Purdue has the analytics edge when you look at the entire season, but NC State has been a much better team on both ends of the court than it was earlier this season. 9-0 SU and 7-2 ATS in their last nine games, the Wolfpack will go down in the tourney as one of the most dangerous giant killers in NCAA history.

There's no denying Purdue big man Zach Edey's dominance, and while most teams facing him are at a matchup disadvantage, NC State can deploy 275-pound center D.J. Burns and 6-foot-10 forward Mohamed Diarra (five double-doubles in his last seven games). This duo should at least be able to slow down Edey, and the Pack's perimeter defense (28.4% opponent 3PT% since the end of the regular season) will challenge the Boilermakers' long-range shooters, who shoot a high percentage but don't take a high volume of threes.

NC State is one team no one wants to play right now. It takes great care of the basketball and while PG D.J. Horne (16.8 ppg on 44%/41%/81% shooting splits) and C D.J. Burns (16.8 ppg on 62.2 FG% over the last month) are the stars, it features four players averaging more than 11 PPG. While I believe Purdue will advance to the national championship, I don't believe it will cover the nine-point spread, as it's just 5-13 ATS when favored by more than 7 points against Power Six opponents this season.