Michigan vs. Villanova Prediction
Who will come away with the cover in tonight’s NCAA Tournament Championship as Villanova and Michigan collide?
GAME SNAPSHOT
NCAA Tournament Championship: (601) Michigan vs. (602) Villanova
Monday, April 2, 2018
Location: Alamodome – San Antonio, Texas
TV: TBS, 9:20PM ET
CURRENT ODDS
According to oddsmakers at YouWager, Villanova is favored in this game, as the Wildcats are getting odds of -7 points against Michigan. The over/under total is currently listed at 144.5 points.
LINE MOVEMENT
The opening line for this game had Villanova favored by 6.5 points. The spread quickly moved to 7 and has bounced back and forth between these two marks. The over/under total opened at 145 points. It peaked at 145.5 points before falling back to 144.5.
Bet on College Basketball for Monday, April 2, 2018
PUBLIC BETTING INFORMATION
The public is behind Villanova tonight. As of Monday afternoon, the Wildcats are getting 63 percent of the wagers on this game as the favorite against Michigan.
KEY INJURIES
Both teams come into this game healthy, with nobody listed on the injury report for tonight’s contest.
BETTING STRATEGIES
Michigan was a No. 3 seed in the NCAA Tournament. The Wolverines have had a unique path to the championship, failing to play any better than a 6 seed to this point. On Saturday, the Wolverines overcame a double-digit deficit to beat Loyola-Chicago, 69-57. U-M is 3-1-1 against the spread in the tournament and has yet to be an underdog. It has been winning with defense, as it is allowing just 58.6 per game during this run. Offensively, it is averaging 70.2 per game, but that average is impacted by a 99-point performance against Texas A&M. Moritz Wagner had been leading the team this season, averaging 14.6 points and 7.1 rebounds per game. He had 24 points and 15 rebounds in the win over Loyola.
Villanova was a No. 1 seed for the NCAA Tournament and the Wildcats have lived up to the seeding, winning all five games by double figures. On Saturday, Nova dominated Kansas, 95-79 behind 18 3-pointers. The Wildcats have covered the spread in all five wins and is averaging 84.8 per game on offense while shooting 42.3 percent from 3-point land. Defensively, Nova is giving up just 67 per game in the tournament. Jalen Brunson has been leading the team this season with 19.2 points, 4.7 assists and 3.1 rebounds per game. He put up 18 points and six assists in Saturday’s win over Kansas.
Nova has looked incredible thus far in the tournament and clearly seems like the better team on paper. The question for the Wildcats is if the Michigan defense will be able to slow it down. Michigan showed against Texas A&M it can get hot, but the Wolverines have struggled on offense in four of their five tournament games. They can’t struggle on offense tonight. I think Michigan will make a game of this, but Villanova will pull away late and claim the championship while covering.
NCAA TOURNAMENT PREDICTIONS: VILLANOVA -7