After beating Florida 79-59 as a small underdog in the Elite 8, the Michigan Wolverines got past Syracuse to earn the right to take on the Louisville Cardinals in tonight’s NCAA Men’s basketball final from Atlanta
Louisville are favored for tonight’s game but the early numbers suggest more bettors are backing Michigan on both the moneyline and pointspread
Michigan opened as a 2-point favorite Saturday vs. the Orange and it looked as if sportsbooks were taking action on dog when the line dipped to 1.5 before tipoff. Michigan led 36-25 at half-time and held on for a 61-56 final but as expected, basketball odds favor Louisville tonight with Pinnacle showing the Cards -4 and Over/Under 138.
Louisville failed to clear its double-digit total Saturday vs. the Shockers but from a straight-up perspective, the 72-68 win extended the Cardinals’ win streak to 15-straight. Though a slight underdog at handicapping sites who track public betting percentages, Louisville (31-percent) are 10-2 ATS in their past 12 games and that includes nine covers vs. teams who has a winning record. The Cards are 8-2 ATS in their past 10 tournament games and have history on their side, as No. 1 seeds boast a 7-2 ATS record in this round the past nine times.
Each of these teams have done a good job from the floor throughout this tournament but as the Cards make their first title appearance since 1986, it’s worth watching how often they attempt to go after Michigan from three-point land. Louisville drained nine against Wichita State but they are just 24 of 76 (32-percent) throughout the tournament and can’t expect to benefit from turnovers.
Michigan is shooting 48-percent from the field and rank as one of the nation’s top teams for offensive turnovers. When they get a chance, the Wolverines tend to make it count.
The Wolverines are trying to improve on a 1-4 straight-up record in national title games but they are 3-2 as a dog this season and can score from anywhere. It could come down to tempo for this game and given Louisville’s overall talent and ability to play to their opponent’s potential, we will ride with the favorite to cover.
Pick: Take the Cardinals
The EveryEdge sports betting forum is THE source for true online handicapping tips and sports betting information. Check in daily for write-ups and picks from our top handicappers and follow EE on Twitter for updates!