Final Four 2011: The Odds On Kentucky-UConn In The Semifinal

If the Final Four matchup between VCU and Butler is a battle of twirling Cinderellas, the second Final Four showdown featuring Kentucky and Connecticut on Saturday night at Reliant Stadium is a clash of teams perfectly familiar with dancing past midnight.

The Wildcats and Huskies are among college basketball’s elite, and both programs are poised to reach the pinnacle of the sport with a mid-major team waiting in Monday night’s national championship game.

Kentucky (29-8 SU, 16-15-1 ATS) hasn’t been to the Final Four since it won the national title in 1998, and while UConn (30-9 SU, 21-12 ATS) reached the national semifinals two years ago, it last cut down the nets to end the NCAA Tournament back in 2004.

This is a rare rematch from a previous matchup earlier in the season involving out-of-conference foes, and oddsmakers like the Wildcats to turn the tables on the Huskies. Kentucky is priced as a 2-point favorite against Connecticut with game trends all over the map, while the total is set at 140.

(For lines and info on both Final Four games, check out SB Nation’s lines partner Odds Shark.)

Kentucky Wildcats vs. Connecticut Huskies (+2, 140) – Matchup Report

Kemba Walker went for 29 points and six assists in the Huskies’ 84-67 win over the ‘Cats on November 24 at the Maui Invitational. Alex Oriakhi added 18 points and 11 rebounds for UConn (+4.5), which shot 57.7% (30 of 52) from the floor to torch Kentucky.

Walker is a co-favorite to be named tournament Most Outstanding Player, while some shops tracked by OddsShark have set 25.5 as the over-under on his point total for this game.

A lot has changed since then for John Calipari’s Wildcats, who won the East Region as the No. 4 seed with a 76-69 win over No. 2 North Carolina on Sunday afternoon. Brandon Knight posted 22 points and seven boards in the win for Kentucky (-1.5).

The victory against the spread lifted the Wildcats to 3-1 ATS in the Big Dance and to 6-2 ATS (8-0 SU) in their last eight games. Overall, Kentucky has won 10 straight games SU (6-3-1 ATS), including its run to the SEC title.

For their part, the Huskies are also 3-1 against the number in March Madness, with their only loss ATS coming in their last contest. The No. 3 seed in the West Region, Connecticut couldn’t cover as 3.5-point favorites in its 65-63 victory over No. 5 Arizona in the regional final last Saturday.

This is a tough game to call for bettors – UConn is the higher seed but Kentucky carries the chalk into Houston. “Higher seeds have typically been the way to go for bettors during the Tournament in the past, but that may not be the case this year with a No. 11 and No. 8 seed (VCU and Butler) still standing,” says OddsShark.com’s Mark Presley.

“The higher seed winning more often (in the Final Four) could throw a wrench into the Connecticut-Kentucky game for some bettors.” In the earlier game on Saturday night, Butler is a 2.5-point favorite against Virginia Commonwealth, while the total is on the board at 133.5.

For live odds, matchups, links to Final Four games and more every day, visit Odds Shark.