Final Four Predictions: 3 Betting Experts Weigh In on Tonight's Action

NC State vs Purdue prediction: NC State +9 (-110 at DraftKings)

By Rohit Ponnaiya

The Purdue Boilermakers have been dominant this season but they needed a heroic performance from Player of the Year favorite Zach Edey to edge Tennessee 73-67 in the Elite Eight. Edey had 40 points and went 13-for-21 from the field in that contest but the rest of the team shot just 34.4% from the floor. 

This is a NC State Wolfpack offense that rarely turns the ball over and should have plenty of time to set up against a Purdue team that ranks 342nd in opponent turnover rate (13.4%). They also have four players averaging more than 11 points per game led by sharpshooter D.J. Horne (16.8 ppg on 44/41/81 shooting splits) and 275-pound big man D.J. Burns (16.8 ppg on 62.2 FG% over the last month).

That doesn't even include 6-foot-10 forward Mohamed Diarra, who has five double-doubles over his last seven games. Burns and Diarra won't be able to stop Edey but they should be able to at least slow him down while making him work on the defensive end of the floor.

Alabama vs UConn prediction: UConn team total Over 85.5 (-110 at Pinnacle)

By Jason Logan

A showdown with the Alabama Crimson Tide in the desert has prompted oddsmakers to set one of the tallest point totals for the UConn Huskies this season, and with it comes a larger team total for the defending champs.

After staying short of the closing 81.5-point team total in the 77-52 blasting of Illinois in the Elite Eight, books are sticking Connecticut with a team O/U at 85.5 points. It’s a warranted number considering the pace of play and potential for a shootout that the Crimson Tide bring to the table.

The Huskies haven’t played any foes with a gear that comes close to Alabama. Xavier was the highest-ranked Big East team in terms of tempo rating at KenPom (31st) and UConn finished with outputs of 80, 87, and 99 points in three meeting against them, all surpassing the Huskies’ respective team total for those games against a Musketeers defense far stingier than Alabama's.

Final Four prop prediction: Zach Edey Over 13.5 rebounds (-138 at FanDuel)

By Douglas Farmer

North Carolina State’s nine-game run has been an utter joy. It will come to an end Saturday, in part because the Wolfpack lack the ability to slow down Zach Edey at the rim. Not just in his scoring, but also his rebounding.

Your instinct may be to insist DJ Burns will find rebounds, but he has not been a force on the glass at any point this season — NC State was the worst defensive rebounding team in the ACC — and he has averaged just five per game in the Tournament. Edey should feast on the glass.