This article is part of our NCAA Championship Preview series.

Men's College Basketball National Championship Preview: UConn vs. Purdue

No. 1 Connecticut Huskies

Matchup Overview: These two programs have seemingly been on a collision course for weeks, and we've got a heavyweight battle Monday night featuring the No. 1 and No. 2 teams in KenPom's ratings. We've got the National Player of the Year against a team looking to repeat as National Champions for the first time since 2006-07. There are elite metrics from both teams across all facets of this game. On paper, we're set up for a doozy of a championship.

Strength: Size/Length. Honestly, for a team this good, we could highlight anything we want here. But for this matchup, Connecticut's size should create plenty of matchup edges. It starts in the middle with Donovan Clingan, who at 7-foor-2, 280 pounds, is one of the few players in the country who can guard Zach Edey straight up. But that's not it, as Cam Spencer is the smallest starter at 6-foot-4. Purdue will start three at 6-foot-4 or less. UConn should be able to defend this straight up for much of the game, forcing contested shots at all levels. And it fits on offense too, as Purdue's guards figure to have trouble defending on the perimeter, either by Connecticut shooting over them, or using their size to get inside the lane with dribble penetration.

Weakness: Lack of Turnover Creation. Similar to above, for a team this good, do they really have a weakness? Perhaps depth in the frontcourt is a concern, as Samson Johnson will give up a ton of size to Edey. But while Connecticut is an elite defensive team, ranking fourth in efficiency and third in effective field-goal percentage, it ranks 251st in turnover percentage. The Huskies get by creating tough shots and crashing the glass, limiting second chances. They won't panic if they fall behind, but they also aren't likely to force cough-ups to facilitate runs. Even against Illinois, when the Huskies had a ridiculous 30-0 run, they forced only eight Illini turnovers.

Intangibles: Championship pedigree. I've beaten this number to a pulp in these regional previews over the last three weeks; Connecticut is (obviously) on an 11-game tournament winning streak with none of those games being within 12 points. The Huskies took Alabama's best shot Saturday and still stretched the final margin over that number. They know what it takes to win at this level and continue to play at an elite level at all five spots for a full 40 minutes. No one has come close to being able to match that effort and play their best throughout. Even a two-minute lull from Purdue is enough to sink them.

Connecticut will win IF: Donovan Clingan stays out of foul trouble. This matchup seems pretty clear to me. So much of Purdue's success on offense involves opposing defenses double-teaming Edey on the post, him passing out of it and the Boilermakers getting the ball whipped around the perimeter and hitting open shots. Connecticut won't have to double-team as long as Clingan is on the court. Edey is averaging 11.2 free throw attempts on the year, a number that's slightly up over the last eight games to 12.7. Clingan averages just 22.3 minutes, up to 24.2 in the tournament, having played 30+ minutes just three times all year. That's by design, and while I expect Dan Hurley will be able to get Clingan rest in short spurts, him not being on the floor for extended periods because of fouls will change how both teams attack. He must be able to guard Edey singularly without fouling.

Prediction: I've been surprised and impressed with Purdue's grit and ability to find ways to win, as its gone from a team we traditionally pick to be upset early to a viable threat to become the second No. 1 seed to win a title the year following a loss to a No. 16 seed. It's a fun storyline. But I just don't see how they pull this off. While the Boilermakers are a team, it all centers around Edey. Connecticut has five starters averaging in double-figures. Cam Spencer and Alex Karaban offer reliable outside shooting, Tristen Newton is an elite facilitator, and Stephon Castle stepped up to tie his career-high with 21 points Saturday. It doesn't matter if you attempt to take away one aspect of their offense. The train keeps rolling for the Huskies, who will again stretch this into a double-digit victory.

