I made a bold prediction for every conference ahead of the 2023-24 basketball season. What went right? And what went wrong? The process of making preseason predictions is a fun part of every sport as it helps lay the groundwork for framing the season ahead. In college basketball, we often see things change quickly throughout the year — whether that be during the regular season or the nonstop churning of the transfer portal in the offseason — and there’s a need to react. Those few weeks leading up to the season, that timeframe between late October into early November, is really the lone time th ..read more

UConn’s convincing victory over Purdue in the national title game capped a dominant season that few have ever topped. The UConn Huskies are college basketball’s first back-to-back national champions in nearly two decades. The Huskies cut down the nets after a convincing 75-60 victory over Purdue, dominating in the consistent fashion that has been the hallmark of this team. UConn gradually pulled away from the Boilermakers after a close first half, and before you knew it, a competitive game had turned into a blowout. Thank the Huskies’ suffocating defense for that. “They get a lot of credit,” P ..read more

Despite a valiant effort by National Player of the Year Zach Edey, UConn dominated the Purdue backcourt to cut down the nets and make history. GLENDALE, ARIZ. — The highly anticipated national title game started competitively enough. Two-time National Player of the Year Zach Edey and the Purdue Boilermakers stayed within one possession for the first 15 minutes — before the defending champs UConn quickly turned into a clinic. The Huskies won 75-60 on Monday night to secure their second-consecutive national title and sixth overall for the program. Cam Spencer was the source of UConn’s early offe ..read more

UConn and Purdue were college basketball’s most dominant teams all season. What’s more, neither program shows any sign of slowing down after this year. The single-elimination nature of the NCAA Tournament often creates chaos. It’s what makes this event so incredibly fun. It’s also what makes it so rare for the country’s two best teams to meet in the national championship. Monday night’s tilt between UConn and Purdue, however, is an exception to the rule. Indeed, these were the two most dominant teams in the country all season long. The reigning champs quickly proved it could replace the three ..read more

It is tough to clear the historic bar set by past UConn point guards, but Tristen Newton is one win away from doing just that. From Khalid El-Amin to Ben Gordon, Kemba Walker to Shabazz Napier, UConn basketball has had its fair share of elite point guards over the past three decades. In March, point guard play is often the difference between teams making deep runs and going home early. The Huskies have had more success in this department than most others. Against this history of great guard play, Tristen Newton has established himself as perhaps the most successful. Newton already won a champi ..read more

The UConn Huskies are headed to the national championship — again — after pulling away from Alabama in the second half of Saturday’s semifinal. UConn’s quest to become college basketball’s first back-to-back national champions since 2007 remains alive following a hard-fought 86-72 victory over Alabama. The Huskies were led by star freshman Stephon Castle, who showed why he’s projected to be a lottery pick in June’s NBA Draft. Castle scored a team-high 21 points while playing stellar defense on the other end, spearheading UConn’s attack on both ends. “He’s not like any other freshman, he’s out ..read more

Purdue secured its spot in the national championship game behind big performances from Lance Jones, Fletcher Loyer and Zach Edey. GLENDALE, ARIZ. — Overcoming a struggling point guard to win in the NCAA Tournament is an uphill battle. Doing so in the Final Four is nearly impossible.  The Purdue Boilermakers were able to do just that, overcoming an uncharacteristic poor performance from Braden Smith, securing a 63-50 victory over 11-seed NC State and a spot in Monday’s national championship game. Smith had five turnovers, including multiple over-and-back violations in the first half, and d ..read more

One of the few new faces in the fold this year, Lance Jones’ positive mindset and on-court selflessness have aided Purdue’s redemption story. Purdue’s redemption story isn’t complete without the undeniable presence of Lance Jones. Still reeling from the stunning first-round loss to Fairleigh Dickinson in last year’s NCAA Tournament, the Boilermakers coaching staff made a rare-but-necessary move to bolster the backcourt via the transfer portal. Final Four previews: UConn | Alabama | NC State | Purdue A four-year starter at Southern Illinois, Jones committed to th ..read more

After struggling on the defensive end during the regular season, Alabama has played its best on that end this postseason. Alabama has not been shy about its offense-first approach under head coach Nate Oats, and incredibly efficient scoring units have been a hallmark of the Oats era. However, before this season, Alabama’s best teams — the Sweet 16 squads of 2021 and 2023 — also had one of the nation’s top three defenses. This season, the Crimson Tide’s posted their worst adjusted defensive efficiency ranking of the last four years. And in the 10 games leading up to the NCAA Tournament, their d ..read more

Mohamed Diarra has emerged as the ultimate X-factor for NC State during the Wolfpack’s surprise postseason success. NC State’s magical run through the ACC Tournament and into the Final Four has turned several Wolfpack players into national superstars. No one embodies that more than DJ Burns, who has become the face of this year’s NCAA Tournament. His dazzling offensive production, combined with DJ Horne‘s explosiveness in the backcourt, have been the headline grabbers – and for good reason. Final Four previews: UConn | Alabama | NC State | Purdue NC State’s unsu ..read more