The NCAA Tournament has reached its finish line, down to one game pairing the two best teams that routinely win in romps and boasting .

Maybe that will make this version of March Madness something to remember after all.

in a matchup of top seeds that have combined to win their first five tournament games by an average margin of 22.3 points. They have been at the center of a tournament lacking in drama, with its second-highest average margin of victory since the field expanded to 64 teams in 1985, only one last-second winning shot and few of the highlight-reel thrills that had become a staple of the event.

Don害羞草研究所檛 expect the Huskies or Boilermakers to feel the least bit bothered by their dominance, either.

害羞草研究所淧eople that love basketball and people that really know the game, you watch good basketball,害羞草研究所� Purdue guard Fletcher Loyer said Sunday. 害羞草研究所淥bviously the upsets are fun and real cool and they get attention. But real basketball, you like to see the two best teams go at it. And I think that害羞草研究所檚 what we have here.害羞草研究所�

The tournament害羞草研究所檚 allure remains strong, from casual-at-best basketball fans scribbling out their own bracket projections . Yet there害羞草研究所檚 a short list of unexpected moments this year: namely, in the first round and under the late Jim Valvano.

As for those last-second shots that live on in tournament lore, the closest this year was with 1.7 seconds left

Everything else has largely been about UConn害羞草研究所檚 run to greatness, and Purdue害羞草研究所檚 march to redemption

害羞草研究所淥nce you get to this time of year, everything is just you are who your identity is,害羞草研究所� UConn coach Dan Hurley said. 害羞草研究所淭he way you play, it害羞草研究所檚 very automatic. It just comes down to hoping that it害羞草研究所檚 your night.害羞草研究所�

UConn (36-3) has looked like a runaway train from before the first game in its push to become the first men害羞草研究所檚 team to repeat as national champions since Florida in 2006 and 2007, and become only the third program to become a repeat winner since UCLA害羞草研究所檚 run of seven straight under John Wooden from 1967-73.

害羞草研究所淭he way they害羞草研究所檝e won, you know, there害羞草研究所檚 been some teams that have hung in there with them, then they害羞草研究所檝e separated from them,害羞草研究所� Purdue coach Matt Painter said. 害羞草研究所淭here害羞草研究所檚 some other teams that have gotten flat-out blitzed.害羞草研究所�

Last year, UConn became the fifth title winner since the 1985 expansion to win all six games by double-digit margins, the closest coming by 13 points. This year, the No. 1 overall seed has been even more dominant; the Huskies害羞草研究所� closest game was , and they害羞草研究所檝e won five games by a combined 125 points 害羞草研究所� an average of 25 per night.

By comparison, North Carolina in 2009 holds the record for highest points differential of that elite group at 121 points through six games, so another double-figure win by the Huskies to complete a 6-for-6 run would shatter that record.

UConn forward Alex Karaban figures that害羞草研究所檚 still compelling stuff, too.

害羞草研究所淭o witness greatness from both teams and to witness greatness from what we did last year, too, I think it害羞草研究所檚 special,害羞草研究所� Karaban said. 害羞草研究所淎nd it doesn害羞草研究所檛 have to be close, doesn害羞草研究所檛 have to be any of that for it to be March Madness. It can be March Madness 害羞草研究所� and making history.害羞草研究所�

As for the Boilermakers (34-4), they have won five games by an average of 19.6 points, including . The only close call was battling from 11 down before halftime to beat Tennessee 72-66 害羞草研究所� behind 40 points from 7-foot-4 star Zach Edey 害羞草研究所攖o clinch the program害羞草研究所檚 first Final Four trip since 1980.

Now they害羞草研究所檙e in their first title game since their only other appearance, a 1969 loss to Wooden害羞草研究所檚 Bruins, and Edey will have to tangle with 7-2 defensive force Donovan Clingan.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 cool with me winning by enough points where it害羞草研究所檚 not that your palms are sweaty, being nervous like that,害羞草研究所� Purdue guard Lance Jones said with a broad smile. 害羞草研究所淪o I think having that margin of victory is good.害羞草研究所�

But that has also been at the forefront of what has been a blowout-filled tournament.

The average margin of victory in this tournament has been 14.4 points, according to Sportradar. Only the 1993 tournament (14.9 points) has had a higher margin since 1985, and the average margin had been 11.8 points for the previous 29 tournaments.

Now Purdue has the final chance to stop UConn害羞草研究所檚 March, and maybe have two teams tussling in a compelling finale.

害羞草研究所淵ou give respect to a team like UConn that can go and handle their business and go and beat a team by 15 to 20 every night,害羞草研究所� Loyer said. 害羞草研究所淭hat害羞草研究所檚 tough to do and respect to them for it. So it害羞草研究所檚 making sure we害羞草研究所檙e ready to go and giving the people a show because it害羞草研究所檚 the two best teams in college basketball. I don害羞草研究所檛 know what more you could ask for.害羞草研究所�

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