PREMIUM
Rogers' 10* FINAL FOUR TOP TOTAL TICKET >> 11-4-1 Tournament Run! 4-0 L4 Totals!
(NCAAB) Michigan vs. Villanova,
Total: 145.00 | -115.00 Over
Result: Win
Total: 145.00 | -115.00 Over
Result: Win
The set-up: Villanova is just one win away from its second national championship in three seasons but the 35-4 Wildcats are well aware that their opponent in Monday's NCAA Tournament title game comes in
as owners of the nation's longest current winning streak. Villanova is the fifth team to win its first five games by double digits since the NCAA Tournament expanded to 64 teams in 1985 (note: the only team in that group to lose the championship game was North Carolina two years ago, against Villanova!). Meanwhile, the Wolverines come into this game on a 14-game winning streak, going 11-2-1 ATS, as nine of their wins have come by double digits. Villanova defeated Michigan en route to winning the 1985 national championship (the school's only other title besides the 2016 team) and won the last matchup in 2014. However, these schools will be meeting for only the fourth time.
Michigan: The Wolverines won their final six regular-season games, followed by a 3-for-3 run in the Big Ten Tournament and now own five wins in the Big Dance. Moritz Wagner (14.6 & 7.1) was scintillating against Loyola-Chicago with 24 points and 15 rebounds while shooting 10 of 16. The 6-11 Wagner became only the third player to post at least 20 points and 15 rebounds in a national semifinal game and the first since 1983, when Hakeem Olajuwon did it (Larry Bird did so in 1979). Charles Matthews (13.1 & 5.6) added 17 points but fellow starting guards Muhammad-Ali Abdur-Rahkman (12.6-3.9-3.3) and Zavier Simpson (7.3 & 3.7 APG) combined for just seven points on 2-of-17 shooting. They MUST be better against the Wildcats' talented backcourt. Sixth-man Robinson, checks in averaging 9.5 PPG and let's not forget freshman Jordan Poole (6.2), whose 'miracle 3' beat Houston. Michigan does not score all that much (73.9 PPG ranks 167th) but the Wolverines know how to play defense, allowing 62.9 PPG to rank 8th-best in the nation. Michigan has given up more than 63 points only once in this tournament. The Wolverines harassed Loyola into 1-of-10 on three-point shots on the game (season lows in three-point attempts and makes), contested 24 of their 27 second-half FG attempts, plus forced 17 turnovers.
Villanova: The Wildcats were a good three-point shooting team in 2015-16 when they won the national championship but they have taken it to a new level this season. The Wildcats set a Final Four record with 18 three-pointers in Saturday's semifinal victory over Kansas (the previous NCAA Tourney single-game record of 13 had been held for 31 years by UNLV's 1987 team) and have made at least 13 three-pointers in four of their five wins in this event. Villanova has already broken the NCAA Tourney record for made threes (previously held by Shaka Smart's 2011 VCU team) and have broken the season record for threes made by VMI's 2006-07 team. Wooden Award finalist Jalen Brunson (19.2 & 4.7 APG) is leading the way for the top scoring team in the nation (86.8 PPG), one which shoots 50.1% overall (5th), including 40.1% on threes (12th). Jay Wright's team really goes just six-seep but it's quite a group of six. Starting along with Brunson are multi-talented swingman Mikal Bridges (17.6 & 5.3), 6-9 redshirt freshman Omari Spellman (10.9 & 7.9), bruising 6-7, 250-pound Eric Paschall (10.7 & 5.2) and guard Phil Booth (10.3). 6-5 small forward Donte DiVencenzo (Sixth Man of the year in Big East) comes off the bench to average 13.0-4.7-3.5.
