The UCLA Bruins just became the fifth No. 11 seed to reach the Final Four. From First Four to Final Four, what a story! Unfortunately, the storybook tale now runs into the No. 1 overall seed in the form of the Gonzaga Bulldogs who’ve chewed up and spit out every opponent on their way to the program’s second Final Four appearance. As great Mick Cronin’s defense has played throughout its unforeseen charge to the final weekend of the NCAA Tournament, it’s going to have its hands full trying to contend with KenPom’s No. 1 ranked efficient offense that averages nearly 127 points per 100 possessions. On top of that, the Zags have exhibited some outstanding defensive play throughout their march in the tourney. Therein lies the problem. Do the Bruins have enough offensive firepower to hang with the Bulldogs for a full 40? Online sportsbooks don’t hold that belief evidenced by lining UCLA whopping 14-point underdogs in Saturday’s second semifinal matchup.
Tune into CBS to take this battle in live at 8:34 p.m. ET from Lucas Oil Stadium on Saturday, April 3, 2021. We'll have NCAA basketball odds at BookMaker.eu available for this and every game set to go down for Saturday’s Final Four NCAA Tournament slate.
College Basketball Odds at BookMaker.eu
UCLA Bruins +14
Gonzaga Bulldogs -14
Total: 144.5
Odds Analysis
As great a run Johnny Juzang and the Bruins are currently on, it didn’t stop linemakers from installing them gargantuan underdogs in the Final Four. Heading into Tuesday’s Elite Eight matchup with USC, Gonzaga was installed a +125 favorite to cut down the nets. After pounding the Trojans to advance to the Final Four, they’re now -207 chalk to be the last team standing. In case you were wondering, UCLA offers up an attractive +2400 return. That said, they’re currently two touchdown underdogs and the tickets 63% and money 73% that’ve come in since the impost hit the board have come in favor of the Zags. The total for what looks to be a one-sided matchup surfaced at 146. It’s since been bet down to 144.5 with 67 percent of the tickets and 70 percent of the money in favor of a low scorer playing out. The under is a combined 6-3 in these team’s nine combined NCAA Tournament games.
UCLA Bruins
What a fun journey it’s been for Mick Cronin’s kids and whoever bet on them along the way! It all started with a comeback win against Michigan State in the First Four. The team battled back from an 11-point halftime deficit to defeat Sparty 86-80 in overtime as 2.5-point underdogs. It then cashed in as another decided underdog versus BYU by dominating the Cougars right from the opening tip. It’s Round of 32 tilt against Abilene Christian proved to be a walk in the park after the Wildcats expended all their energy to upset the No. 3 seed Texas Longhorns. In the Sweet 16, it took advantage of horrendous free throw execution from Alabama to defeat the Crimson Tide in overtime as 7-point pups. Then on Tuesday night, it held off Michigan by a 51-49 final count to win outright as an underdog for the fourth time this tourney? If they log a fifth on Saturday, it would go down as one of the biggest upsets in college hoops history.
Gonzaga Bulldogs
Four tourney games, four pointspread covers. It’s been the Zags “MO” ever since it let the college basketball betting world know it wasn’t to be taken for granted after rolling up Kansas, Auburn and Iowa at the start of the season. Regardless of the number linemakers released, it hasn’t mattered – the Zags have covered them all! Dating back to the West Coast Conference Tournament, Mark Few’s troops have gone 6-0 SU and 5-1 ATS and went off the board as a 17-point favorite on average. It toyed with Norfolk State in the opener, and then earned a gift cover late against Oklahoma but was never once in a position to lose to the Sooners. Once the Sweet 16 rolled around, Corey Kispert and his mates started flexing their muscles. A competitive game with Creighton was turned into a laugher at the outset of the second half. Then the Zags took the screws to a USC team that looked mighty good in a pair of romps against Kansas and Oregon. This team is simply a machine and should go down as one of the best teams in the history of the sport. From 3-point shooting to playing tenacious defense, this team is the complete package!
UCLA vs. Gonzaga Prediction
If you’ve been reading my stuff all season you know I’ve been extremely bullish of Gonzaga since Day one. While I suggested making investments into other team’s futures odds of winning it all, I followed it up with making sure your portfolio also included the Bulldogs at all costs. I’m not straying from that mindset with only two more wins needed to secure the program’s first-ever national championship.
While I’ve made a few bucks backing Juzang and company throughout their highly unforeseen march to the Final Four, I highly doubt it has the horses to run with the Zags for a full 40. The craziest trend of the tournament bar none is the fact that UCLA has been outshot percentage wise against four of its five opponents and still won; the outlier was Abilene Christian. I’ll be betting a nice chunk of change that the trend goes up in smoke on Saturday and the Zags punch their ticket to the finals; just like I expected since Day One!
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