Current Odds to Win March Madness: 2024 Final 4 Predictions

Previous Betting News

There is only one #1 seed left in the NCAA Tournament, the Kansas Jayhawks. Would it be a surprise to tell you that they are not the betting favorite heading into the Final Four? The Villanova Wildcats, the Kansas Jayhawks, the Duke Blue Devils, and the North Carolina Tar Heels are the last teams left with three games to play in the 2022 NCAA Tournament. 

Let’s take a look at our NCAA Basketball Championship Betting favorites and who would be a good team to bet on in the Final Four. 

Updated NCAA Basketball National Championship Odds

Duke Blue Devils +140

What a storyline this would be Duke and the world of college basketball. Since the beginning of the season, knowing it would be Mike Krzyzewski’s last season, a championship has been on their mind. With a young team, Duke could have struggled but the young athletes have flourished in a tough environment. 

Paolo Banchero has been the freshman to lead the Duke Blue Devils this season. He leads the team in points per game and rebounds per game. Banchero averages 17.1 points and 7.7 rebounds respectively. 

Looking at the top five leading scorers for Duke, only one player is an upperclassman. Wendell Moore Jr. is a junior in school and he is the second-leading scorer for the Blue Devils this season. 

There could be many one and done this season for Duke, which typically goes against the typical thoughts of needing experience. 

Duke would be a good team to bet on at +140. 

Kansas Jayhawks +180

The last #1 seed in the NCAA Tournament currently has the second-best odds to win the National Championship. Kansas has not won a National Championship since 2008 over Memphis. The Jayhawks have a very good chance this season but have to beat a very good Villanova team in the Final Four.

Ochai Agbaji has been one of the most outstanding players in college basketball this season. Agbaji averages 18.9 points per game on the season to lead Kansas. He is one of four Jayhawks to average double-digit points this season. 

Kansas receives many other contributions from other players including Christian Braun, Jalen Wilson, and David McCormick. All four players will need to have meaningful performances to cash the +180 odds of winning the title. 

North Carolina Tar Heels +500

Arguably the hottest team in the NCAA Tournament, North Carolina is playing their best basketball at the right time. They have dominated every team in the tournament so far. The Baylor score was a lot closer than what the game actually felt like, due to Manek being ejected and a few calls not going their way. 

Caleb Love has stepped up multiple times for the Tar Heels this postseason. The young man 15.7 points per game on the season. One of the most impressive performances came in the St. Peter’s game from Armando Bacot. In the win over the Peacocks, Bacot scored 20 points and had 22 rebounds. 

With how hot North Carolina has been, it would be a good time to hammer the +500 odds. 

Villanova Wildcats +600

Last but not least, Villanova is our final team of the Final Four odds. You should never count out the Wildcats, but the chances do not look great heading into the weekend. Collin Gillespie continues to lead, but his job got much harder after losing Justin Moore. 

The Wildcats are looking for their third championship in six years. Jay Wright continues to prove why he is one of the best coaches in college basketball with another run in March. Villanova continues to prove the doubters wrong but has a lot of work ahead of them with Kansas. 

If you like underdogs, Villanova is your team at +600. 

Previous Betting News

NCAA College Basketball – March Madness Final Four Round Games

Kansas Jayhawks (+180 to win NCAA TITLE)

If you didn’t know his name before, you sure do now.  Remy Martin has been the x-factor that has kept Kansas alive in the tournament.  Martin has led the team in points in 3 of their last 4 games and is averaging over 16 points off the bench through the NCAA tournament.  He’s taken the pressure off of the likes of Ochai Agaji and Christian Braun who have consistently come through for the Jayhawks all year.  Agaji is averaging over 18 points per game while Braun is producing at just under 15 per contest. Kansas has been producing at both ends of the court; it’s their offence that has taken control. They’re ranked 7^th in offensive efficiency and are shooting 54% from the field.  Add in a defence that since their 9 game win streak began, has kept opponents to fewer than 42% from inside the arc.