--Written by Chris Bennett
 

No. 1 Purdue Boilermakers

Matchup Overview: Two of the biggest favorites coming into March Madness will face off in the NCAA Tournament Championship game. Purdue will look to exorcise its tournament demons after suffering embarrassing defeats in the last two years, while UConn will attempt to win back-to-back titles for the first time since Florida in 2006 and 2007. Both teams have been dominant in their path to meet each other, as there has been just one game decided by less than ten points between their 10 tournament contests combined. The battle of the big men will continue, as Zach Edey will finally match up against someone his size in Donovan Clingan. The Boilermakers hold an all-time 4-1 record against the Huskies, but will that continue?

Strength: Zach Edey. Like it or not, Edey is enjoying one of the most dominant NCAA Tournament runs we have ever seen. The 7-foot-4 big man is arguably coming off his worst game of the tournament against NC State. In the senior center's "worst" game of the tournament, he posted 20 points, 12 rebounds, four assists and two blocks on 9-of-14 shooting from the field in a 13-point victory. Edey's slightly decreased scoring was mostly due to only attempting two free throws, while he averaged 13.5 free-throw attempts per contest in the previous four games. Across the five games as a whole, Edey is averaging 28.0 points, 15.4 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.8 blocks in 35.0 minutes. Any team getting production like that from their star player is going to have a massive leg-up in winning. The Boilermakers have also constructed their team well to complement their star big man's skill set. Braden Smith has proven to be an elite playmaker, recording 8.8 assists per contest to just 2.6 turnovers. Fletcher Loyer has also shown his ability to be a knockdown outsider shooter, converting 50.0 percent on his 3.6 three-point attempts per game in the tournament. With the proper spacing and a point guard who can get him the ball in good positions, Edey is the most dominant force in the country.

Weakness: Scoring depth. It is no coincidence that Edey's lowest-scoring output of the tournament coincided with Purdue's fewest points of the season. If Edey can't find a rhythm, the Boilermakers don't have another go-to scorer they can rely on. In fact, Fletcher Loyer is the only Purdue player to average double-digit points in the tournament at 11.6. Obviously, no one else in Purdue is asked to score in bunches, but we also don't know if any of them have the capability when called upon. Even in Edey's 40-point outing against Tennessee, the Boilermakers only put up 72 points. If ancillary players like Lance Jones and Trey Kaufman-Renn are forced to take big shots, Purdue's offense could seriously struggle. 

Intangibles: Purdue is an elite defensive team. Part of the reason the Boilermakers have been able to survive some mediocre scoring performances is that opposing teams are averaging just 60.2 points per game against them in the tournament. They held a potent Gonzaga offense to just 68 points and NC State to a dismal 50, after averaging 75.5 in their previous four outings. Against the Wolfpack, the Boilermakers forced 16 turnovers and only allowed surrendered four free-throw attempts. Not only is Zach Edey a strong rim protector, able to completely erase the other team's ability to drive, but Purdue is full of capable perimeter defenders. In particular, Lance Jones and Braden Smith have each logged at least one steal in their last five appearances. If Purdue can continue to limit UConn's offense, it might not need much more than Edey to score. 

Purdue Will Win IF: It wins the rebounding battle. Purdue and UConn are two of the best rebounding teams in the country, as both have out-rebounded their opponents in every game so far in the tournament. In a game that could come down to the wire, every extra possession will matter, with every second-chance point carrying that much more weight. If each team's defense comes to play like they have all tournament, closing out stops with a board will be crucial in becoming national champions. 

Prediction: Ultimately, I think UConn will become repeat champions for the first time in nearly 20 years. At the end of the day, the Huskies have a much more balanced roster. The Boilermakers are lucky if they have one or two players score double-digit points outside of Edey, while the Huskies can count on consistent production from all five of their starters. I also don't foresee Edey continuing his historically dominant run, as Donovan Clingan is one of the few big men in the country who can match his size and physicality. Clingan stands at 7-foot-2 and is averaging 3.6 blocks per game in the NCAA Tournament. If Clingan can slow Edey down without needing help defenders to double-team, Purdue could really struggle on offense. While I think both teams face their greatest test yet, Dan Hurley's UConn is just unstoppable. 

--Written by Michael Gillow