Purdue’s Zach Edey and UConn’s Donovan Clingan anchoring the middle in national title game

GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — The nationwide championship recreation will likely be a beefy one.

In a single nook of the paint is Zach Edey, Purdue’s 7-foot-4, 300-pound unstoppable power. Reverse him will likely be Donovan Clingan, UConn’s 7-2, 280-pound game-altering heart.

One large man is predicted to be an NBA lottery decide. The opposite isn’t in most projections, regardless of being the primary repeat AP nationwide participant of the yr for the reason that early Eighties.

“There’s completely a spot within the NBA for Zach,” Purdue coach Matt Painter stated.

The place Edey matches on the subsequent stage is a query mark heading into his ultimate faculty recreation, towards UConn in Monday’s nationwide championship recreation.

Edey has been faculty basketball’s most dominant large man in a long time, his dimension and ability making him nearly not possible to defend.

Edey led the nation in the course of the common season with 24.9 factors per recreation and was second in rebounding, averaging 12.2. He shot 63% from the ground and dominated on the defensive finish, blocking 2.16 photographs per recreation.

Edey has been even higher in Purdue’s run to its first Closing 4 since 1980, turning into the primary participant in NCAA Match historical past with at the least 20 factors and 10 rebounds in six straight video games.

The query marks about Edey within the NBA come from his mobility and capturing vary. He has dimension in contrast to any faculty participant in years, however doesn’t have the lateral mobility entrance workplaces covet in right this moment’s NBA.

Edey performs nearly completely along with his again to the basket and infrequently shoots from the skin — 1 for two from 3 this season — so NBA scouts don’t actually know if he can shoot from the perimeter.

Then once more, Edey’s sheer dimension, nimble footwork and skill to search out open shooters by double groups makes him a uncommon commodity. As soon as thought-about a second-round NBA draft decide, Edey has seen his inventory rise throughout this season’s run, with some scouting providers placing him simply exterior the lottery.

“It’s a novel problem. He’s a novel participant,” UConn coach Dan Hurley stated. “I don’t suppose one factor goes to work within the recreation. It’s a must to hold him off stability.”

Clingan is constructed completely different as properly. He was a top-50 recruit out of Bristol Central Excessive College in Connecticut and performed a key position within the Huskies’ fifth nationwide championship a yr in the past.

Clingan has taken big strides this season, turning into the focus of UConn’s offense and protection. He averaged 13.1 factors on 64% capturing and seven.4 rebounds on a crew loaded with expertise.

UConn’s large man averaged 2.5 blocked photographs per recreation and, like Edey, has such a presence most gamers gained’t even problem him. Illinois discovered what occurs while you do within the Elite Eight, lacking all 19 photographs he contested.

Clingan is sweet on the low submit, has stable footwork and is an adept passer out of double groups. The distinction between him and Edey, at the least within the eyes of scouts, is his agility and potential means to shoot from the perimeter.

Clingan hasn’t shot many from the 3-point arc — 2 for 7 this season — however has the kind of contact that’s anticipated to translate to the spread-out NBA recreation.

“Clingan is absolutely good,” Painter stated. “He alters the sport defensively, however offensively he’s a very good participant, too. He’s simply going to maintain coming. He’s going to be a wonderful participant. He’s bought 15 to twenty years in entrance of him.”

Edey seemingly does as properly. It’s only a matter of proving what he has accomplished on the faculty stage will work within the NBA.

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AP March Insanity bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-mens-bracket and protection: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness