The March Madness Men’s National Championship game is here, and it pits the Purdue Boilermakers against the UConn Huskies. Tip-off is set for 9:20 p.m. ET on Monday, April 8. Purdue is seeking its first national title in program history, while UConn is looking for a sixth. In addition, the Huskies are looking to become the first back-to-back champions since Florida in 2006-07. Can they do it? Or will Purdue spoil the party?
Before the action tips off, we are taking a look at the latest Purdue vs UConn odds to see who has the edge in the eyes of professional oddsmakers. Before placing your bets on the game, you can sign up with the best online sportsbooks to claim more than $4,000 in bonuses.
Men’s National Championship Purdue vs. UConn odds
The men’s college basketball season will come to an end on Monday night, and either the Purdue Boilermakers or UConn Huskies will be crowned champions. This matchup is a treat for basketball fans, as both teams have dominated the tournament thus far and enter the title game playing elite basketball.
After winning the national title last season, UConn has been one of the top teams in the country all season long. The Huskies finished the regular season with a record of 28-3, going 18-2 in Big East play. The Huskies then won the Big East tournament in convincing fashion, and have rolled through the tournament to the title game. UConn has five players averaging double-digit points per game, making them one of the most well-balanced offenses in the country. The defense has been elite as well, ranking 10th in the country in scoring defense this season. All in all, this UConn team is scary.
Standing in UConn’s way is the Purdue Boilermakers, who are in the title game one year after becoming the second No. 1 seed to lose to a 16 seed. Zach Edey leads the way for the Boilers, as he is the program’s all-time leading rebounder. Edey has put together a marvelous tournament so far, averaging 28.0 points and 15.4 rebounds per game. Edey leads a strong Purdue defense that has allowed just 60.2 points per game to its opponents in the tournament. If the Boilers want to win their first national title, the defense needs to be clicking on all cylinders once again.
Oddsmakers are favoring the defending national champs. On DraftKings Sportsbook, UConn finds themselves as 6.5-point favorites with moneyline odds of -298. On the other side, Purdue has moneyline odds of +240 as 6.5-point underdogs. The total, or over/under, is listed at 145.
As strong as Purdue has looked in the tournament, it’s tough to go against Dan Hurley’s squad here. The Huskies are a perfect 11-0 against the spread in the last two tournaments, and this year’s team has been winning games in dominating fashion. The Huskies have won all of their tournament games thus far by double digits, with an average margin of victory of 25 points.
In the Elite Eight, Illinois kept it close in the first half, but UConn went on a ridiculous 30-0 run en route to a big win. Then in the Final Four, Alabama gave UConn all it could handle for most of the game, but the Huskies were able to pull away late. It felt like the Tide threw their best punch possible and UConn was still able to walk away with a 14-point win. With the way they are playing right now, consider backing the Huskies -6.5.
Purdue vs. UConn odds: Defenses look to continue strong play
Both of these teams have tremendous defensive units that do an excellent job of forcing their opponents into tough shots. As previously mentioned, Purdue has held tournament opponents to 60.2 points per game, but UConn’s defense has been even better. In five tournament games, the Huskies have limited opponents to a measly 57 points per game.
In addition, both squads have elite rim protectors that make life extremely difficult for opponents looking to drive the paint. Along with Edey at 7′ 4″ for Purdue, UConn big man Donovan Clingan is 7′ 2″ and averages 2.5 blocks per game. Nothing will come easy at the rim for either team, and given the strong three-point defenses from both teams, consistent outside shooting won’t be a guarantee either.
Don’t be surprised if we see a physical, slow-paced first half as both teams get a feel for the other’s game plan. With that in mind, consider taking the First Half Under 68.5 points. This bet can be found on FanDuel Sportsbook with odds of -118.
When betting on the 2024 Men’s March Madness National Championship, keep in mind that odds are subject to change up until tip-off. In addition, odds can vary from sportsbook to sportsbook, so consider shopping around at different betting platforms to ensure you are getting the best available odds for your bets.