Villanova Wildcats (+450 to win NCAA TITLE)

The Wildcats are looking for their 3^rd championship in 6 years and will have to continue to rely on their defensive game to get it done. Dating back to the end of the regular season, they’ve held eight consecutive opponents to 65 points or fewer.  Their strong point on offence has been scoring when it counts, leading the nation with a record 83% from the free throw line.  They solidified their win against Houston by going a perfect 15-for-15 from the charity line. As usual though, a Villanova team with championship aspirations has run into major injury trouble.  They’ll be without their second leading scorer in Justin Moore who tore his Achilles at the end of Nova’s Elite Eight win over Houston. He leads the team in minutes per game while averaging nearly 15 points, leaving a hole up front for the Wildcats.

Duke Blue Devils (+160 to win NCAA TITLE)

The Blue Devils have the best offensive efficiency rating in the nation having scored at least 78 points in each of their last 4 games. They’re led by future NBA lottery pick Paolo Banchero who is putting up over 18 points per game through the NCAA tournament. Duke has the innate ability to lockdown games and hold the lead. We saw an example of this during their Elite Eight match-up with Arkansas where they never trailed in the final 34 minutes. This is Coach Mike Krzyzewski’s 13^th final four appearance and his squad will be out for revenge as it was UNC who beat Duke in Coach K’s final home game.

University of North Carolina Tar Heels (+500 to win NCAA TITLE)

How fitting is it that we get our first ever NCAA tournament matchup between UNC and Duke in Coach K’s final season.  The Tar Heels were dominant in their win over Saint Peter’s, with their rebounding game taking centre stage.  They rank sixth nationally in rebound margin and it starts with Armando Bacot who is a double-double machine.  With his latest performance he is now riding a 6 game double-double streak and is up to 29 on the year.  In their previous meeting with Duke, it took 4 Tar Heels scoring at least 20 points each to spoil the final home game of Coach K’s career.  They’ll need a performance like that and much more if they plan to stop the juggernauts that are the Blue Devils.

Previous Betting News

Since the start of the College Football Playoff, the committee has released its Top 25 each week starting around midseason, and it was a TV bonanza for ESPN. It also helped drum up buzz for the playoff. We usually have to wait until Selection Sunday to determine the Top 4 seeds in each region in the men’s NCAA Tournament, but not this year. Well, sort of. Let’s take a look at those March Madness predictions for the Final Four.

Early 2017 March Madness Final Four Picks

On Feb. 11, the NCAA Tournament committee will unveil its Top 4 seeds in each region on the March Madness Bracket Preview Show on CBS at 12:30 p.m. ET. It’s just a one-time deal and of course the seeding is going to change through the rest of the regular season and conference tournaments. But since the tournament first expanded to 64 teams, only three times has the national champion come from outside a Top 4 seed. So that’s important. With that said, here are the likely four No. 1s right now with their NCAAB odds to win the . Keep in mind that the No. 1 overall seed gets to pick its region. That’s new this year.

Villanova, No. 1 East Region (+700)

The defending national champions are No. 1 in the Associated Press Top 25 and have just one loss as of this writing: 66-58 at then-No. 18 Butler on Jan. 4. Despite playing so well and having the National Player of the Year favorite in Josh Hart, coach Jay Wright says there’s still a bit of hangover from last year’s title: “It’s definitely there. It’s something you have to deal with all the time, and as you have success it continues, and I’m sure when it comes NCAA Tournament time, it’s going to be (even stronger).” Villanova does have a tough home game vs. No. 12 Virginia this Saturday.

Gonzaga, No. 1 West Region (+1000)

What else can you say about the Zags? They are 20-0, the best start in school history and tying the second-longest winning streak overall. The Bulldogs have built a great offense with veterans and are playing some of the most consistent defense of any team Coach Mark Few has coached. The Zags have a very good chance of finishing the regular season undefeated. Aside from trips to at BYU (6-2 WCC) on Feb. 2 and St. Mary’s (7-1) on Feb. 11, they have seven regular-season games left, all vs. WCC competition sporting a combined 17-31 conference mark.

