NCAA Final Four review and title game preview
Saturday's Final Four in San Antonio featured two most blowouts in what has certainly been the theme of the 2008 NCAA men's basketball tournament. But while Memphis beat UCLA 78-63 to easily cover the 2-point spread, at least it was Kansas that routed North Carolina 84-66 as a 3-point underdog.
UCLA won the first prop bet of the day as a small underdog as the first team to get to 10 points, taking a 10-6 lead just three and a half minutes into the contest. Memphis beat UCLA to 20 and then covered its -1 first-half number as it took a 38-35 lead to intermission, and then blew it open in the second half, eclipsing the prop that had the biggest lead at 12.5 points.
In the nightcap, Kansas jumped out to a quick 7-2 lead and then mostly traded baskets until they led 15-10 (winning the race to 10 points as a small dog), and then the Jayhawks went on an incredible run in which they opened up a 40-12 lead (well over the biggest lead prop of 15) before North Carolina cut it to 44-27 at the half. The Tar Heels were -8.5 in the second half and made a run, actually getting within four points with nine minutes remaining, but then Kansas extended the lead and actually outscored NC by 1 in the second half in winning by 18.
In totals wagering, the Memphis-UCLA game came down to the wire as the total closed at 134.5 at the majority of sports books in town; however, many bettors had tickets at 135 and the score was sitting right on it at 75-60 as Memphis was milking the clock with under a minute remaining. As the shot clock was running out, the Tigers' Antonio Anderson heaved up a 3-pointer and nailed it with 20 second left. UCLA's Russell Westbrook then also tossed in a trey to complete the scoring.
The Kansas-NC game finished comfortably under the closing total, which ranged between 158 and 159.
Memphis favored in Monday's title game
Shortly after the semifinals had ended, sports books here posted the opening lines for Monday's title game. The consensus line was pick-em. Three casino companies (MGM Mirage, the Station Casinos, and Stratosphere) opened at pick-em while the Harrah's properties and Wynn Las Vegas went with Memphis -1 and the Las Vegas Hilton and Leroy's outlets posted Kansas -1.
Early wagering on Saturday night prompted the Hilton and Leroy's to move to pick-em, so within the hour no one in town had the Jayhawks favored, and then the MGM Mirage went to Memphis -1.
By Sunday morning, every book in town had increased Memphis' favoritism to -1.5 with the MGM Mirage and the Stratosphere moving to -2.
The total is looking pretty solid around the 146 mark with slight variances of 145.5 at Stations and the Golden Nugget and 146.5 at the MGM Mirage properties.
Tuley the Tout sides with Kansas
Both teams have had great seasons and turned in perhaps their best performances of all on Saturday, but I still have to give the slight edge to Kansas just on overall talent and teamwork. And while Memphis has quieted its critics about its free-throw shooting (increasing its percentage for the year from 57 to 61 the past three weeks), I still feel that could come back to haunt them if faced with a tight game. Besides, the Jayhawks also shoot better from the field 51 percent vs. 47 percent, and from 3-point land at 40 percent vs. 35 percent.
Hopefully we'll finally have a close game (unless Kansas wins in a blowout, which will be fine by me and Jayhawk backers).
UCLA won the first prop bet of the day as a small underdog as the first team to get to 10 points, taking a 10-6 lead just three and a half minutes into the contest. Memphis beat UCLA to 20 and then covered its -1 first-half number as it took a 38-35 lead to intermission, and then blew it open in the second half, eclipsing the prop that had the biggest lead at 12.5 points.
In the nightcap, Kansas jumped out to a quick 7-2 lead and then mostly traded baskets until they led 15-10 (winning the race to 10 points as a small dog), and then the Jayhawks went on an incredible run in which they opened up a 40-12 lead (well over the biggest lead prop of 15) before North Carolina cut it to 44-27 at the half. The Tar Heels were -8.5 in the second half and made a run, actually getting within four points with nine minutes remaining, but then Kansas extended the lead and actually outscored NC by 1 in the second half in winning by 18.
In totals wagering, the Memphis-UCLA game came down to the wire as the total closed at 134.5 at the majority of sports books in town; however, many bettors had tickets at 135 and the score was sitting right on it at 75-60 as Memphis was milking the clock with under a minute remaining. As the shot clock was running out, the Tigers' Antonio Anderson heaved up a 3-pointer and nailed it with 20 second left. UCLA's Russell Westbrook then also tossed in a trey to complete the scoring.
The Kansas-NC game finished comfortably under the closing total, which ranged between 158 and 159.
Memphis favored in Monday's title game
Shortly after the semifinals had ended, sports books here posted the opening lines for Monday's title game. The consensus line was pick-em. Three casino companies (MGM Mirage, the Station Casinos, and Stratosphere) opened at pick-em while the Harrah's properties and Wynn Las Vegas went with Memphis -1 and the Las Vegas Hilton and Leroy's outlets posted Kansas -1.
Early wagering on Saturday night prompted the Hilton and Leroy's to move to pick-em, so within the hour no one in town had the Jayhawks favored, and then the MGM Mirage went to Memphis -1.
By Sunday morning, every book in town had increased Memphis' favoritism to -1.5 with the MGM Mirage and the Stratosphere moving to -2.
The total is looking pretty solid around the 146 mark with slight variances of 145.5 at Stations and the Golden Nugget and 146.5 at the MGM Mirage properties.
Tuley the Tout sides with Kansas
Both teams have had great seasons and turned in perhaps their best performances of all on Saturday, but I still have to give the slight edge to Kansas just on overall talent and teamwork. And while Memphis has quieted its critics about its free-throw shooting (increasing its percentage for the year from 57 to 61 the past three weeks), I still feel that could come back to haunt them if faced with a tight game. Besides, the Jayhawks also shoot better from the field 51 percent vs. 47 percent, and from 3-point land at 40 percent vs. 35 percent.
Hopefully we'll finally have a close game (unless Kansas wins in a blowout, which will be fine by me and Jayhawk backers).
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