The University of Memphis Tigers (38-1) and Kansas University Jayhawks (36-3) will play in tonight’s NCAA Tournament national championship game in San Antonio’s Alamodome at 9:21 p.m. ET. Oddsmakers at online wagering giant Bodoglife.com has installed Memphis a 2 ½-point favorite ATS with a 148 total. Memphis is favored on the money line with the price of -110.
Kansas has won a school-record 36 games this season including winning 12 consecutive games since dropping a 61-60 game at Oklahoma State on Feb. 23. Kansas leads the nation in scoring margin (+19.3), while ranking in the top five in the country in assists (18.1), field goal percentage (50.8 percent), field goal percentage defense (37.9), and win-loss percentage (92.3).
The balanced Jayhawks feature four players scoring in double figures and a fifth at 9.2 points per game. Junior guard Brandon Rush leads the team with a 13.4 scoring average, following his 25 points against North Carolina on Saturday. He is followed by sophomore forward Darrell Arthur and junior guard Mario Chalmers, both at 12.6 and Darnell Jackson at 11.3. Sophomore guard Sherron Collins comes off the bench to chip in 9.2 points per game. Senior guard Russell Robinson averages 7.4 points per game while handing out 161 assists and recording 78 steals to rank second on the team in both categories. Chalmers leads the team with 166 assists and 93 steals. Arthur leads the team with 53 blocked shots, while senior center Sasha Kahn is next with 49 blocks to complement his 7.2 scoring average.
Memphis owns a 38-1 record this season with its only loss coming at home against Tennessee (66-62) on Feb. 23. The Tigers earned a Final Four spot after defeating co-Big 12 Champions Texas 85-67 in an Elite Eight game. Memphis defeated UCLA 78-63 in the national semifinal. The Tigers feature two players in double-figure points in Chris Douglas-Roberts (18.0) and Derrick Rose (14.8). Robert Dozier averages 9.1 points and a team-best 6.7 rebounds. Memphis has nine players averaging at least 14 minutes per game and is out-scoring opponents by 18.6 points per game and out-rebounding their opponents by 6.6 per game. The Tigers are making their second NCAA championship game having lost to UCLA 87-66 in the 1973 title game.