Kansas, No. 1 Midwest (+600)

The Jayhawks are No. 1 in the USA Today Coaches Poll and No. 2 in the AP Top 25. This story was written before KU’s game at a good West Virginia team on Tuesday and that was a possible loss for the Jayhawks. But they hadn’t lost since their season opener in Hawaii against a good Indiana team. Then on Saturday, Kansas has to face No. 4 Kentucky. Kansas’ 13th Big 12 title is well within striking distance. The Jayhawks have one of the best freshmen in the country in Josh Jackson, and a stellar veteran backcourt in Frank Mason, the likely Big 12 Player of the Year, and Devonte’ Graham.

Kentucky, No. 1 South (+400)

The Cats are again a freshmen-laden team led by likely 2017 lottery picks Malik Monk and De’Aaron Fox. Monk is averaging 21.7 points per game. No John Calipari-coached player has ever averaged more than 21.2 points for an entire season. Fox etched his name into the UK record books vs. Arizona State with just the second triple-double in school history and the first since Chris Mills in 1988. UK has scored 100 points in five games this season, the most in the Calipari era and most since the 1995-96 season. It’s quite possible that UK runs the table in the weak SEC but of course could lose this weekend to No. 2 Kansas.

Expert Final Four Betting Picks:

I can see all three of these four teams in the Final Four, but sorry, Gonzaga, your lack of conference competition will cost you in the NCAA Tournament.

Previous Betting News

After the Villanova Wildcats bet several bigger basketball factories en route to the 2016 national championship, there are a handful of ‘longshot’ teams that are looking to duplicate the Wildcats’ feat from a year ago and overcome all odds en route to their own title this season/

Thanks to the expert college hoops analysis that you’re about to get, you’re going to find out which five longshot teams have a realistic chance to replicate Villanova’s thrilling title win last season. Now, let’s get started and check the latest March Madness Predictions here.

Early March Madness Final Four Picks And Longshot Contenders

Florida State 50/1

I love the athletic 10th-ranked Seminoles (17-2) as my top value pick team to upset everyone and win the 2017 national championship. The Florida State Seminoles are averaging an impressive 86.3 points per game to rank 13th nationally in scoring while draining a blistering 50.5 percent of their collective shots to rank a stellar seventh in field goal shooting percentage.

Not only that, but Florida State has also harassed their opponents into a dismal 39.7 percent shooting mark from the field to rank 33rd in field goal defense. The Seminoles also have an excellent head coach in veteran Leonard Hamilton and a legitimate superstar in 6-7 shooting guard Dwayne Bacon (17.4 ppg). The ACC-leading Seminoles have gone 3-1 in neutral site games this season and have beaten three nationally-ranked title contenders in Duke, Notre Dame and Virginia Tech over their last four games.

Wisconsin 35/1

Just like they’re football playing counterparts at Wisconsin, I really like the 17th-ranked Badgers this season (15-3) and I believe they could overachieve in March because of their shut-down defense. Wisconsin ranks eighth in points allowed (60.4 ppg) and 52nd in field goal shooting percentage (40.5 percent) while also ranking second in defensive rebounding (25.2 rpg). I also love the Badgers’ trio of stars in leading scorer Bronson Koenig (14.5 ppg), second-leading scorer Nigel Hayes (13.6 ppg) and power forward Ethan Happ (12.8 ppg).  Come tourney time, the Badgers look like they’ll be dangerous at the very least.

Virginia Tech 70/1

Virginia Tech certainly has their work cut out in the powerful ACC, but I believe all of their tough opponents will only help them get better as the season progresses. The Hokies average a stellar 81.4 points per game to rank 35th in scoring nationally while also ranking 31st in field goal shooting percentage (48.3) and 56th in three-point shooting percentage (31.9). The Hokies also have a trio of outstanding players in leading scorer ach LeDay (16.4 ppg), do-it-all guard Chris Clarke (12.7 ppg, 7.9 rpg, 3.7 apg) and steady floor leader Justin Robinson (10.2 ppg, 4.8 apg).

Notre Dame 80/1

The 15th-ranked Fighting Irish (16-3) are another team being sharpened by their tough competition in the ACC this season, but again, I believe it will only make them more dangerous once March rolls around.

The Irish rank 41st in scoring nationally by putting up a stellar 81.1 points per game and rank among the nation’s best three-point shooting teams (40.9 percent, 12th) while leading the nation in free throw shooting percentage (82.4 percent). Notre Dame is also solid defensively as they limit the opposition to just 67.5 points per game to rank 79th nationally while limiting their opponents to just 40.5 percent shooting from the field to rank 53rd nationally.

