Tag: Purdue Basketball

How to buy Purdue vs. UConn NCAA Men’s National Championship game tickets

Want to watch Purdue and UConn play for the title in person? Limited tickets for the Men’s NCAA Championship game still remain for as little as $192.

After almost three weeks of true basketball madness, chalk reigns supreme in the men’s bracket, as No. 1 Purdue and No. 1 UConn will play for a national championship.

The Boilermakers turned No. 11 NC State’s Cinderella run into the proverbial pumpkin behind 20 points and 12 rebounds from Zach Edey, though the Wolfpack have every reason to hold their heads high after a fantastic tournament run.

No. 4 Alabama played UConn closer than any team so far in the NCAA Tournament, but the Huskies were too much when it mattered most, closing the game on a 30-16 run, and defeating the Crimson Tide 86-72.

SHOP: Purdue vs. UConn NCAA Finals tickets

In a college basketball season marked by upsets, two of the best teams, with two of the best big men in the country will square off with a national title on the line.

The National Championship Game will be played in Glendale, Ariz on Monday, April 8 at 9:20 p.m. EDT, and limited tickets still remain.

Don’t miss the chance to see history, either with Purdue’s first NCAA Tournament title or UConn’s back-to-back championships.

At the time of publication, National Championship Game tickets were still available for as little as $192.

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Zach Edey was a high school baseball pitcher but this video shows basketball was the right choice

Edey eventually outgrew the sport but he was a sight to behold.

Long before he was absolutely dominating during March Madness, Purdue big man Zach Edey was playing a different sport in high school.

Edey, a 7-foot-4 center who is originally from Canada, was the national collegiate player of the year last season and will likely win it again this year. The big man has led Purdue to the Final Four for the first time since 1980.

But what is especially difficult to believe is that Edey did not even play basketball until he was a sophomore in high school. Before that, he was focused on ice hockey and baseball.

This video is resurfacing of him playing baseball and he was not bad! His fastball needed way more velocity but that is an intimidating presence to bat against.

Edey pitched in Ontario for the travel team Leaside. He was even reportedly scouted to play baseball at the University of Alabama.

He had a “stellar” youth baseball career, per The Athletic, and began his career as a first baseman. Edey was also throwing 70 to 75 miles per hour at 13 years old.

Although he wanted to become the tallest MLB player to ever play, Edey admitted that the sport became a lot harder for him as he grew (via Journal & Courier):

“It was something I really wanted during my childhood. Something I dreamed about,” Edey said. “I kind of outgrew the sport. My shoulder was kind of giving out a little bit. It wasn’t very realistic anymore.”

He elaborated about the difficulties of the growth sport (via Stadium):

“I was growing so much, losing muscle mass, and I couldn’t hit,” Edey said. “I was uncoordinated because of the amount of size I put on. My eye line changed, everything changed. I was still pitching fairly well, but had a lot of arm, shoulder and elbow problems. I was throwing too hard for where my muscle development was at, and I lost a lot of my love for the sport because I felt like I was outgrowing it.”

Even though Edey potentially could have played college baseball in the United States, he now has a chance to become a lottery pick as an NBA player.

We projected that the big man will hear his name called in the first round of our latest 2024 NBA Mock Draft.

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NCAA announces officiating crew for Final Four matchups

The officiating crew is set for the Final Four matchups!

The 2024 NCAA Tournament men’s Final Four will get underway on Saturday evening when the semifinal matchups tip-off from Phoenix.

The UConn Huskies are the favorites entering the final weekend of the season as the No. 1 overall seed looks to repeat as national champions. While the Alabama Crimson Tide, Purdue Boilermakers, and NC State Wolfpack will each look to claim a title in the desert.

Like it or not, officials will also play a role in the Final Four matchups, and on Monday the NCAA released the officiating crew that will head out to Arizona to call the semifinal and championship contests.

How to watch Final Four semifinal matchups

  • NC State vs. Purdue, 5:09 p.m. CT on TBS/TNT/truTV
  • Alabama vs. UConn, 7:49 p.m. CT on TBS/TNT/truTV

Can NC State continue its magical run? Can anyone beat UConn? We’ll all find out this weekend as the 2023-24 college basketball season reaches its climax and we say farewell to March Madness.

Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on X (Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes, and opinion. You can also follow Stacey Blackwood on X (Twitter) @Blackwood89.

Watch: In high school, Zach Edey was raw and unproven but flashed his potential

In high school, Zach Edey was raw but flashed his potential.

