With all eyes on the big men, UConn vs. Purdue NCAA title game could come down to perimeter play
GLENDALE, Ariz. — All eyes will be on the two centers in Monday night's NCAA championship game as Purdue's 7-foot-4 Zach Edey and UConn's 7-2 Donovan Clingan match up, but it all starts with the ball movement and guard play on the perimeter and that's where things could get really interesting.
UConn has a gauntlet of talent in the backcourt led by fifth-year senior Tristen Newton, who finished with 12 points and nine assists in the win over Alabama. Star freshman Stephon Castle exploded for 21 points and really shined on the big stage in his best game of the season. Cam Spencer was also his usual self, acting as the do-it-all glue guy for the Huskies and finishing with 14 points, eight rebounds and four assists. Coach Dan Hurley's squad runs numerous sets and when those three guards are in the game alongside Clingan, it's a well-oiled offensive machine.
Purdue runs almost everything through Edey, as they should. He's the most dominant player in college basketball this year and has been unstoppable in the paint. Despite what felt like a quiet 20-point, 12-rebound performance against Alabama, he flushed out a career-high 40 points the game prior against Tennessee. He's attempted 100 more free throws than any other college player this season and the Purdue guards know how to get him the ball.
"A lot of their offense goes through Edey and if we can do as much as we can to pressure the ball and cause turnovers and limit Edey’s touches, we’re going to be successful," Castle said during his media availability Sunday. "It all starts on the ball with disrupting the passes and not letting them get looks and it’s a job that me, Tristen [Newton] and Cam [Spencer] have to do to set the tone early."
Things were a little off for Purdue point guard Braden Smith on Saturday night. He knew he played his worst game of the year, going 1-for-9 from the field and finishing with three points and five turnovers in 40 minutes. Smith didn't look like someone whose team won convincingly when reporters entered the Purdue locker room after the team's semifinal win over NC State. The sophomore point guard sat in a folding chair in the middle of the room, head down, eyes on the floor.
"Last night there wasn’t much to say and you just have to let him have his moment," Purdue guard Lance Jones told reporters on Sunday. "This morning I told him at breakfast, ‘Today’s a new day. We get to fight another day. I believe in you and I know everyone else on the team believes in you.’ He’s the head of the snake and gets everyone else going so we need a big game out of him and without him, we wouldn’t be in this position. He sets everyone else up and gets this team going."
Smith is averaging 8.8 assists during the tournament and everything starts with him. NC State's D.J. Horne did an excellent job disrupting him all game in the semifinals and the same will have to come from Newton, Spencer and Castle on Monday night. Even with how poorly Smith played, the Boilermakers still excelled in other areas on the perimeter. On the season, Purdue is shooting 40% from 3-point range as a team and it hit 10 3s against NC State Saturday night. Guards Fletcher Loyer and Jones have hit a combined 144 3-pointers this season and average four 3s each per game.
"Defensively we have to take the 3-point line away from them," Castle said. "They’ve been shooting the ball well all season. A lot of that credit goes to Edey. Teams are doubling him and they’re getting wide open shots, so just trying to limit that."
UConn has so many different ways to beat teams and if an opponent takes away one area, it's found ways to counter all season long. Spencer is the floor general and both Castle and Newton cut very well off the ball and get to their spots. Because of the guard play and athleticism, UConn might have the edge over Purdue in the backcourt but it's going to be a close battle.
"We know how dominant Edey's been all year but we believe in [Clingan] and he's going to have a great game," Castle added. "I feel like they match up pretty well and if they can cancel each other out, then we'll win the battles on the perimeter."
UConn has rolled through the tournament beating each opponent by an average of 25 points and Purdue has won by a margin of 19.6 points. Basketball fans everywhere couldn't ask for a better championship game with two No. 1 seeds and so much on the line. UConn is looking to win back-to-back titles for the first time since Florida in 2006 and 2007 and Purdue is hoping to bring home their first championship ever.
"It's not just Donovan versus Zach, it's a five-on-five game and we'll have to bring our A-game to win," Spencer said.
The Purdue players recognize what's at stake Monday night and are ready for the challenge.
"There’s pressure every game when you’re the team that we are and everybody always gives us their best shot," Smith said. "We’re here for a reason. We worked really hard to be here and I think we’ve done a great job to put ourselves in this position and hopefully make history and bring home a championship."