The Irish also have a legitimate star in swingman Bonzie Colson (15.5 ppg, 10.7 rpg) and another excellent player in backcourt mate Stevie Vasturia (15.2 ppg). I also love head coach Mike Brey and believe he’ll get the most out of his team as they head into March. The Hokies have already recorded wins over nationally-ranked Louisville and Virginia Tech and look like they’ll be a great value bet team once March Madness begins.

Maryland 200/1

The 25th-ranked Maryland Terrapins (16-2) are sitting atop the Big Ten standings and have the look of a team that is going to be quite dangerous by the time the national championship tournament gets underway in about eight weeks.

Maryland ranks 43rd in points allowed nationally (65.1 ppg) and an equally impressive 47th in field goal shooting defense (40.4 percent) and has a legitimate star in sweet-shooting guard Melo Trimble (17.2 ppg) and another gifted player in freshman shooting guard Anthony Cowan (11.1 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 3.6 apg).

The only concern I do have about the Terps is that they haven’t played the same caliber of competition as some of the other teams on this list. Still the Terps could surprise once March rolls around and at 200/1, they’re certainly offering a stupendous return should they manage to upset the entire apple cart.

Previous Betting News

Okay, enough of the garbage that leads up to the NCAA basketball tournament. March Madness is here – Selection Sunday is a couple days away, and it’s time to start making some NCAA Basketball Betting predictions for the 2016 Final Four. These picks are coming before the selections have been made, so they are subject to change, but here are our most recent Final Four picks for the 2016 tournament:

NCAA Basketball Betting 2016 Final Four Picks

North Carolina Tarheels

The North Carolina Tar Heels are the first pick to reach the Final Four. Roy Williams and the Tar Heels head into the ACC tournament as the top seed. The Tar Heels gained a ton of momentum with a win on the road at the Duke Blue Devils. Marcus Paige is a great talent on the offensive end, and he has Brice Johnson as his counterpart. The Tar Heels share the basketball as well as any team in the nation. North Carolina, if they get their defensive woes figured out will be an extremely tough team to eliminate come March.

Kansas Jayhawks

The Kansas Jayhawks are heading back to the Final Four. The Jayhawks won the Big 12 title for the 12th straight season. The Jayhawks come into the Big 12 tournament as the top seed, and appear to be the top seed overall in the NCAA tournament. Kansas has not lost since the end of January on the road at Iowa State. The Jayhawks have just one bad loss on the season, and that was at Oklahoma State. Perry Ellis is having a great season for the Jayhawks, along with his guards Wayne Seldon, and Frank Mason. Kansas will get back to the Final Four following a couple underachieving postseason runs.

Michigan State Spartans

You cannot pick a Final Four in the NCAA tournament without throwing Tom Izzo and the Michigan State Spartans in there. Izzo and his Spartans are playing their best basketball now that March has arrived. The Spartans finished second in the Big Ten, and have won six straight games. The Spartans are scoring more than 80 points per game, and are the top passing team in the nation. Unselfish and tough is an ingredient for postseason wins. The Michigan State Spartans are a great pick to head back to the NCAA Final Four.

Kentucky Wildcats

Despite a 23-8 record, the last team to be picked to the Final Four is the Kentucky Wildcats. The Wildcats tied with Texas A+M for the SEC title. The Wildcats are led by their guard Jamal Murray. He is scoring 20 points per game, and Tyler Ulis is an incredible point guard, dishing out nearly 7.5 assists per game. The Wildcats are scoring 79 points per game, and allowing 67.9 per game. Kentucky is going to be a great tournament team come March Madness!

Selection Sunday is approaching, so as we get ready for the Big Dance, it’s a good idea to keep an eye on the NCAA Basketball Betting odds as teams get closer to the first round. There are many other options available besides the teams in this list, so stay tuned with MyBookie.ag online sportsbook for additional updates and college basketball betting predictions.