Zach Edey has Purdue heading to the Final Four, having put together another outstanding performance over the weekend in the NCAA Tournament. March Madness has been truly maddening for opposing defenses trying to stop the Purdue center.

All of which makes Edey’s high school recruitment a bit of its own madness. As a center at IMG Academy (Bradenton, Florida) in the class of 2020, Edey was certainly under-recruited based on his eventual output for Purdue.

On Sunday, Edey scored 40 points as Purdue booked their ticket to the Final Four with a win over Tennessee. He is averaging 25.0 points per game on the season and a career-high 2.2 blockers per game.

Born in Canada, Edey didn’t start playing organized basketball till his sophomore year of high school. At IMG, he took a significant step forward in his development but was still very much under the radar.

Then a 7-foot-3, 265-pounder center, Edey had offers that included Baylor, Minnesota, Santa Clara and Tulane among others.

In the On3 Industry Rankings, Edey was a consensus three-star recruit and was ranked the No. 255 player in the nation.

 

Watching these highlights of Edey and it is clear that his size was the biggest factor in his high school success. There is just no one at the high school level who was prepared to handle his length.

But the nuances to his game, including his outside game, really began to develop at Purdue. Watching his unrefined potential, however, is a real treat.

Final Four tip times announced for men’s NCAA Tournament

Tip times are officially set for the Final Four!

The 2024 NCAA Tournament Final Four is set for men’s basketball as the Alabama Crimson Tide, the UConn Huskies, the NC State Wolfpack, and the Purdue Boilermakers will soon head to Phoneix to try and claim a national championship as March Madness draws closer to an end.

Alabama is making its first-ever trip to the Final Four and will take on the defending national champion Huskies in one semifinal matchup while the Cinderella Wolfpack will take on the bruising Boilermakers in the other semifinal.

The semifinal matchups will take place on Saturday evening before the championship game takes place on Monday night.

How to watch Final Four semifinal matchups

  • NC State vs. Purdue, 5:09 p.m. CT on TBS/TNT/truTV
  • Alabama vs. UConn, 7:49 p.m. CT on TBS.TNT/truTV

Can NC State continue its magical run? Can anyone beat UConn? We’ll all find out this weekend as the 2023-24 college basketball season reaches its climax and we say farewell to March Madness.

Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on X (Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes, and opinion. You can also follow Stacey Blackwood on X (Twitter) @Blackwood89.

Big Ten Notebook: March madness continues as Purdue advances to Final Four

Purdue continues its roll in the NCAA Tournament.

For the first time since 1980, the Final Four will feature the Purdue Boilermakers. On Sunday, Purdue continued it’s March Madness run with a win 72-66 over Tennessee.

In a hard-fought battle, the Boilermakers were able to pull away in the second half due to the play of Zach Edey. The Toronto native scored 40 points and added 16 rebounds to his resume. However, he wasn’t the only Purdue player who had a big game; Fletcher Loyer chipped in 14 points.

As Purdue continued their impressive play, they dominated close to the basket. They outscored Tennessee in the paint 40-24 and were able to take advantage of offensive rebounds. That allowed Purdue to hold off a late Tennessee rally.

Additionally, Purdue showed that they had learned from their mistakes last year and relied on their experience.

🌵 SEE YOU IN PHOENIX FOR THE FINAL FOUR! pic.twitter.com/QtXwUSOtbE

— Purdue Men’s Basketball (@BoilerBall) March 31, 2024

 

“We had to take it,” Painter told ESPN when asked of the abuse that came last year. “Sometimes when you sit in it, and you’re honest with yourself, and you take it, some great things can happen.”

After an extended break, Purdue will be back in action on Saturday, April sixth. They will face NC State with a trip to the National Championship on the line.

How to buy Purdue 2024 NCAA Men’s Final Four tickets

Want to watch Purdue’s first Final Four since 1980 in person? Tickets still remain for as little as $223.

For the first time since 1980, the Purdue Boilermakers are going to the Final Four.

No. 1 Purdue won a rollercoaster of an Elite Eight game, defeating No. 2 Tennessee 72-66. behind 40 points and 16 rebounds from 2024 Wooden Award favorite Zach Edey.

SHOP: Purdue Boilermakers Final Four tickets

Purdue will take on the winner of Sunday evening’s Elite Eight matchup between the Duke Blue Devils and North Carolina State Wolfpack.

Tickets to the Final Four are still available, and at the time of publication are available for as little as $223.

