The field of 65 has been narrowed to four teams and next weekend the remaining squads — North Carolina, Villanova, Connecticut, and Connecticut — will battle it out for a shot at the national title. Final Four Betting Odds at Sportsbook.com have the Tar Heels listed as a -125 moneyline favorite to win the National Championship. Close behind UNC are the UConn Huskies at +250 moneyline odds
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Coming in a distant third and fourth in Sportsbook.com's Final Four Betting Odds are the Michigan State Spartans at +500 and the Villanova Wildcats at +600.
Connecticut, like North Carolina, has dominated most of their NCAA Tournament competition. The only team to pose the Huskies a real threat in their run to the Final Four was the Missouri Tigers in last weekend's regional final. Jim Calhoun's squad eventually beat Mizzou 82-75, but they won their previous three tournament games (Tennessee-Chattanooga, Texas A&M, and Purdue) by an average of 31.3 points per game.
The Tigers managed to stay close by forcing UConn into 17 turnovers while also limiting the Huskies to 16.7 percent from beyond the arc. Michigan State Head Coach Tom Izzo has no doubt taken note of the Tigers formula.
Connecticut has had a host of big performers over the past two weekends, guard A.J. Price, forward Jeff Adrien, and center Hasheem Thabeet, have all been major contributors. However, the x-factor has been forward Stanley Robinson. His speed and athleticism often creates mismatches for UConn both on the block and on the perimeter. Robinson has averaged 14.75 points, 7.25 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks per game during the NCAA Tournament.
Robinson, along with reserve point guard and true freshman Kemba Walker, will play a critical role if the Huskies are to defeat the Spartans and move onto the national title game. Walker's speed and ability to get into the lane proved vital against the Tigers as he went off for 23 points, five rebounds, and five assists in the big win.
Sportsbook.com's Final Four Betting Odds:
North Carolina Tar Heels -125
Connecticut Huskies +250
Michigan State Spartans +500
Villanova Wildcats +600