Previous Betting News

If you’re excited about the Final Four match ups that are set to take place this coming weekend and you’re looking for a pair of potentially winning free picks, then you’ve come to the right place. Thanks to the bettor-friendly management at mybookie.ag, you’re about to get what should amount to two bankroll-boosting Final Four free picks that could help you strike pay dirt early and often this coming weekend. With that said and tip-off times for both March Madness Odds games quickly approaching, let’s get started.

Villanova vs. Oklahoma March Madness Final 4 Odds, TV & Game Info

What: Villanova Wildcats (33-5) at Oklahoma Sooners (29-7)
When: Saturday, April 02, 2016
Start Time: 6:09 PM ET
Where: Houston, Texas
Stadium: NRG Stadium
Spread: Villanova -2
Moneyline: Villanova -115
Game Total: 149.5
Watch: TBS

Game Analysis

The Sooners (29-7 SU, 14-20 ATS) may have pounded Villanova (33-5 SU, 19-17 ATS) senseless on Pearl Harbor Day back in December, but the Wildcats are clearly not the same team that took to the hardwood that day. The Sooners made an insane 14 three-pointers in that contest and that’s something I just don’t see happening this time around.

Villanova has not allowed more than 69 points in each of their last seven games and have allowed just two teams to reach that figure in their last 10 games. Not only that, but the Wildcats had scored 86 points or more in each of their first three tourney games until their defensive affair against Kansas in the Elite Eight.

Oklahoma narrowly got by VCU 85-81 in their second tourney game and have been held to less than 70 points in dropping two of their final six games just before the start of March Madness. In the end, I believe that both teams’ backcourts will virtually cancel the other out, making Kris Jenkins and Daniel Ochefu the two players that I believe will to lift Villanova to victory.

The Wildcats have gone 4-0 ATS in their last 4 NCAA Tournament games, a bankroll-boosting 34-15-2 ATS in their last 51 non-conference games and equally impressive 39-18-1 ATS in their last 58 games against a team with a winning straight up record. Conversely, Oklahoma has struggled mightily to cover the spread all season long despite cashing in against the spread in each of their last two tourney games.

The Sooners are 3-7 ATS in their last 10 NCAA Tournament games, 2-5 ATS in their last seven non-conference games and 3-11 ATS in their last 14 games against a team with a winning straight up record. I like the well-balanced Wildcats to get the SU win and ATS cover.

The Pick: Villanova 82 Oklahoma 76

Syracuse vs. North Carolina March Madness Final 4 Odds, TV & Game Info

What: Syracuse Orange (23-13) at North Carolina Tar Heels (32-6)
When: Saturday, April 02, 2016
Start Time: 8:49 PM ET
Where: Houston, Texas
Stadium: NRG Stadium
Spread: North Carolina -10
Moneyline: North Carolina -625
Game Total: 149
Watch: TBS

Game Analysis:

I don’t think there’s a college basketball follower anywhere that hasn’t been extremely impressed with the run that Syracuse (23-13 SU, 20-15 ATS) has made to reach the Final Four. Having said that, I just don’t think there’s any way the Orange overcome a North Carolina (32-6 SU, 19-18-1 ATS) team that is absolutely brimming with talent. The Tar Heels beat their ACC counterparts 84-73 on January 9 to cash in as a 7.5-point road favorite before doubling up on Syracuse by beating the Orange 75-70 despite failing to cover the spread as a 13.5-point home fave.

Syracuse was held to less than 30.0 percent shooting from beyond the arc in both games and couldn’t find an answer to stopping Brice Johnson, though Carolina’s All-American averaged just 15.0 points per game in the two contests. Justin Jackson and Isaiah Hicks both had two very good games against Syracuse off the bench and for me…that explains the difference between these two ballclubs.

North Carolina will undoubtedly win this matchup because of their depth, but I think the nearly 10-point spread will be just a tad too high for the Heels to cover. I know Carolina is 5-0 ATS in their last five games against their Atlantic Coast conference rivals and a near-perfect 7-1 ATS in their last eight games overall but Syracuse is a perfect 4-0 ATS in their last 4 NCAA Tournament games, 5-0 ATS in their last five neutral site games and 4-1 ATS in their L/5 games against their ACC rivals.

Last but not least, the Orange are 3-1-1 ATS in the last five meetings against the Tar Heels.

