The 2024 March Madness tournament is at the business end of the competition as the final four teams get set to compete this weekend.
The defending champions UConn Huskies will take on the Alabama Crimson Tide after the Purdue Boilermakers take on North Carolina State Wolfpack at the State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona on Saturday night.
With the finale set to take place on Monday, we'll take a look at the contenders and provide our best free NCAAB betting picks to try and earn you some extra cash.
| March Madness Final Four |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|
| UConn Huskies | -205 | -200 | -190 |
| Purdue Boilermakers | +220 | +200 | +200 |
| North Carolina State Wolfpack | +1500 | +1600 | +1600 |
| Alabama Crimson Tide | +1600 | +1600 | +1800 |
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March Madness Final Four information:
- Purdue Boilermakers vs North Carolina State Wolfpack - Saturday, April 6, 18:09 ET
- UConn Huskies vs Alabama Crimson Tide - Saturday, April 6, 20:49 ET
- State Farm Stadium, Glendale, Arizona
- NCAA championship game: Monday, April 8 at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.
Purdue Boilermakers v North Carolina State Wolfpack
March Madness tournament so far:
Purdue opened up their March Madness bracket with a dominant 78-50 win over Grambling, with Zach Edey hitting 30 points in a fantastic performance. That set up a second-round game with Utah State where they scored a tournament-high 106 points to claim a 106-67 win, with Edey once again top scoring with 23 points.
That was followed with an 80-68 win over Gonzaga where Edey once again top scored with 27 points, with Braden Smith rackig up an incredible 15 assists in the process too. They then met the Tennessee Volunteers in the MidWest final and claimed a 72-66 win thanks to Edey's 40-piece.
The Wolfpack on the other side claimed a 80-67 win in their opening game against Texas Tech Red Raiders, with Ben Middlebrooks top-scoring with 21 points. They then faced off against the Oakland Golden Grizzlies and claimed a magnificent 79-73 overtime win, as DJ Burns Jr. hit 24 points.
Up next was a clash against Marquette that many expected them to lose, but a sensational defensive performance led by Mohamed Diarra's 15 rebounds saw them claim a hugely impressive 67-58 win, which set up a clash with Duke Blue Devils as Burns Jr hit 29 points in a crazy 76-64 win.
NCAAB Picks: North Carolina State Wolfpack +9 @ -110
In early March, NC State was 17-14 and riding a four-game losing streak into the ACC Tournament. The Wolfpack have won nine games in a row since then, including victories over Duke (twice), North Carolina, Texas Tech, and Marquette.
The run has to come to an end at some point, and Saturday’s clash with Purdue seems the most likely, but their defensive form so far in this tournament means that they will likely keep it competitive.
This group is tremendously experienced with their entire rotation comprising of juniors and seniors, and they have legitimate playmakers in every position. DJ Burns Jr. is the face of the team, but they have great other weapons too.
Zach Edey and Co. are coming off a terrific win over Tennessee, but I still expect this to be a battle. While Purdue are expected to claim the win on the night and progress to the final, back the Wolfpack to cover the spread and keep the defeat to under 10 points.
UConn Huskies vs Alabama Crimson Tide
March Madness tournament season so far:
The defending champions UConn started their 2024 tournament with a 91-52 win over Stetson, before a clash with the Northwestern Wildcats saw them claim a 75-58 win thanks to 20 points and 10 assists from Tristen Newton.
Up next they took on San Diego State Aztecs where Cam Spencer hit 18 points in a 82-52 win, before a 77-52 win over Illinois with a super performance from Donovan Clingan where he hit 22 points.
Their opponents on the other hand Alabama Crimson Tide hit 109 points in their win over Charleston in their opening game, before a less convincing 72-61 win over Grand Canyon. They followed that up with an 89-87 win over North Carolina Tar Heels, with Grant Nelson hitting 24 points, which was followed up with an 89-82 win over Clemson last time out to set up this clash.
NCAAB Picks: UConn Huskies -12 @ -110
UConn looked vulnerable for much of the first half of its Elite 8 matchup with Illinois. Suddenly, the Huskies dropped the hammer and went on a 30-0 run that completely blew the game open, dominating the Fighting Illini on both ends of the floor en route to a 25-point victory.
It was flawless basketball, and it’s just the latest example of this UConn team proving it has what it takes to repeat as national champions. Coach Dan Hurley has certainly built a winner by finding the perfect mix in his team, and it would take a huge shock to see them not win the whole thing again.
Alabama is the latest team standing in the Huskies’ way. The Crimson Tide, led by a dynamic offense, have averaged just under 90 points per game in the tournament so far but defensively they leave a lot to be desired against a team with the Huskies' quality.
The Huskies have an answer for just about anything Alabama will seek to accomplish and while a -12 margin could look quite high, Alabama's best chance of a win is to go gung-ho and hope UConn have an off day. If they don't though, they should come away more than comfortable winners.
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