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2024 National Championship Game Odds, Spread, Line: Purdue vs. UConn Expert Picks

Rob Paul

Last Updated: April 8, 2024 5:09 PM EDT • 4 min 52 sec read.

Braden Smith, Lance Jones, and Zach Edey of the Purdue Boilermakers walk across the court against the NC State Wolfpack in the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament Final Four. We're breaking down Purdue in our 2024 National Championship Game Odds.
Braden Smith, Lance Jones, and Zach Edey of the Purdue Boilermakers walk across the court against the NC State Wolfpack in the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament Final Four. Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images via AFP.

The Purdue Boilermakers will take on the UConn Huskies for the college basketball crown as we look at the 2024 national championship game odds, spread, and line for Purdue vs. UConn based on the top March Madness odds.

It's the culmination of the college basketball season, as the Purdue Boilermakers (34-4) face off against the UConn Huskies in the 2024 national championship game at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz., on Monday.

Zach Edey, a March Madness MVP odds favorite, will look to upset the UConn Huskies, a 7-point favorite across our best sports betting sites, in a game set to tip at 9:20 p.m. ET (TBS). However, Edey could find himself in a tough situation against a UConn team hunting for its second straight championship. 

Here are our best Purdue vs. UConn picks, predictions, and props based on the latest game odds (odds via our best March Madness betting sites; pick confidence based on a 1-to-5-star scale).

Purdue (1) vs. UConn (1) game info

2024 National Championship odds

Purdue vs. UConn game prediction

UConn 81, Purdue 73

For as dominant as Edey has been this season, UConn has rarely been challenged. Dating back to last year's championship run, the Huskies have beaten their last 11 NCAA Tournament opponents by an average margin of 22.2 points - the closest victory was a 13-point win over the Miami Hurricanes in the 2023 Final Four.

Between UConn ranking first in adjusted offensive efficiency and fourth in adjusted defensive efficiency, per KenPom, it's the more well-rounded team taking the court in the national championship game.

While both these offenses are poised to score points - Purdue is third in adjusted offensive efficiency - the Huskies can rely on Donovan Clingan to be the biggest difference maker and slow Edey just enough to not only win, but cover. Check out our men's national championship expert picks and our Purdue vs. UConn prediction for more on this matchup.

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Purdue vs. UConn player props

Edey has been a force all season, and he's taken advantage of undersized teams throughout the NCAA Tournament, but UConn has the great equalizer in Clingan. Clingan is rated as the top defender in the country by DBPR, per EvanMiya, and he's also the rare center with the size to match Edey.

At 7-foot-4, 300 pounds, Edey has bullied smaller big men through the first five rounds of March Madness, yet he's never had to deal with a player like "Cling Kong." Clingan earned that nickname by being an elite rim protector at 7-foot-2, 280 pounds. He's even agile enough to take advantage of Edey's turnover issues and pick up a steal - Clingan is averaging 1.0 steals per game in the tournament.

Despite Clingan being the March Madness MVP odds favorite for UConn, Tristen Newton is the Huskies' lone All-American. He hasn't played up to his standards from a scoring perspective throughout March Madness, but the senior has made up for it with his playmaking. Newton leads the Huskies with 7.2 assists per game during March Madness. Check out our Purdue vs. UConn player props for more on these props.

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Purdue vs. UConn parlay

Combined odds: +457 via FanDuel

The reason we're going with FanDuel for this parlay is because it's the only one of our best sports betting sites still offering UConn at -6.5 and it has Newton's assists prop at +108. That helps lengthen the odds of the parlay to +457, which means a $10 wager would lead to a $45.70 profit if each leg of the SGP hits.

Over the last 11 NCAA Tournament games UConn is 11-0 ATS and has yet to win by fewer than 13 points. With Newton guiding the offensive ship, he should be capable of setting up his teammates against an undersized Purdue backcourt. And while the Boilermakers are a worthy adversary, the impact of Clingan on this game is the X-factor. He won't only be capable of challenging Edey around the rim, but he can poach a few rebounds from the Purdue big man.

Against NC State in the Final Four, Edey managed only 12 rebounds, his fewest of the tournament, against the combo of D.J. Burns and Mohamed Diarra. Clingan is taller than Diarra and heavier than Burns, he was built to stop Edey. Check out our Purdue vs. UConn parlay for more on this SGP.

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Purdue vs. UConn Zach Edey player props

To stop a man of Edey's size, it takes a Kaiju, and that's exactly what Cling Kong is for UConn. He's the defensive anchor for the best team in college basketball and he's blocking 3.6 shots per game in the NCAA Tournament. Quite frankly, Edey has never had to deal with a player as big and talented as Clingan.

Edey often has a four-to-six-inch height advantage and a 40-to-80-pound weight advantage against opposing big men. While Clingan is slightly smaller than Edey, he's the closest thing in the sport to him, which makes this a must-watch matchup. Clingan is capable of challenging Edey at the rim, and he can help force him into turnovers - the Purdue big is coming off a five-turnover game in the Final Four.

Where Edey can really make a difference though is as a passer out of the post. He's averaging 2.2 assists per game in the NCAA Tournament and if UConn commits to swarming him inside, he has a plethora of 3-point shooters to kick it to on the outside. Check out our Zach Edey player props for more on how the Purdue star will fare against UConn.

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Written By:
Rob Paul
A diehard Pittsburgh Steelers fan, Rob's passion for the NFL led him to the NFL Draft, which in turn sparked his love for collegiate sports. Growing up, he was particularly obsessed with the old Big East, MAC, and the Big Ten. That obsession led him to pursue a career in sports media, first as a local reporter, and now as a betting analyst. There's nothing Rob loves more than spending hours on the couch watching college football/basketball, NFL, NBA, or MLB, and hopefully hitting a few bets.