The Pick: North Carolina 77 Syracuse 70

Previous Betting News

The Final Four is set and both the Oklahoma Sooners and the Syracuse Orange have been installed as NCAAB odds underdogs in their respective games this weekend. Can either or both teams manage to upset the favored duo of Villanova and North Carolina? Well, based on our analysis below, there are more than enough reasons to believe in the underdogs…

Syracuse and Oklahoma Can Be Final Four Betting Upsets

Reasons to Pick #2 Oklahoma over #2 Villanova in the Final Four

Of the two underdogs in the Final Four, the Sooners offer the most formidable pick for an upset. For starters, the Sooners already demolished the Villanova Wildcats when the two teams met on December 7th, beating Villanova by 23 points in a lopsided affair that saw Buddy Hield and gang score nail 14 three-pointers. And making matters worse, Hield is easily the most impressive NCAA tournament player since Stephen Curry, averaging 29.3 points per game in the Dance this year and is coming off a 37-point effort in Oklahoma’s dominant Elite Eight win over the top- seed Oregon. If Hield continues to impress, Villanova will be hard-done in the quest to stop the runaway Player of the Year candidate. And even if the otherworldly Hield is reduced to a mere mortal by Nova’s fierce defense, Jordan Woodard (13.0 PPG), Isaiah Cousins (12.8 PPG) and Ryan Spangler (10.3 PPG) are more than capable of picking up the slack. In the first meeting between the two teams at Pearl Harbor, Hield was held to “just” 18 points, but Cousins flirted with a triple-double, posting an impressive line of 19 points, 10 assists and six rebounds to fuel the impressive 78-55 win over the Wildcats. Meanwhile, Oklahoma’s defense that was rather erratic in the regular season has seemingly gotten it act right recently, having held three of its four opponents to less than 70 points. With the star players continuing to shine and Oklahoma’s defense continuing to play to its strengths, Oklahoma should be a team as good as any to upset the beatable Wildcats.

Upset NCAAB Pick: Oklahoma (+2)

Reasons to Pick #10 Syracuse over #1 North Carolina in Final Four

North Carolina beat the Orange twice when they met in the regular season, so it’s no surprise that the Tar Heels are strongly favored to go 3-0 against Syracuse this season. That said, Syracuse is the first-ever 10th seed in the NCAA Tournament to make the Final Four and the team has been absolutely impressive in its March Madness run. Not to mention, Syracuse has handled all kinds of opponents in the Tournament, drubbing a good Dayton team by 19 points in the first round, trouncing giant-killer Middle Tennessee by 25 points, beating Gonzaga and its explosive offense, before recently stunning top-seeded Virginia and its league-best defense in arguably the most memorable come-back upset win of the season. And above everything, the Orange have been good at forcing turnovers off opponents yet limiting their own mistakes. For example, the Orange forced 13 UVA turnovers yet gave away just 7 turnovers in the Elite Eight. If this battled-tested Orange team can find their shooting stroke and then dominate the boards against the Tar Heels, they’ll certainly have a chance to not only hang tight to UNC but also deliver another improbable upset, as they’ve done repeatedly throughout the tournament so far.

Upset NCAAB Pick: Syracuse (+9)

Previous Betting News

We are three games away from knowing who will be the 2015-2016 College Basketball National Champion. Three of your No. 1 seeds—Kansas, Oregon and Virginia—won’t be among the teams contending for that coveted trophy, thanks to some crazy upsets in the Elite 8 over the weekend. It’s now down to No. 1-seed North Carolina, No. 2 seeds Villanova and Oklahoma, and Final Four’s biggest surprise package Syracuse to fight for a slot in the National Championship game. Can the theme of upsets in the NCAAB online betting odds continue when these four teams take to the court on Saturday, April 2nd; or will the favorites stand tallest in the Final Four March Madness picks? Check out our early breakdown of the Final Four and what can be expected from the participating teams.

