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NCAA Tournament odds: Betting results, closing lines for men's title game
The Kansas Jayhawks claimed their fourth national crown while denying the North Carolina Tar Heels their seventh national title in men's basketball Monday night.
Here's everything you need to know about the betting results for Monday's NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament championship game.
MONDAY'S GAME
Kansas Jayhawks 72, North Carolina Tar Heels 69
Point spread: North Carolina (+4.5) covers by losing by fewer than 4.5 points (3)
Moneyline: Kansas wins as -213 favorite (bet $10 to win $14.69 total); North Carolina was +155 underdog (bet $10 to win $25.50 total)
Total scoring over/under: Under 152 points scored by both teams combined (141)
NOTES: Kansas opened with a 7-0 run but North Carolina responded with a 14-4 run to take a 28-22 run, forcing a Jayhawks time out with 5:05 to go in the first half. … That became part of a 14-0 Tar Heels run for a 36-22 lead with 2:40 left in the half. … Kansas went 5:40 without a field goal and the Tar Heels got eight offensive rebounds as the Tar Heels led 40-25 at halftime. … The Jayhawks used a 12-1 run to cut the deficit to 46-45 with 12:41 to go. … Kansas completed the largest comeback in men's title game history after trailing 38-22 late in the first half. … Crazy stat of the night: Each team led for 18:32 during the game.
Here is the pre-game analysis:
BetMGM Director of Trading Jeff Stoneback said his sports book is getting equal play on the Tar Heels and Jayhawks.
"Once again, the public is split on the game. It's a total split," Stoneback said. "Right now, we've got two more tickets written on North Carolina."
That doesn't surprise Martin Pascual, trading operations specialist for FOX Bet.
"This game is going to be a coin flip," Pascual said. "However, with the way UNC has been playing lately, I like their chances to win the championship. They are peaking at the right time. Just a month ago, their odds were at +15000 to win the title, and now they’re one of the last two teams standing."
A key to the game will be the health of Tar Heels' big man Armando Bacot, who briefly went to the locker room with just about five minutes left Saturday after suffering an ankle injury. Bacot finished with 21 rebounds and 11 points.
"Caleb Love has come up big for them time and time again in the tournament and I expect him to be brimming with confidence on Monday," Pascual said of the Tar Heels guard, who scored a game-high 28 points against Duke. "I am pretty sure Kansas’ coaching staff will devise a game plan to limit him.
"Biggest question mark would be the health of Armando Bacot’s foot. If he’s not close to healthy, I am not sure who can stop David McCormack."
Bacot said Sunday he's "going to go all out" against Kansas, which was good enough for Pascual to make his pick.
North Carolina leads the all-time series against Kansas 6-5.
PICK: North Carolina (moneyline +155 at FOX Bet) to win straight up
Here are some betting trends for the national title game:
– UNC is 2-4 straight up (SU) vs. Kansas all-time in the tournament, with five of those games coming since 1985. The Tar Heels went 1-4 against the spread (ATS) in those matchups.
– The Tar Heels are 40-29-1 ATS and 55-15 SU in the tournament since 2000.
– The Jayhawks are 40-35-1 ATS and 56-20 SU in the tournament since 2000.
– UNC is 6-5 in national title games.
– Kansas is 3-6 in national title games.
– In the previous No. 8 vs. No. 1 national championship game, the underdog Villanova Wildcats beat the Georgetown Hoyas 66-64 in 1985.
– The Tar Heels are 4-1 ATS and 4-1 SU in the national title game since 1985 and were the betting favorite in all five games. UNC lost and did not cover as the two-point favorite against Villanova in 2016.
– The Jayhawks are 2-3 ATS and 2-3 SU in the national title game since 1985, and were the underdogs in four of those games. The lone time KU was the favorite was in 2003 against Syracuse. The Jayhawks lost 67-65.
– UNC's Hubert Davis is the fourth to make the national title game in his first season as a college head coach. The previous three went 1-2 in the title game. Steve Fischer’s 1989 Michigan team won the national title.
– Bill Self is 30-29-1 ATS and 44-16 SU in the tournament as head coach of Kansas. Self is 1-1 ATS and 1-1 SU in the national title game, winning as a two-point underdog in 2008 against Memphis 75-68 in overtime and lost as six-point underdogs to Kentucky in 2012, 67-59.
– Since 2000, favorites are 14-7 against the spread (ATS) and 15-6 straight up (SU) in the national championship game.
– Since 2000, No. 1 seeds are 14-8 ATS and 15-7 SU in the title game.
Here are the results of the past 10 title games:
2021 Baylor 86, Gonzaga 70
2020 No game because of COVID-19
2019 Virginia 85, Texas Tech 77
2018 Villanova 79, Michigan 62
2017 North Carolina 71, Gonzaga 65
2016 Villanova 77, North Carolina 74
2015 Duke 68, Wisconsin 63
2014 Connecticut 60, Kentucky 54
2013 Louisville 82, Michigan 76-a
2012 Kentucky 67, Kansas 59
a = title vacated for rules violations
Schools with multiple NCAA titles
UCLA 11
Kentucky 8
North Carolina 6
Duke 5
Indiana 5
Connecticut 3
Kansas 3
Villanova 3
Louisville 2
Cincinnati 2
Florida 2
Michigan State 2
NC State 2
Oklahoma A&M/State 2
San Francisco 2
When you're ready to make a wager or two on the national title game, head on over to FOX Bet.
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