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The Final Four gets underway on Saturday night with the Kansas Jayhawks taking on the Villanova Wildcats. These two teams have combined for three national championships in this century alone, so neither is a stranger to the big stage. As the only remaining No. 1 seed, the Jayhawks are listed as 4.5-point favorites over Villanova.
Before we get to the matchup, we have to mention that the BetQL college hoops model went 39-19 (67.3%) on all bets during the Sweet 16 and Elite 8! BetQL subscribers can see all of the best bets for the Final Four (and every sport) with star ratings for every game. Click below to sign up for a BetQL Day Pass!
Odds in this article are subject to change. Check the latest college basketball betting lines here: Latest College Basketball Odds | Latest Over/Under | Expert picks
VILLANOVA VS. KANSAS (-4.5), O/U 132.5
Kansas Jayhawks Preview
The Jayhawks certainly look like a team that’s peaking at the right time of year. Bill Self’s team could not have been any better on both sides of the court during their Elite Eight win over Miami, turning a six-point halftime deficit into a 25-point win. With that win, the Jayhawks have now won their last nine games and covered six of their last eight games, though Kansas has covered in just two of its four NCAA tournament wins. That’s still a meaningful stretch for Kansas, which has only covered the spread in half of the team’s 38 games this season.
BETQL STAFF PICKS: VILLANOVA-KANSAS | UNC-DUKE
Villanova Wildcats Preview
The Wildcats have won nine in a row, winning their conference tournament and staying hot in the NCAA tournament. In addition to those nine straight wins, Villanova has lost just twice in its last 19 games. Jay Wright’s team has also covered the spread in all four NCAA tournament games, including a win over Houston as underdogs in the Elite Eight. Unfortunately for Villanova, the equation changes with second-leading scorer Justin Moore unavailable after getting hurt during the Elite Eight. That leaves Villanova with only five players who have averaged more than 1.8 points per game this season, essentially giving them no bench against Kansas. The Wildcats are also just 2-3-1 against the spread as underdogs this season despite beating Houston as the underdog last weekend.
MORE FINAL FOUR: TEAM TRENDS | BETQL MODEL TRENDS
Given Villanova’s lack of depth and the fact that they are down to two viable guards without Moore, this game appears to be Kansas’ to lose. The Jayhawks surely looked like a team that’s ready to compete for a national championship during the second half of their win in the Elite Eight. However, Kansas failed to cover the spread against a Creighton team that was missing two key players and then struggled to put away Providence in the Sweet 16. Like Villanova, those are both Big East opponents, so perhaps the undermanned Wildcats can hang around long enough to give themselves a fighting chance in the Final Four.
MORE: BETTING PLAYBOOK FOR UNC-DUKE
BetQL subscribers can see even more betting trends and all of our best bets with star ratings for every game. Click below to sign up for a BetQL Day Pass!
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