In Glendale, Arizona, No. 1 seeds Connecticut and Purdue will compete for the NCAA Basketball National Championship, with strong ties to Southern Illinois as former Salukis feature prominently on and off the court.

By the Numbers
  • Matt Painter, current head coach of Purdue, aims to lead the Boilermakers (34-4) to their first championship in the modern era.
  • Lance Jones, a graduate transfer from SIU, is a key player for Purdue with 1,514 points for Southern Illinois.
Yes, But

No significant counterarguments or complexities were reported in the article.

State of Play
  • Matt Painter and Paul Lusk have strong connections to Southern Illinois, adding depth and significance to the NCAA Championship game.
  • Lance Jones, an SIU alum, will play a crucial role for Purdue against Connecticut.
What's Next

The NCAA Championship game between Purdue and Connecticut is scheduled to tipoff at 8:20 p.m. CT on TBS.

Bottom Line

The rich Saluki connections in the NCAA Championship game highlight the impact of Southern Illinois University alumni in high-stakes college basketball, adding an extra layer of intrigue to the matchup.