach Edey. CLICK HERE
Published
Dustin Schutte

DUSTIN SCHUTTE