Kansas vs. North Carolina Odds
Monday, April 4 9:20 p.m. ET TBS
| Kansas Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
| -4.5 -105 | 151.5 -110o / -110u | -200 |
| North Carolina Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
| +4.5 -115 | 151.5 -110o / -110u | +165 |
Odds via'BetMGM. Get up-to-the-minute'college basketball odds'here.
By: Jim Root
So, what do you say after that epic Saturday night clash? After Kansas took care of Villanova in business-like fashion, the expectations for a terrific nightcap between arch-rivals UNC and Duke could not have been higher.
Fortunately, we got the classic we hoped for — though, the victor may have been surprising to many.
For Tar Heel fans, the elation that comes with slaying the Coach K giant on this grandest of stages may be incomparable. For the players and the coaches, that was merely a (rather large) step in the climb to the top of the sport's mountain.
Refocusing and reenergizing is likely a bigger challenge for the crowd than it is for the players — it's the national title game. I cannot envision a true letdown effect.
More daunting is the challenge of facing a Kansas team that looked like a juggernaut in Saturday's game. The Jayhawks completely obliterated a stout Villanova defense to an absurd degree:
KU scored 1.398 points per possession – the highest mark against Villanova's defense in the last five seasons -'while scoring zero fast-break points. It's the first game all season the Jayhawks didn't score in transition.
— Jesse Newell (@jessenewell) April 3, 2022
Foremost in that effort were David McCormack and Ochai Agbaji, the two senior leaders.
McCormack was everywhere, unleashing some rim-rocking dunks and finishing with deft touch on the block. When he's that active and engaged, he's unstoppable.
Agbaji, meanwhile, started the game 6-for-6 from beyond the arc, sparking the inferno that scorched the Wildcats to a crisp.
Many storylines linger as we head to the season's finish line. Which McCormack will show up? What about Remy Martin? And will Armando Bacot's ankle limit his mobility and effectiveness?
Let's dive in!
By: Ky McKeon
Kansas' path to the Final Four was arguably (and really not arguably) the easiest of the New Orleans quartet.
The Jayhawks started with Texas Southern, then got a Creighton squad missing its starting point guard and center.
Providence was next, the “luckiest” team in the country and an overseeded 4-seed by analytics.
Then came Miami (FL), a 10-seed that knocked out the mighty Auburn Tigers for KU.
In the Final Four, KU faced Villanova, a terrific team, but one that was without star guard Justin Moore, who tore his Achilles against Houston in the Elite Eight.
Making the national title game is never easy, but it was a fortunate path.
Having said that, Kansas deserves to be in this game. The Jayhawks are undisputedly one of the top teams in the country, and they've looked scary good at times in this tournament.
The key for KU against UNC will be on the interior, where 6-foot-10 McCormack roams. Why is he so important? Because if Big Dave can get Bacot in foul trouble, UNC is in deep trouble.
The Tar Heels have zero depth and can't get away with defending McCormack — heck maybe even Mitch Lightfoot — with Brady Manek or Puff Johnson at the 5. Bacot is essential to UNC's success, and I'd wager he's targeted early and often via McCormack post-ups.
Keeping Bacot and the Heels off the glass will also be crucial. Bacot grabbed 21 boards against Duke, and the Heels as a team yanked down 39.5% of their misses on the offensive end. KU has the size to keep UNC at bay, but it needs to have the discipline to consistently box-out, as well.
The guard battle will be another point of intrigue. UNC's backcourt duo of Caleb Love and RJ Davis can be the best in the country on one night and among the worst the next.
Erratic shot selection has been a theme all season for the Heels, even during their recent impressive winning streak. KU's guards — specifically Dajuan Harris Jr. and Martin — are playing their best basketball right now.
Harris is a cool customer at the point of attack, and Remy is a dynamo who can score against anyone off the bounce. Whoever wins the guard battle likely wins the game.
KU's trump card is First Team All-American Agbaji who shook off any potential “slump” inklings with a 21-point performance against Villanova on Saturday.
There is nobody on UNC quite as dynamic or as star-studded as Agbaji. Manek can get his, but Agbaji has another level. UNC’s Leaky Black — touted as one of the best defenders in the nation — likely gets the assignment, but I'd take Agbaji in that matchup despite Black's defensive prowess.
Transition is key for both squads, as both love to run in the open floor and have the athleticism and speed to be successful there. Both teams primarily push the pace off of defensive rebounds, making the glass battle all the more crucial.
KU scores 1.105 points per possession (PPP) in transition, an excellent mark per Synergy. UNC allows 1.043 PPP in transition, a below-average mark.
. . . Read Full Article >