Wegs Pool: Final Four Sets Up the Finale

The best teams do not always win, but this year, we were treated with the 2 best ones getting to Monday.

Final Four Recap

• Boiler Up – The 1 Seed Boilers had to take on the red hot 11 Seed NC State Wolfpack to get to Monday. Early on, Purdue built a quick 7 point lead with others contributing besides Zach Edey (20 points, 12 rebounds, 4 assists). Yet, State was able to fight back with DJ Horne scoring from all angles with his 13 first half points, but Purdue’s Fletcher Loyer (11 points) hit a big 3 to end the half giving them a 35-29. In the 2nd half, Purdue tightened up the D holding NC State to hitting 1 of their first 10 shots and really limiting DJ Burns to just 8 points and 4 assists as the Boilers stretched the lead to 12 with 12:43 left on the Lance Jones (14 points on 4 of 9 shooting from deep) triple. One last push by the resilient Wolfpack get the lead back down to 7 at 49-42 on Horne’s jumper (20 points, 6 rebounds) with 8:04 to play, and then the door got shut on a 14-1 run to stretch the lead to 20 points and the Cinderella run for this Cardiac Pack was over. Edey was solid, but the D on all levels was the reason why Purdue will play for the title for the first time since 1969.
• Huskies Outgun Bama – #1 UConn had only trailed for a total of seconds through 4 tournament games in 2024, but 4 seed Alabama ignored the scouting report and how it is harder to shoot in larger arenas hitting 8 of 11 first half three pointers and actually led in the first. Luckily, the super UConn frosh Stephon Castle (21 points for the game) led the scoring to take the lead at the half, 44-40. The second half started on a series of runs with each team landing haymakers back and forth – 7-0 run for Bama, 7-0 run by UConn, another 7-0 run by Bama, and then 8-0 for the Huskies. Bama’s leader, Mark Sears was great with 24 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists. As the game went on it was a question of who would break first, and finally under 8 minutes after a Sears score, UConn turned up the juice with big rebounds, great out of bounds plays, and an eventual close out of the Bama faithful, as C Donovan Clingan was great with blocks, dunks and rebounds (18 points, 5 rebounds, 4 blocks). UConn was pushed to their limit, but they still won the game at margin, 86-72, giving them a chance to be the first back to back champion since Florida did it in 2007.

Wegs Pool Standings After the Final Four

Well, it was bound to happen, we have a new leader now, and with the 2 big dogs reaching the Finals, let the scenarios begin. Also, I had to cut 5 people, so we are at 159 for the final number.

We have one game for all the marbles on Monday. Epic battle – Purdue vs. UConn. Let’s go!!

Da Commish Wegs