GLENDALE, Ariz. — The first game at the Final Four on Saturday might seem like a journey back in time.
Yes, those are Purdue and North Carolina State — one team here for the first time since 1980, the other trying to create a modern version of college basketball’s greatest story.
And indeed, those are 7-foot-4 Zach Edey and 6-9 DJ Burns Jr. — nearly 600 pounds of tall players controlling the area near the basket and playing in a style that has been less popular for ten years or more.
Whoever wins will play against UConn or Alabama for the title on Monday. Win or lose, both teams already know this will be remembered as one of their best seasons.
NC STATE REBOOT
In a game filled with interesting storylines, the most exciting one is the Wolfpack.
Back in 1983, North Carolina State had to win three games in the ACC Tournament just to qualify for the NCAAs. Then, Jim Valvano and his “Cardiac Pack” won six games over three weeks — including two one-point wins and another in double overtime — before closing it out against Houston’s Phi Slama Jama team with Lorenzo Charles’ last-second stuff off Dereck Whittenburg’s airball for the title.
The image of Valvano running around the court searching for someone to hug is what turned the tournament into what we now call “March Madness.”
This year, NC State fans are leaving mementos at Valvano’s grave in Raleigh, while Burns and Co. have taken the team on an equally unbelievable journey. A team on a four-game losing streak and going nowhere heading into this year’s ACC Tournament has gone undefeated in a series of nine straight win-or-go-home games.
“We’re probably a little different from everyone else that’s here at the Final Four,” coach Kevin Keatts said.
BIG MAN BURNS
Part of what makes NC State so unique is its cheerful big man, Burns. He is, in some opinions, the 2024 version of two-time NBA All-Star Zach Randolph — a big man who can create space inside but can also spin, move, and make plays near the basket.
But Burns has not attempted a 3-pointer this year and although he can operate from the perimeter — setting screens, cutting inside, and making passes — that is not where he does the majority of his damage.
Purdue coach Matt Painter said he sees Burns more as a forward, but “you see guys like him play at (center) a lot because coaches are trying to get their best players on the floor.”
He will likely find himself matched up frequently against Edey in what appears to be a significant matchup — one in which avoiding foul trouble will be a key objective.
Can Burns, who’s listed at 275 pounds, withstand a player who still has seven inches and 20 or 30 pounds on him?
“Hey, underestimate me all you want,” said Burns, who went for 29 points in the Elite Eight win over Duke. “You’ve been seeing what’s happening..”
BIG MAN EDEY
Edey is an old-fashioned, traditional post player, and Purdue likes to play inside-out, the way a team might have in, say, 1990, before analytics and the 3-pointer took over the game. After losing in the Sweet 16 to the Boilermakers, Gonzaga coach Mark Few aptly called dealing with Edey a “pick your poison” conundrum.
If teams back off, Edey can pass it out to Braden Smith, Lance Jones or another Purdue guard on a team that ranks second in the nation in 3-point shooting at 40.6%. If they defend singlehandedly, Edey can operate in the post. He’s the top scorer nationally with 25 points per game and the second-highest rebounder at 12.2.
On Friday, Edey became the first player since another excellent post player, Ralph Sampson, to win consecutive AP Player of the Year awards.
Observing all this from a distance — and with a grin — is Russ Turner, the 6-7 coach of UC Irvine, a program that competes near the top of the Big West Conference. In the mid-2010s, Turner recruited 7-6 center Mamadou N’Diaye to the program. The coach has never hesitated to build around 7-footers.
“That’s the wonderful thing about college basketball,” said Turner, while participating in a coach’s convention in Phoenix that coincides with the Final Four. “There are different approaches for different coaches and different teams. I see the worth in all of it.”
PURDUE’S HISTORIC RUN
Purdue's journey to the Final Four is not similar to North Carolina State’s.
In a sense, though, what the Boilermakers are achieving is even more exceptional.
For years, Purdue has had rosters packed with talent but has been unable to reach the sport’s grandest stage. Last year, Purdue was defeated in the first round despite having Edey and a No. 1 seed. Through all this, coach Matt Painter has retained his job for 19 years. Prior to him, Gene Keady coached the Boilermakers for a quarter-century and never reached a Final Four.
In the rapidly changing landscape of college basketball, Purdue values stability. Painter has ventured into the transfer portal only twice in the last four years — a figure he mentions frequently and claims is the lowest among power programs.
Fitting, then, that an old-school approach is what propels Purdue into a contest that, in many ways, evokes memories of a different era.
“The way we’ve been able to do it at Purdue now is just like we did it then,” Painter said. “We’re trying to recruit high school players and develop them and grow with them.”
