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The battle down in the Bayou. Blue Bloods and a New Blood. Four historic programs with a combined 17 National Championships on their resumes. This is going to be must watch programming.
We are down to the Final Four, after a historic and surprising March Madness. Brackets were busted by the afternoon of day one. The one seeds faltered, and the upsets came in heavy waves. We were shocked by teams like Iowa, Kentucky, and Tennessee who lost way too early, but we were all in awe by the Cinderella story of St. Peters. It's been a tournament to remember but it all comes down to the last four. Who's going home on top?
Can Kansas flash their one seed potential, or will Villanova shock them despite losing Justin Moore? Will Coach K ride off into the sunset with his sixth title, or will UNC knockdown their ACC rival once again? This final four is filled with storylines, but the betting lines are what I am more interested in.
Final Four Predictions and Picks
No. 2 Duke vs. No. 8 UNC
I think we can all agree that North Carolina was very under seeded. They are not playing like an 8 seed in my opinion. Duke has played some very defensively sound teams, yet they are clicking at the right time, shooting close to 55% from the field in the tournament. It's all going to come down to shooting. Duke has hit 50% or more of its shots in 18 games. North Carolina is 0-6 when allowing teams to make 51% or more of their shots, and they’re 10-9 when teams make 44% or more. If Duke keeps up this momentum, it's smooth sailing for the Blue Devils.
I doubted Duke's ability after their late stretch of games and lackluster home finale against UNC, yet they are in the Final Four, and it seems to be their destiny to win one last time for Coach K.
Picks
UNC +4.5
Duke ML
UNC/Duke O 151
No. 1 Kansas vs. No. 2 Villanova
Houston was a tough matchup for Villanova, especially because they didn't shoot too well. Nova went 5-for-21 from three, but they held down the Cougars to just 1-for-20 beyond the arc. If they can replicate that and step their offense up, it's another trip to the finals for Jay Wright. However, losing Justin Moore to an Achilles injury, might hinder their chances. Kansas knows how to control the tempo, defend the three, and force turnovers. It was a close battle against Providence, but ultimately it feels that they will replicate that performance once again.
Picks
Villanova +4.5
Kansas ML
Kansas/Villanova U 132.5
Tournament Results
Play In Round: 4-4
First Round: 37-20
Round of 32: 26-6
Sweet 16: 9-7
Elite 8: 6-3
Overall CBB Picks Results
NCAA Tournament: 82-40
March: 118-61
TOTAL: 361-186-3
