I've often talked about the toughness and physical nature that UCONN basketball exhibits on a regular basis. They do the fundamentals better than anybody. What's remarkable about their Big Dance 11-0 SU and ATS record in the last two NCAA Tournaments is their defense. This year's tournament has seen them go 5-0 'UNDER' and holding offensive juggernauts like Illinois and Alabama to an average of 62-points and 34.4% shooting (43-of-125) is borderline incredible. I've never seen a defending champion hungrier to make it two straight than the UCONN Huskies. "Dominating" is a word that gets thrown around too often but in this case I don't even think it justifies how impressive this team has been. Three times in this tournament the Huskies have held their opponent to 52 points. They limited Northwestern to 58. In 10 of their last 12 straight wins they have won by 14-points or more. That's more than double tonight's spread. I'm not implying Purdue is a pushover by any means. They have the best big man in the country and terrific perimeter players. But UCONN does not allow the opponent to beat them from the outside. They run through screens and chase off players from the 3-point line better than any squad I've ever seen. You can't get open looks very often. They have the size underneath and in the paint to at least give Zach Edey problems. The Huskies are +56 in rebounds in the first five games of the dance. Purdue only averaged 67.5 points in their last two games against NC State and Tennessee. I don't think they will reach that tonight and I don't think they have enough to stay within seven-points. UCONN has hit 50 percent or better in 4/5 games in this tourney and scored 82-points in the one they didn't make half their field goals. They are averaging 82.2 points a game in the dance while allowing 57.2. In all games this year the opponent is only converting 39.1 percent of field goals and 34.7 percent in the NCAA Tournament. Consider this: Alabama shot 47.8 percent from the 3-point line and still lost by 14-points. And the game still went 'UNDER'. There is just no stopping this team. 11-0 SU and ATS in the last two NCAA Tournaments with all 11 games won by 13-points or more. Do you want to oppose that? I don't. UCONN has the premier defensive big man in the nation in Donovan Klingan. If anybody can at least limit Edey it is Klingan. UCONN is ranked #328 in the nation in 'pace' meaning they are far from up-tempo. I've seen Purdue walk the ball up the court often as well. We know this atmosphere will bring out the nerves in everybody but certainly UCONN is better equipped having been at this setting a season ago. Purdue is 'UNDER' in three straight and they have held 4/5 opponents recently to 38.7 percent shooting or lower. Zebras will not want officiating to be a factor so I doubt either big man gets into foul trouble keeping the clock running. We only saw 148 points scored in the Purdue/Gonzaga matchup with the Boilermakers hitting 57.1% while the Zags were at 49.2%. I doubt either team gets close to those type of percentages tonight. There will be very few open looks in this game. UCONN is 7-0 'UNDER' this year after four straight games or more committing 11 turnovers or less. Translation: They rarely beat themselves with miscues. Purdue had a tourney-high 16 turnovers against NC State and still only allowed 50-points. Edey doesn't allow easy baskets in the paint and opposing players are at least thinking about him whenever they get close to the basket, which alters their shots. UCONN has just been too good for me the last two years in this dance and I can't argue with success or force a change. But I don't see much value in the spread but perhaps in the total although that has come down since 147 1/2 opener. I'll be content with my last Best Bet or Major being on the Huskies in the Final Four Saturday. 3*'s on UCONN and 'UNDER' in tonight's National Championship.