2024 men's NCAA Tournament expert picks: Predictions for Saturday's Final Four games
After a rough journey to get to Arizona, the UConn men's basketball team arrived for the Final Four very early Thursday morning. Now our panel of USA TODAY experts expect the Huskies to make a trip to the national championship game as the Final Four gets under way Saturday.
No. 1 seed UConn is looking to become the first team to win back-to-back championships since the Florida Gators, who won consecutive titles in 2006 and 2007. But first the Huskies must get past Alabama, a team making its first trip to the Final Four.
There's no shortage of stars in this Final Four, with big men like Purdue’s Zach Edey and NC State’s DJ Burns Jr to excellent guards in Connecticut’s Tristen Newton and Alabama’s Mark Sears. For more on the X-factor players, take a look at Jordan Mendoza's breakdown of the players who need to step up for each team to advance to the national championship.
Saturday's games in Glendale, Arizona
North Carolina State (26-14) vs. Purdue (31-4), 6:09 p.m., TBS
Jordan Mendoza: Purdue
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Paul Myerberg: Purdue
Dan Wolken: NC State
Connecticut (34-3) vs. Alabama (25-11), 8:49 p.m., TBS
Jordan Mendoza: UConn
Paul Myerberg: UConn
Dan Wolken: UConn