College Basketball Final 4 Predictions

North Carolina vs Syracuse NCAAB Odds Analysis

Where: NRG Stadium, Houston
When: Saturday, April 2, 8:49 PM ET
TV Broadcast: TBS
NCAAB Lines: North Carolina (-9), OVER/UNDER 146

Why North Carolina Will Beat Syracuse

Led by senior leaders Marcus Paige and Brice Johnson, and one of the best coaches in the nation coach Roy Williams; the Tar Heels are playing at a real high level right now, a key reason why they were the lone No. 1 seed team to make it past the Elite 8. In fact, of all the teams in the Final Four, the Tar Heels own the shortest odds to make it to the Final and win it all. Boosting their chances of claiming a win is the fact that Paige and Johnson are enjoying a strong offensive form, supported ably by Joel Berry II and Justin Jackson, with the Tar Heels scoring 89.3 points per game so far in the Tournament. Meanwhile, Notre Dame’s D has equally been on-point, as was showcased when UNC made that 24-0 run against Notre Dame in the Elite 8 while keeping the Irish scoreless for a span of 14 possessions. If this balanced North Carolina team shows up, it won’t be easy to upset the Tar Heels.

Why Syracuse Will Beat North Carolina

Did any of you see this coming? Against all odds, the Orange have scripted one of the most improbable runs in the NCAA Tournament and are now playing for chance to win it all in the Finals. And after downing two of the strongest teams with a long-standing history of success in the Big Dance in Gonzaga and Virginia, we don’t need to tell you twice that the Orange have a very realistic shot at upsetting UNC in a similar way. I mean, Syracuse’s full-court pressure is the real deal and their signature 2-3 zone has perfected the art of frustrating opposing shooters and forcing turnovers (see the 13 forced turnovers that led to 15 points against UVA for referenc). Meanwhile, Syracuse’s star senior guard Michael Gbinije (17.8 PPG, 4.1 RPG and 4.3 APG) is making all the right noises in the Big Dance,fellow senior Trevor Cooney has proven that he can light it up from downtown, and the freshman duo of Malachi Richardson and Tyler Lydon aren’t scared of stepping up with big clutch shots. Add the strong momentum and motivation of beating four good teams so far in the tournament (despite being installed as underdogs in all the four games), you find all the ingredients needed for the Orange to get the job done against UNC and beyond.

Expert NCAAB Picks: North Carolina Beats Syracuse, 77-69.

Villanova vs Oklahoma NCAAB Odds Analysis

Where: NRG Stadium, Houston, Texas
When: Saturday, April 2, 6:09 PM ET
TV Broadcast: TBS
NCAAB Lines: Villanova (-2), OVER/UNDER 146

Why Oklahoma Will Beat Villanova

Oklahoma’s scoring maestro Buddy Hield, who is averaging a ridiculous 29.3 points and 6.5 rebounds in his last four games, is freaking monster with the ball. You need to sample his brilliance, look no further than his game-high 37 points (including 8-of-13 shooting from downtown) against Oregon. As long as Hield is firing hot, don’t expect OU to slow down its quest for a spot in the Final. After all, Hield has plenty of support in the Oklahoma team that ranks second-best in the country in three-point shooting (42.8%) and is averaging over 80 PPG scoring in the Tourney so far. Oh, and Oklahoma already beat Villanova by 23 points when the two teams met on December 7th in Honolulu.

Why Villanova Will Beat Oklahoma

The Sooners may have handed Nova a beatdown in December, but the Wildcats are an entirely different team from the one that played back then. Villanova’s offense is playing better, as affirmed by their win margin of 27 points per game through their first three games of the Tournament, followed by a clutch performance in the 64-59 win over t the No. 1 overall seed Kansas in the South Regional final over the weekend. And unlike Oklahoma that largely relies on Hield, the Wildcats have a balanced offense that has seen four players score in double figures in each of their four tournament games. On the other side of the ball, Villanova’s defense is just as impressive; no wonder the Wildcats haven’t allowed 70 points so far in the Big Dance. In addition, this defense has forced all four opponents to double digit turnovers. And after forcing 14 Oklahoma turnovers in their regular season meeting in December, you can’t help but feel that the veteran-laden Villanova unit will be faring better against Oklahoma, especially after their master-class performance against a much better Kansas team that ranked as the best team in the Tournament on paper.

Expert NCAAB Picks: Villanova Holds on For a Narrow 75-72 win over Oklahoma