NCAA MEN’S TOURNAMENT CHAMPIONSHIP PREVIEW

GLENDALE, Ariz. — You think of Purdue, the first though that comes to mind is Zach Edey. Of course.

The 7-foot-4, two-time Naismith Player of the Year leads the nation in scoring (25 ppg) and second in rebounding (12.2). He’s the face of college basketball, Big Maple, the Torontosaurus.

But the Boilermakers haven’t been No. 1 in the nation for much of the past two seasons, or won 34 games and are on the precipice of the first national championship in program history because of Edey alone.

Did you know, for instance, that Purdue ranks No. 2 in the nation in 3-point field goal percentage, shooting 40.6 percent from distance, second only to Kentucky.

Did you know the Boilermakers rank second nationally in rebound margin at plus-11.6?

Did you know that senior guard Braden Smith leads the nation in total assists. With Edey, who is tops in the nation in total points and rebounds, Purdue is the first team to have players lead the country in those respective categories since at least 1980.

But, you may have noticed, UConn can play a little bit, too. Purdue coach Matt Painter, obviously, has noticed.

“UConn is a very, very good basketball team,” Painter noted. “Very good defensively, run a lot of really good stuff offensively. (I’m) probably going to steal a couple of things for next year. To win the national championship, then to be back in this position, I think there’s lots of things that come with ultimate success that’s hard to do, that they’ve been able to do.”

Not much more to say as perhaps the most eagerly-anticipated national championship game looms.

No. 1 Purdue vs. No. 1 UConn

When: 9:20 p.m.

Where: State Farm Stadium, Glendale, Ariz.

Records: Purdue 34-4, UConn 36-3

TV: TBS

Radio: UConn Sports Network, WAVZNew Haven (1300 AM), WGCH- Greenwich (1490 AM), WATR-Waterbury (1320 AM), WICH-Norwich (1310 AM, 94.5 FM), WILI-Willimantic (1400 AM, 95.3 FM), Fox Sports 97.9 FM Hartford, SiriusXM-983, SXM App 973