Purdue has carved out its spot in Monday’s national title game, but the reward is a showdown against one of the best college basketball teams in recent memory.

That team is UConn, the reigning national champions who reloaded and came back arguably even better this season. Dan Hurley’s squad is 36-3 overall and hasn’t lost since Feb. 20 against Creighton, and the Huskies have been even more dominant in back-to-back NCAA Tournaments while winning every game by double figures.

It’s enough to conjure up memories of 1969, at least for any Boilermaker able to remember that fateful national title game.

Purdue’s only other national title game appearance came against UCLA and a star center named Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (known as Lew Alcindor at the time). Abdul-Jabbar delivered 37 points and 20 rebounds as the Bruins blew past the Boilermakers for a 3rd straight title in what would become a 7-year run of dominance for UCLA.

No, Purdue is not catching any breaks in its trip to the title game, but the Boilermakers are not going to find any pity from around the country. Every team wants a chance to slay the giant, and that time for Purdue has come.

A big key to the showdown undoubtedly belongs in the middle of the floor between 7-foot-4 Zach Edey and 7-foot-2 Donovan Clingan. It’s the matchup everyone with a pulse in the college basketball world wants to see, and the best performer from that matchup is likely to take home the NCAA Tournament’s Most Outstanding Player according to ESPN Bet‘s latest odds.

While that matchup will be iconic, it’s just one matchup of the entire game. With that in mind, here are some of the keys to the game that will come outside of the Edey vs. Clingan matchup:

3-point shooting

It’s no secret nor a surprise that the battle at the 3-point line is going to come into play in this game. That’s evidenced by UConn’s performance from beyond in the arc in their losses and the way Purdue can shoot the ball.

In 2 of the 3 losses by the Huskies, UConn finished the game below 20% from 3-point range. In the other loss, UConn shot 39% from deep but allowed Kansas to shoot 9-for-14 (64%) from 3-point range, so this battle plays a role on both ends of the court.

UConn is undefeated in the Big Dance so far, but 3-point shooting has become a factor in some of those games. The Huskies were 3-for-22 from deep in a win over Northwestern though the Wildcats did not have an inside presence to account for Clingan or a hot shooter to equalize things offensively.

In the Final Four vs. Alabama, UConn allowed the Crimson Tide to hang around deep into the second half by going 11-for-23 from the 3-point line. The Huskies finally put things away in part to also shooting 10-for-25 from the arc offensively.

For Purdue, the Boilermakers prioritize efficiency from deep and are shooting 40.6% on the deep ball this season, a stark improvement from a season ago. In the win over NC State, Purdue finished 10-for-25 from 3-point range, even while Braden Smith went 1-for-5.

If Purdue can create an advantage at the 3-point line, it will go a long way to deciding the outcome.

Tristen Newton vs. Purdue backcourt

Even with Clingan’s performance in the Big Dance, Newton is still UConn’s leading scorer overall at 14.9 points per game. He’s also a dynamic veteran at 6-foot-5 who also averages 6.6 rebounds and 6.2 assists this season, and Newton could be a matchup problem for Purdue’s backcourt.

No matter who matches up with Newton, it presents a physical mismatch in favor of the Huskies. As the opposite point guard, it’s likely Braden Smith (6-feet) draws the matchup but Fletcher Loyer (6-foot-4) and Lance Jones (6-foot-1) could draw the assignment at times. (However, Purdue must also account for Cam Spencer and 6-foot-6 Stephon Castle in UConn’s backcourt.)

Size isn’t the only advantage for Newton. He’s a true collegiate veteran, logging over 150 appearances and 142 career starts across time at East Carolina and UConn. By comparison, Smith and Loyer have 146 career appearances combined.

If Newton is able to deliver the kind of usual performance he has in the tournament, it will be a long day for Purdue’s group of guards.

Alex Karaban vs. Trey Kaufman-Renn (and Mason Gillis)

To be as dominant as UConn, you need a fair share of versatility, and Alex Karaban is a key piece of that. A 6-foot-8 forward, Karaban is the Huskies’ 3rd-leading scorer at 13.5 points while also shooting 38.5% from 3-point range and right at 50% overall from the floor.

He’s coming off back-to-back efficient games against Illinois and Alabama and is a potential X-factor due to his size and versatility. Trey Kaufman-Renn will draw the first assignment of guarding Karaban, but look for Mason Gillis to spend a fair amount of time on the court Monday night, and his defense against Karaban will be important.

Heading into the game, DraftKings has Karaban’s 3-point total listed at 1.5 and his overall point total listed at 12.5. If he eclipses those numbers, it could turn into another title-winning blowout for UConn.

All that’s left is to get to the action! Monday’s title game is set for 9:20 pm ET on TBS.