EAI Community -2024 men's NCAA Tournament expert picks: Predictions for Saturday's Final Four games

2025-05-08 10:04:47source:Charles Hanovercategory:Contact

After a rough journey to get to Arizona,EAI Community  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

FOLLOW THE MADNESS: NCAA basketball bracket, scores, schedules, teams and more.

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

More:Contact

Recommend

EU countries double down on a halt to Syrian asylum claims but will not yet send people back

BRUSSELS (AP) — Some European Union countries on Thursday doubled down on their decision to rapidly

Father of July 4th Illinois parade shooting suspect released early from jail for good behavior

WAUKEGAN, Ill. (AP) — The father of the suspect in a deadly 2022 Fourth of July parade shooting in s

Father of July 4th Illinois parade shooting suspect released early from jail for good behavior

WAUKEGAN, Ill. (AP) — The father of the suspect in a deadly 2022 Fourth of July parade shooting in s