When it comes to this year's Final Four, we are in for a treat. After all the upsets and the madness, it comes down to four blue bloods and some of the sport's best head coaches.
While bettors are salivating at the thought of the NCAA Tournament returning after nearly a week off, it gets even more exciting considering all the different ways you can bet these games.
That's why I decided to narrow things down for you. Below, I have outlined six prop picks that represent value.
Get ready for New Orleans!
Exact Result of Tournament Prop
After a very shaky first half that saw the Jayhawks trailing the hot shooting Miami (FL) Hurricanes, the real Kansas stood up and dominated the rest of the way.
Kansas ramped up its defense and turned the game into a transition track meet to help it put up points in bunches.
The Jayhawks now face a hobbled Villanova squad, one fresh off of a victory against Houston. At the end of the game, we saw Villanova’s Justin Moore go down in agonizing pain. It was recently announced he tore his Achilles, a devastating blow to an already thin Villanova bench.
With Kansas getting a friendly matchup on its way to the national title, this prop will likely come down to the Duke-UNC affair. I'm torn on the game at this point, so I will split a unit on both bets (Kansas to beat Duke and Kansas to beat UNC).
We last saw UNC cruise over Duke in its last regular-season game. That outing was certainly not a fluke, as the Tar Heels exposed the perimeter defense of the Blue Devils and relentlessly attacked the paint.
Duke is still the better overall team, but this is far from an easy road.
Kansas would be a slight favorite over Duke, and a four-point favorite against UNC. There is great value with either of these plus-money tickets, as Kansas should get past Villanova.
Picks: Kansas to beat Duke +330 (0.5u) | Kansas to beat UNC +450 (0.5u)
Most Points Scored on April 2 Prop
Looking at this prop, I immediately ruled out every Kansas and Villanova player. While very thinned out, Villanova will look to slow the pace of the game down to limit Kansas’ transition attack as much as possible.
A slower pace of play means fewer possible points scored.
Villanova is also a very sound defensive team. The Wildcats excel at guarding the perimeter and forcing opposing offenses into low-quality shots. Kansas will need to move the ball around, which in turn, will force it to not rely on one player in order to score.
On the other hand, Duke vs. UNC has points written all over it. Set at a total of 151, we saw these teams go well above that in their last game.
UNC had a strategic defensive plan, flying to the ball and crowding everyone not named Paolo Banchero. The Heels let Paolo cook one-on-one against whoever he was matched up with. It turned out to be a layup drill for the freshman, but UNC made sure no one else would single-handedly beat it.
It worked. Banchero was the leading scorer on Duke with 23, yet the Blue Devils still lost. UNC may have a similar plan, as its defense has been weak all season.
Though the defensive unit has improved during this March run, the Heels will still be outmatched talent-wise and need to make defensive sacrifices. Expect Banchero to cook again.
Pick: Paolo Banchero +500 (1u)
Most Outstanding Player Prop
The Tar Heels have been a particularly strange team to figure out this season. They have one of the highest of ceilings and lowest floors in terms of quality of play, and wondering which version will show up has been the biggest question.
We either witness the elite level of play that has brought them to the Final Four, or whatever we saw in their embarrassing loss against Pittsburgh at the end of the season.
UNC has shown it can beat Duke, and now, it gets a chance to do it again in what will be regarded as one of the most hyped college basketball games of all time.
If one thing has been consistent for the most inconsistent team in basketball, their results rely on the play of Armando Bacot, Brady Manek and Caleb Love.
Bacot has been a man amongst boys in the paint. He feasted on Saint Peter's in the Elite Eight, putting up a 20-point, 20-rebound performance.
Manek is a key piece due to his range from deep and his vision hitting cutters. His production was missed when he was ejected against Baylor, leaving UNC’s offense in a lull and allowing the Bears to make the near comeback.
Love has been a threat from deep and the leading ball handler who dictates the pace of each game.
If UNC is going to cut down the nets, then it will be because of these three players. With juicy odds on each, it is essentially a moneyline we would not see in the Heels' next matchup against potentially Kansas or Villanova.
To be even safer, you can bet 0.25u on Bacot and add R.J. Davis at 0.25u (+5000).
Picks: Armando Bacot +1400 (0.5u) | Brady Manek +1600 (0.25u) | Caleb Love +2200 (0.25u)
