On Feb. 1, Purdue was 22-1 and riding a nine-game winning streak into the last month of the regular season. Since, the Boilermakers have dropped games to Northwestern, Maryland, and Indiana twice. Despite the rough February form, Purdue is still one of the primary contenders to win the national championship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Zach Edey is West Lafayette\u2019s main event and the favorite for National Player of the Year. The 7-foot-4 Canadian is averaging a double-double (22.1 points, 13.1 rebounds per game) and hasn\u2019t scored in single figures in 47-straight contests dating back to January 2022. He\u2019s virtually unplayable and will be at the epicenter of any potential run to the national championship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Last National Championship:<\/strong> None<\/p>\n\n\n\n Last Final Four:<\/strong> 1980<\/p>\n\n\n\n 2023 Title Odds: <\/strong>+1200 (as of March 4, 2023)<\/p>\n\n\n\n The simple answer is Edey. I don\u2019t know how another team could stop him from getting his. Limit his effectiveness? Sure. But even on a bad day, he\u2019s still getting 15 points, shooting 50 percent from the field, nabbing eight rebounds, and affecting everything the opponent wants to do near the rim. And that\u2019s the best-case scenario. He\u2019s more than a nightmare to guard \u2013 you have to try to score around this guy, too.<\/p>\n\n\n\nWhy Purdue Will Make a Run<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n