The Final Four is set for Saturday with the Field of 68 NCAA tournament teams whittled down to two national semifinal showdowns. While it would have returned more to wager on these four programs before the tournament tipped off, you can still get some solid value betting on their NCAA futures ahead of the Final Four.
Here’s a look at the four contenders and their march madness betting odds to have their “One Shining Moment” when the Big Dance comes to a close Monday.
Villanova Wildcats (Open 12/1, Start of NCAA 7/2, Now EVEN)
The Wildcats are a deserving favorite heading into the Final Four. Villanova has laid waste to each and every NCAA opponent, covering the spread in all four tournament games and winning those contests by an average margin of 18.25 points.
Jay Wright has a deep roster with six players averaging double figures in scoring per game, fueling the top offense in the country. The Wildcats bury opponent under a 3-point barrage but showed they can scratch and claw for points in the paint after a poor shooting performance versus Texas Tech in the Elite Eight.
Villanova also boasts the most experienced roster among the Final Four contenders, with top players like Jalen Brunson and Mikal Bridges part of the Wildcats’ championship run two years ago. They’re used to the big stage and know what it takes to get the job done in the semis and national title game.
Michigan Wolverines (Open 20/1, Start of NCAA 10/1, Now 5/2)
The Wolverines really caught fire towards the end of the Big Ten conference schedule and rode that all the way to a conference tournament title and a spot in the Final Four - a string of 13 consecutive wins. Michigan is 10-3 ATS in that span and a 5-point favorite facing Cinderella Loyola-Chicago in the Final Four – the biggest reason UM is priced as the second-overall fave to win the Big Dance.
The Wolverines could be the most well-rounded team left in the tournament, with plenty of offensive power in the backcourt and up front, and boasts the top remaining defense in the Final Four. The Wolverines have struggled to score at times in the tournament but have always been able to fall back on that defense to pull them through.
Kansas Jayhawks (Open 12/1, Start of NCAA 18/1, Now 3/1)
The Jayhawks received plenty of respect from oddsmakers in the opening NCAA futures, and are always a threat to win as one of college basketball’s blue bloods. However, KU wasn’t as dominant as past Big 12 seasons and held terrific value entering the tournament at 18/1, thanks in part to being seeded in wild Midwest Regional which featured Duke and Michigan State.
The Jayhawks survived, vaulting into the Final Four with a thrilling overtime victory against the Blue Devils in the Elite Eight. Kansas can stuff the stat sheet, averaging 81 points during the tournament. It has five players that average more than 12 points per game but doesn’t go much beyond sixth man Silvio De Sousa in terms of reserves. Injuries or foul trouble could very much throw a wrench in KU’s championship plans.
Loyola-Chicago Ramblers (Open 200/1, Start of NCAA 300/1, Now 12/1)
Loyola-Chicago is just the fourth No. 11 seed to make the Final Four in the modern era of the NCAA tournament and has done so in dramatic fashion. The Ramblers won their first three tournament games on last-second shots, then simply out-played Kansas State from the tip in the Elite Eight – covering as underdogs in all four contests.
The Ramblers boast one of the best defenses in the country and have limited NCAA foes to only 63.5 points per game. That’s due to their methodical pace on offense, which chews up the shot clock and limits Loyola-Chicago to just under 68 possessions. The MVC champs make the most of those touches, hitting almost 42 percent from the 3-point arc and picking up 33 percent of their total points scored from distance.
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