The Final Four will be played on Saturday, April 6 in Phoenix, Ariz.

Final Four tickets give access to both Purdue’s game and the matchup between No. 1 UConn and No. 4 Alabama.

Weekend passes are also available, giving access to both Final Four games on Saturday and Monday night’s National Championship. Weekend passes are available for as little as $440.

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How to buy Purdue 2024 NCAA Men’s Final Four tickets

Want to watch Purdue’s first Final Four since 1980 in person? Tickets still remain for as little as $223.

For the first time since 1980, the Purdue Boilermakers are going to the Final Four.

No. 1 Purdue won a rollercoaster of an Elite Eight game, defeating No. 2 Tennessee 72-66. behind 40 points and 16 rebounds from 2024 Wooden Award favorite Zach Edey.

SHOP: Purdue Boilermakers Final Four tickets

Purdue will take on the winner of Sunday evening’s Elite Eight matchup between the Duke Blue Devils and North Carolina State Wolfpack.

Tickets to the Final Four are still available, and at the time of publication are available for as little as $223.

The Final Four will be played on Saturday, April 6 in Phoenix, Ariz.

Final Four tickets give access to both Purdue’s game and the matchup between No. 1 UConn and No. 4 Alabama.

Weekend passes are also available, giving access to both Final Four games on Saturday and Monday night’s National Championship. Weekend passes are available for as little as $440.

[afflinkbutton text=”Shop Purdue Final Four tickets” link=”https://stubhub.prf.hn/l/mVRGvP0″]

[afflinkbutton text=”Shop Final Four weekend passes” link=”https://stubhub.prf.hn/l/W4n5v8Q”]

How to buy Purdue vs. Tennessee 2024 NCAA Men’s Elite Eight tickets

Want to watch No. 1 Purdue vs. No. 2 Tennessee in person? Elite 8 tickets for the Midwest Regional in Detroit still remain for as little as $135.

The final Elite Eight matchup of the 2024 NCAA Men’s Tournament is set.

No. 1 Purdue will take on No. 2 Tennessee on Sunday, March 31, with a trip to the Final Four on the line.

After a Sweet 16 full of upsets, the Midwest Regional Final appears the be the chalky section of this year’s bracket.

SHOP: Purdue vs. Tennessee Elite Eight tickets

No. 5 Gonzaga played a good first 30 minutes against the Boilermakers, but Purdue hit the Bulldogs with a haymaker of a run late in the second half and pulled away, eventually defeating Gonzaga 80-68.

No. 3 Creighton made things interesting late in the game, but the Vols held on to advance to their second Elite Eight by a score of 82-75.

The Boilermakers have looked dominant during their March Madness run, but each round will get more difficult from here, and Tennessee poses a challenge that Purdue has not yet faced in the NCAA Tournament.

Tennessee has never made the Final Four, and Purdue’s last trip to the National Semifinals came all the way back in 1980. Needless to say, everything is on the line come Sunday.

Elite Eight tickets for the Detroit Regional remain, and at the time of publication were available for as little as $135.

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How to buy Purdue vs. Tennessee 2024 NCAA Men’s Elite Eight tickets

Want to watch No. 1 Purdue vs. No. 2 Tennessee in person? Elite 8 tickets for the Midwest Regional in Detroit still remain for as little as $135.

The final Elite Eight matchup of the 2024 NCAA Men’s Tournament is set.

No. 1 Purdue will take on No. 2 Tennessee on Sunday, March 31, with a trip to the Final Four on the line.

After a Sweet 16 full of upsets, the Midwest Regional Final appears the be the chalky section of this year’s bracket.

SHOP: Purdue vs. Tennessee Elite Eight tickets

No. 5 Gonzaga played a good first 30 minutes against the Boilermakers, but Purdue hit the Bulldogs with a haymaker of a run late in the second half and pulled away, eventually defeating Gonzaga 80-68.

No. 3 Creighton made things interesting late in the game, but the Vols held on to advance to their second Elite Eight by a score of 82-75.

The Boilermakers have looked dominant during their March Madness run, but each round will get more difficult from here, and Tennessee poses a challenge that Purdue has not yet faced in the NCAA Tournament.

Tennessee has never made the Final Four, and Purdue’s last trip to the National Semifinals came all the way back in 1980. Needless to say, everything is on the line come Sunday.

Elite Eight tickets for the Detroit Regional remain, and at the time of publication were available for as little as $135.

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