PREMIUM
Rogers' Final Four Coach's Clinic >> SMOKIN' HOT 10-3-1 TOURNEY RUN!
(NCAAB) Villanova vs. Kansas,
Point Spread: -5.00 | -105.00 Villanova (Away)
Result: Win
Point Spread: -5.00 | -105.00 Villanova (Away)
Result: Win
The set-up: The second of Saturday's Final Four doubleheader will feature a pair on No. 1 seeds, the 31-7 Kansas Jayhawks and the 34-4 Villanova Wildcats. The Jayhawks 'punched' their ticket to San Antonio thanks to an 85-81 overtime win over Duke in the Elite 8 on Sunday in the Midwest final. Malik Newman led Kansas with 32 points, including scoring all of Kansas' points (13) in OT. Villanova routed two teams in their first two games of the tourney (by 26 and 23 points), then posted back-to-back 12-point wins in the Sweet 16 and Elite 8. The Wildcats punched their ticket to the Final Four as the representative of the East region, following a 71-59 win over Texas Tech in the Elite 8 on Sunday, despite shooting just 33.3% from the floor, including making only 4 of 24 three-pointers.
Kansas: The Jayhawks average 81.4 PPG (29th) on 49.3% shooting (11th), including 40.3% on threes (11th). Kansas basically goes with its starting-five, led by PG Devonte' Graham, who was the Big 12's POY. Graham leads the team in scoring (17.6) and assists (7.3) and is joined by three other guards in the starting rotation. Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk (14.7 & 4.0), Newman (14.0 & 4.9) and Vick (12.2 & 4.9) complete Kansas' perimeter group. The 7-0 Udoka Azubuike (13.1 & 7.1) is the team's only big man and really the only other player of note, as just two others play as much as 10 minutes, while averaging only 4.3 & 3.9 PPG.
Villanova: The Wildcats shot poorly last Sunday vs. Texas Tech but that's rarity. Villanova ranks first in the nation averaging 86.6 PPG and shoots 49.9% as team (6th-best), including 40.0% on threes (19th). Guard Jalen Brunson is the orchestrator, averaging 19.2 PPG and 4.6 APG. Swingman Mikal Bridges (17.8 & 5.4) is a multi-talented player, while 6-9 redshirt freshman Omari Spellman (10.8 & 7.0) and bruising 6-7, 250-pound Eric Paschall (10.3 & 5.3) form an excellent frontcourt duo (he collected a career-high 14 rebounds against Texas Tech). Guard Phil Booth (10.3) rounds out the starting-five, while 6-5 small forqard Donte DiVencenzo (Sixth Man of the year in Big East) comes off the bench to average 12.9-4.7-3.5.
The pick: The surging Jayhawks come in on a 12-1 run and have proven to be a money-making underdog, going a profitable 12-5 when taking points since 2014-15. However, the Wildcats still have four players from their 2016 championship squad squad are still on the Wildcats ans since losing a one-point OT at Set Hall in late February, are a perfect 8-0 (7-1 ATS) in March, including winning all four of their tourney games so far by double digits. Lay the points with Villanova, which has shown an improved "D" in holding seven of its last nine opponents under 70 points. Make the Wildcats an 8* play.
Kansas: The Jayhawks average 81.4 PPG (29th) on 49.3% shooting (11th), including 40.3% on threes (11th). Kansas basically goes with its starting-five, led by PG Devonte' Graham, who was the Big 12's POY. Graham leads the team in scoring (17.6) and assists (7.3) and is joined by three other guards in the starting rotation. Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk (14.7 & 4.0), Newman (14.0 & 4.9) and Vick (12.2 & 4.9) complete Kansas' perimeter group. The 7-0 Udoka Azubuike (13.1 & 7.1) is the team's only big man and really the only other player of note, as just two others play as much as 10 minutes, while averaging only 4.3 & 3.9 PPG.
Villanova: The Wildcats shot poorly last Sunday vs. Texas Tech but that's rarity. Villanova ranks first in the nation averaging 86.6 PPG and shoots 49.9% as team (6th-best), including 40.0% on threes (19th). Guard Jalen Brunson is the orchestrator, averaging 19.2 PPG and 4.6 APG. Swingman Mikal Bridges (17.8 & 5.4) is a multi-talented player, while 6-9 redshirt freshman Omari Spellman (10.8 & 7.0) and bruising 6-7, 250-pound Eric Paschall (10.3 & 5.3) form an excellent frontcourt duo (he collected a career-high 14 rebounds against Texas Tech). Guard Phil Booth (10.3) rounds out the starting-five, while 6-5 small forqard Donte DiVencenzo (Sixth Man of the year in Big East) comes off the bench to average 12.9-4.7-3.5.
The pick: The surging Jayhawks come in on a 12-1 run and have proven to be a money-making underdog, going a profitable 12-5 when taking points since 2014-15. However, the Wildcats still have four players from their 2016 championship squad squad are still on the Wildcats ans since losing a one-point OT at Set Hall in late February, are a perfect 8-0 (7-1 ATS) in March, including winning all four of their tourney games so far by double digits. Lay the points with Villanova, which has shown an improved "D" in holding seven of its last nine opponents under 70 points. Make the Wildcats an 8* play.