GLENDALE, Arizona -- Midway through the first half of Purdue's 63-50 win over NC State in the Final Four on Saturday, DJ Burns Jr. grit his teeth and braced for impact.
Although he's 6-foot-9, 275 pounds, he had to look up every time Zach Edey -- the 7-foot-4, 290-pound reigning Wooden Award winner -- touched the ball. As Edey scored on a skyhook, Burns shrugged his shoulders and shook his head.
Burns, the star of an NC State team that had won nine in a row after a 2-7 stretch in its last nine regular season games, knew it would be a long night.