Kentucky vs. UConn betting: NCAA Championship Game odds favor Wildcats
Kentucky is favored but UConn bites hard as an underdog. Check the NCAA championship game betting odds and computer pick as the Huskies face the Wildcats.
Mark Zerof-USA TODAY Sports
In Connecticut's last seven games as the betting underdog, they are 6-1 both SU and ATS, and when OddsShark.com ran the data through their computer, they came up with a 70-69 win for the Huskies over the Kentucky Wildcats in Monday's national championship game.
The seventh-seeded Huskies will try to defy the odds one more time as a 2.5-point underdog going up against the eighth-seeded Kentucky. Tipoff is set for 9:10 p.m. ET at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
National Championship
Connecticut has put together four straight upset wins to advance to the NCAA Tournament finals, with none bigger than Saturday's 63-53 victory over Florida. Connecticut ended Florida's 30-game winning streak with a double-digit win, relying on its excellent defense just one week after doing the same in a 60-54 victory over Michigan State.
The Huskies are a perfect 5-0 SU and ATS in this year’s tournament and are 10-2 ATS over their last 12 tournament games overall.
Each of Kentucky's last four games have been decided by five points or less and have been thrillers right down to the final whistle. Aaron Harrison drained a three-pointer with 5.7 seconds left on Saturday to give the Wildcats a 74-73 win over Wisconsin as a one-point favorite. The OddsShark.com computer predicted the exact score — but for the wrong team — in that semifinal.
NCAA Championship Game
The Wildcats are 7-1 SU and 7-0-1 ATS over their last eight games. Including their championship run in 2012, the Wildcats are now 11-0 SU and 8-2-1 ATS in their last 11 NCAA Tournament games.
Connecticut and Kentucky have met four times since 2006, with UConn holding a 3-1 SU edge over that stretch. The Huskies are 2-0 SU and ATS in their last two games against Kentucky.
A common thread in all of Kentucky’s thrilling games this postseason has been the fact that they have been high-scoring. The Wildcats are averaging 75.3 points per game over their last four games, which have all gone OVER the total.
Connecticut’s first three tournament games went OVER the total, but each of the last two — as well as the previous nine — went UNDER.
This shapes up to be a great championship game. Both teams have proven their mettle against excellent opponents to advance to this point. Kentucky will try to turn the game into a shootout while the Huskies would prefer to keep their smothering defensive style intact.
