Virginia Favored to Win It All as NCAA Tournament Reaches the Final Four

Posted on: April 4, 2019, 06:00h. 

Last updated on: April 4, 2019, 02:49h.

Steve Bittenbender Read More
Expertise: Legislation, Sports Betting, Horse Racing.

The last teams still standing in the NCAA Tournament all landed in Minneapolis Wednesday to begin preparations for this weekend’s Final Four. Michigan State, Texas Tech, Virginia and Auburn will all take to the court at U.S. Bank Stadium Saturday evening with the hopes of advancing to Monday’s Championship tilt.

Virginia celebrates during a regular season home win against Georgia Tech in February. The Cavaliers hope to celebrate another victory this weekend in the NCAA Tournament’s Final Four. (Image: Associated Press)

Virginia, currently ranked No. 2 in the Associated Press poll, comes in as the favorite to cut down the nets. At FanDuel Sportsbook, the Cavaliers are +125, which means a $100 bet would net $125. Michigan State is available at +190. Texas Tech (+460) and Auburn (+800) are the underdogs.

Odds at PointsBet do not fluctuate much. Virginia is the favorite at +130, while the Spartans fetch +200. Texas Tech lands at +450, while the Tigers are a little lower at +700.

FanDuel also offers a prop bet to name Monday’s finalists. Bettors believe Virginia-Michigan State will be the most likely outcome, with that possible championship game comes in at +125. Think it’ll be Texas Tech vs. Auburn, then you can score +585 odds with FanDuel, who has sportsbooks in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.

Virginia Versus Auburn in Final Four

Auburn and Virginia play first, tipping off at 6:09 pm ET. The Cavaliers started off as a 5.5-point favorite, and they’ve stayed there for the most part, according to data from VegasInsider.com.

The straight-up moneyline has Virginia at -250, meaning a bettor would need to wager $250 to win $100. Auburn currently is at +210.

Virginia has been one of the best teams in college basketball this season against the spread. The Cavaliers 69.4 winning percentage ranks fifth according to TeamRankings.com. Auburn comes in 28th with a 62.2 cover rate.

Saturday will mark the eighth time this season the Tigers play as an underdog. They are 5-2 against the spread and have four wins outright. That including their last two NCAA Tournament games against North Carolina and Kentucky.

Red Raiders Play the Spartans

Like Auburn, Texas Tech will be the underdog in the second game Saturday. It’s a role the Red Raiders have played all season.

We don’t mind the underdog chip on the shoulder part of our story, but I think you disrespect our players a little bit,” Red Raiders coach Chris Beard said after their win last Saturday over Gonzaga.” We got really good college players and I think we’re one of the best teams in the country this year.”

The Spartans started as a 3-point favorite, but betting on Texas Tech, one of the best defensive teams in the country, has moved it down a half-point.

However, Tech’s success this season hasn’t really carried over to the sportsbook. The Red Raiders own a 19-16-1 record against the spread. Five of the cover failures came in games where handicappers made them a 25-point or larger favorite.

As an underdog, the Red Raiders have covered four times in seven games.

Michigan State meanwhile enjoys the second-best record in college basketball against the spread, covering 71 percent of the time.

In straight-up wagering, bettors expect a closer game in the second semifinal. Michigan State is the -155 moneyline favorite, with Texas Tech’s odds at +135.

CBS will air the Final Four and title games. The NCAA will also stream them through its March Madness Live app.