Zach Edey and Donovan Clingan are making history at the college basketball national championship on Monday night. The two centers going to war in the paint marks the first time ever that such big men are doing so with a national title on the line.
It is historic size!
Clingan, who is just 20 years old, is listed at 7-foot-2, 280 pounds. Edey, only one year older, is listed at 7-foot-4, 300 pounds. They might both be a little bit heavier than the roster indicates.
However, it is the height that is more important in this instance.
No two players seven feet tall or taller have faced each other for a national championship since 1984. Patrick Ewing was listed at 7-foot-0 at Georgetown. Hakeen Olajuwon was also listed at 7-foot-0 at Houston. The Hoyas and Cougars played at the Kingdome in Seattle on April 2.
Their battle lived up to the hype!
Ewing scored 10 points with nine rebounds, three assists and four blocks. Olajuwon scored 15 points with nine rebounds and two blocks. Georgetown defeated Houston 84-75.
Thus, Monday is the second time in college basketball history that two seven footers will meet in the national title game. But it goes even one step further!
Never before have two players 7-foot-2 or taller played against each other in the national championship. Edey and Clingan are the first. They are both taller than Ewing and Olajuwon, which makes history.
Donovan Clingan averaged 13.1 points, 7.4 rebounds and 1.5 assists during the 2023/24 season. He has scored 19, 14, 9, 22 and 18 during UConn’s five NCAA Tournament games.
Zach Edey averaged 24.9 points, 12.2 rebounds and 2.1 assists during the 2023/24 season. He dropped 30, 23, 27, 40 and 20 in Purdue’s five March Madness games.
Neither player has been guarded by an opposing center that comes anywhere close to their height. The national championship is a unique and historic test for both guys!