The pick: Villanova is and clearly should be the favorite but underestimate the Wolverines at your own peril. John Beilein's team has been digging in defensively all season on the stop end all season, as ball screens are nullified, cutters are covered and open looks are denied. The Wolverines have especially been unrelenting on shots inside the arc, despite not owning a true rim protector. Michigan's unlikely season continues tonight (Wolverines were a modest 19-7 before ripping off 14 straight wins!) and while I'm not about to call for Michigan to capture its second national championship (only other one came in 1989), I expect Michigan to contain 'Nova's high-scoring team. Michigan's defense bears a significant resemblance to a physical Providence team which gave the the Wildcats all they could handle, beating in mid-February at home and forcing OT in the Big East Tourney finale at MSG. Then again, 'Nova has been playing impressive defense as of late as well, holding seven of its last 10 opponents under 70 points. Make the Under a 10* play.
as owners of the nation's longest current winning streak. Villanova is the fifth team to win its first five games by double digits since the NCAA Tournament expanded to 64 teams in 1985 (note: the only team in that group to lose the championship game was North Carolina two years ago, against Villanova!). Meanwhile, the Wolverines come into this game on a 14-game winning streak, going 11-2-1 ATS, as nine of their wins have come by double digits. Villanova defeated Michigan en route to winning the 1985 national championship (the school's only other title besides the 2016 team) and won the last matchup in 2014. However, these schools will be meeting for only the fourth time.
Michigan: The Wolverines won their final six regular-season games, followed by a 3-for-3 run in the Big Ten Tournament and now own five wins in the Big Dance. Moritz Wagner (14.6 & 7.1) was scintillating against Loyola-Chicago with 24 points and 15 rebounds while shooting 10 of 16. The 6-11 Wagner became only the third player to post at least 20 points and 15 rebounds in a national semifinal game and the first since 1983, when Hakeem Olajuwon did it (Larry Bird did so in 1979). Charles Matthews (13.1 & 5.6) added 17 points but fellow starting guards Muhammad-Ali Abdur-Rahkman (12.6-3.9-3.3) and Zavier Simpson (7.3 & 3.7 APG) combined for just seven points on 2-of-17 shooting. They MUST be better against the Wildcats' talented backcourt. Sixth-man Robinson, checks in averaging 9.5 PPG and let's not forget freshman Jordan Poole (6.2), whose 'miracle 3' beat Houston. Michigan does not score all that much (73.9 PPG ranks 167th) but the Wolverines know how to play defense, allowing 62.9 PPG to rank 8th-best in the nation. Michigan has given up more than 63 points only once in this tournament. The Wolverines harassed Loyola into 1-of-10 on three-point shots on the game (season lows in three-point attempts and makes), contested 24 of their 27 second-half FG attempts, plus forced 17 turnovers.
Villanova: The Wildcats were a good three-point shooting team in 2015-16 when they won the national championship but they have taken it to a new level this season. The Wildcats set a Final Four record with 18 three-pointers in Saturday's semifinal victory over Kansas (the previous NCAA Tourney single-game record of 13 had been held for 31 years by UNLV's 1987 team) and have made at least 13 three-pointers in four of their five wins in this event. Villanova has already broken the NCAA Tourney record for made threes (previously held by Shaka Smart's 2011 VCU team) and have broken the season record for threes made by VMI's 2006-07 team. Wooden Award finalist Jalen Brunson (19.2 & 4.7 APG) is leading the way for the top scoring team in the nation (86.8 PPG), one which shoots 50.1% overall (5th), including 40.1% on threes (12th). Jay Wright's team really goes just six-seep but it's quite a group of six. Starting along with Brunson are multi-talented swingman Mikal Bridges (17.6 & 5.3), 6-9 redshirt freshman Omari Spellman (10.9 & 7.9), bruising 6-7, 250-pound Eric Paschall (10.7 & 5.2) and guard Phil Booth (10.3). 6-5 small forward Donte DiVencenzo (Sixth Man of the year in Big East) comes off the bench to average 13.0-4.7-3.5.
The pick: Villanova is and clearly should be the favorite but underestimate the Wolverines at your own peril. John Beilein's team has been digging in defensively all season on the stop end all season, as ball screens are nullified, cutters are covered and open looks are denied. The Wolverines have especially been unrelenting on shots inside the arc, despite not owning a true rim protector. Michigan's unlikely season continues tonight (Wolverines were a modest 19-7 before ripping off 14 straight wins!) and while I'm not about to call for Michigan to capture its second national championship (only other one came in 1989), I expect Michigan to contain 'Nova's high-scoring team. Michigan's defense bears a significant resemblance to a physical Providence team which gave the the Wildcats all they could handle, beating in mid-February at home and forcing OT in the Big East Tourney finale at MSG. Then again, 'Nova has been playing impressive defense as of late as well, holding seven of its last 10 opponents under 70 points. Make the Under a 10* play.
