NCAAB National Championship Preview
The madness finally comes to a close in Houston on Monday night, but not before one last game between two unlikely national title contenders.
The UConn Huskies are 3.5-point favorites over the Butler Bulldogs at Bodog.com, where college hoops bettors can enjoy a 100 percent bonus on deposits heading into Monday’s big game.
Connecticut is also a -165 moneyline favorite versus the No. 8 Bulldogs, who are priced at +145 to win outright. NCAA tournament bettors can also expand their title game experience with a series of prop wagers involving Monday’s game.
The Huskies rode the momentum of a Big East Tournament title, earning a No. 3 seed in the Big Dance and knocking off notables like San Diego State, Arizona, and Kentucky to earn a shot at the program’s third national title. Going back to their conference tournament, UConn is 10-0 with a 9-1 ATS mark in their past 10 games.
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Butler followed a similar path, winning the Horizon League Tournament to earn the conference’s outright bid in the Field of 68. The Bulldogs didn’t take long to prove they belonged back in the national title conversation, edging Old Dominion, Pittsburgh, Wisconsin, Florida, and VCU, covering the spread in each of those tilts.
Butler has built its NCAA run on experience, turning to Matt Howard and Shelvin Mack to come up big when the team needed them the most. Howard and Mack combine to average more than 38 points per game in the tournament – almost 57 percent of the Bulldogs’ total offense. The sharp shooting of Mack and the hard-working post game of Howard gives head coach Brad Stevens a solid inside-out option with the basketball.
Connecticut’s scoring is strictly guard-based. Junior Kemba Walker is the standout star of the tournament, scoring 25 points per game this March. Combine his efforts with freshman Jeremy Lamb’s 17 points per game and more than 60 percent of the Huskies’ scoring comes from the backcourt.
If the Huskies can get an inspired effort, on both ends of the floor, from their frontcourt, Jim Calhoun could be adding to his Hall of Fame resume. Forwards Alex Oriakhi, Charles Okwandu, and Roscoe Smith totaled 18 points in the national semifinal against Kentucky, and also stepped up with some big blocks and rebounds down the stretch.
Butler will likely allow the ball to enter the post and deny the swing back to the guards Monday night. The Bulldogs, who do a great job playing defense without fouling, will risk the UConn forwards hurting them, rather than the guard combo of Walker and Lamb.
Butler was whistled for only 16 personal fouls in the semifinal win over VCU, sending the Rams to the line just 13 times. Connecticut’s frontcourt shot a combined 65 percent from the foul line this season – a figure the Bulldogs can live with.
The total for Monday’s title game is set at 128 points. The Huskies are 5-5 over/under on their 10-game postseason winning streak while the Bulldogs are 6-7-1 over/under on their current 14-game winning run, which stretches back to February 5.