🏀 Your guide to the NCAA title game
Michigan (-7 Circa / -7.5 DraftKings) vs. UConn (8:50 ET, TNT)
Will pace make the race?
Something’s gotta give.
Adjusted tempo (possessions per 40 minutes) according to KenPom:
Michigan: 71.1 (22nd)
UConn: 64.7 (319th)
👉 Michigan wants to run as we all saw in the semifinal victory over Arizona.
👉 UConn prefers a half-court grind
The pace likely lands in the middle — but if Michigan dictates, it raises both scoring ceiling and blowout potential.
Maybe watch a few minutes and make a live bet?
Worth noting . . .
Covering machine: Dan Hurley is 18-3 SU and ATS in the NCAA Tournament at UConn.
Injuries:
Michigan’s Yaxel Lendeborg (bone bruise) is expected to play.
UConn guard Solo Ball was seen Sunday with a walking boot, but is expected to go.
UConn’s Silas Demary Jr. is still dealing with a high ankle sprain.
👉 Zach Cohen’s full preview →
Injuries:
Michigan’s Yaxel Lendeborg (bone bruise) is expected to play.
UConn guard Solo Ball was seen Sunday with a walking boot, but is expected to go.
UConn’s Silas Demary Jr. is still dealing with a high ankle sprain.
👉 Zach Cohen’s full preview →
📉 Top Trends
Steve Makinen’s trends for the title game show multi-angle agreement for the Under:
• Championship games: Under 11-4 (73%)
• Big Ten tourney games: Under 48-21 (69.6%)
• Big East vs Big Ten: Under 24-8 (75%)
• Historical scoring: ~135 PPG vs ~140 totals
👉 Four independent buckets pointing Under
Market:
Total is 144 (Circa) / 144.5 (DraftKings)
👉 Steve’s betting trends →
• Championship games: Under 11-4 (73%)
• Big Ten tourney games: Under 48-21 (69.6%)
• Big East vs Big Ten: Under 24-8 (75%)
• Historical scoring: ~135 PPG vs ~140 totals
👉 Four independent buckets pointing Under
Market:
Total is 144 (Circa) / 144.5 (DraftKings)
👉 Steve’s betting trends →
💰 NCAA Best Bets
👉
Greg Peterson →
👉 Dave Tuley →
👉 Tyler Shoemaker →
Contest note:
With a 26-18 record, Texas pro bettor Paul Stone has clinched his second straight Circa College Hoops Challenge title.
Final pick: Michigan -7
👉 Leaderboard & picks →
👉 Dave Tuley →
👉 Tyler Shoemaker →
Contest note:
With a 26-18 record, Texas pro bettor Paul Stone has clinched his second straight Circa College Hoops Challenge title.
Final pick: Michigan -7
👉 Leaderboard & picks →
⚾ MLB Best Bets
Greg Peterson has his eye on seven games on today’s card.
👉 Greg’s MLB Best Bets →
More coming:
Adam Burke, Zach Cohen and Steve Makinen will have updates later this morning.
👉 Go to MLB hub →
👉 Greg’s MLB Best Bets →
More coming:
Adam Burke, Zach Cohen and Steve Makinen will have updates later this morning.
👉 Go to MLB hub →
🤖 Free trial: Opta AI MLB player prop projections
Check out the new Opta AI player prop projections for MLB. We’ve added better ways to spot value and to track results.
👉 Explore projections →
👉 Explore projections →
🏀 Zach Cohen’s NBA Report
April chaos
Things are getting nutty now. After the ESPN straw poll revealed Kon Knueppel had 80% of the first-place votes, he climbed to -1800. Days later, Cooper Flagg is -250 after a 51-point game and a 45-9-8 follow-up.
I’m not sure we should be heavily weighing meaningless April games, so perhaps Knueppel is a buy at this point.
Lakers update
With Austin Reaves is out 4-6 weeks (oblique), Luka Doncic is headed to Europe for treatment for his hamstring injury in hopes he can return before the playoffs.
Monday night
Knicks-Hawks, Pistons-Magic, 76ers-Spurs and Blazers-Nuggets highlight a surprisingly strong slate in the shadows of the NCAA finale.
👉 Zach’s Best Bets later today →
👉 Explore NBA Opta AI projections (no paywall) →
