The Final Four matchups are set, and the game and title odds have been released. Play resumes Saturday in Indianapolis and no one will have more coverage than Belmont.ag.
Belmont.ag odds-to-win the NCAA tournament: Duke (6/5), West Virginia (9/5), Butler (3/1) and Michigan State (13/2).
Top seed Duke (33-5 SU, 22-13-2 ATS) is the new favorite. That probably means they’re doomed the way the rest of the tournament has gone. Coach K has had far more talented teams, but this is a gritty bunch that will battle you for 40 minutes. The showdown with West Virginia looks like a good one.
2nd seed West Virginia (31-6 SU, 17-19 ATS) is the close second-favorite after a shocking upset of Kentucky. The Mountaineers relied on the three-point shot, while the Wildcats were ice cold from deep. Bob Huggins is making his first Final Four appearance since coaching Cincinnati in 1992. WVU last made it this far in 1959.
Duke is a 2 ½-point favorite over West Virginia.
5th seed Michigan State (28-8 SU, 15-20 ATS) is in the Final Four for the second consecutive year. They lost the title game last season to North Carolina. Coach Tom Izzo is proving once again he’s the best in the business. The Spartans managed to avoid the top-3 teams in the Midwest Region, but you can only beat who you play.
5th seed Butler (32-4 SU, 16-20 ATS) is finally getting the respect they deserve after knocking out the top two West seeds, Syracuse and Kansas State. Butler has a 24-game winning streak and the Horizon League mid-major is a true ‘Hoosiers’ story playing in their hometown of Indy. This is their first Final Four.
Butler is a 1 ½-point favorite over Michigan State.
Full previews and predictions are coming later in the week.
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This has been one of the best NCAA tournaments in history! When the favourite Kansas was knocked out, everyone locked to the future-NBA-filled roster in Kentucky but now that West Virginia has sent them packing… who knows what’s going to happen. And the fact WVU won against Kentucky without even getting a two-point basket in the first half in crazy and absolutely unheard of. Didn’t hurt that the WildCats went 0-of-20 to start the game the beyond the arc.
If you want an in depth write up, preview and prediction for West Virginia vs. Duke go to: http://www.lionsdenu.com/march-madness-2010-final-four-west-virginia-vs-duke/ Weigh in and vote on who you think is going to the national championship!
The Blue Devils had a scare against Baylor but now with a week to focus on WVU .. watch out.. Scheyer, Singler and Smith weren’t on their game and the bench stepped up.. if the Mountaineers have to worry about Duke’s bench.. could be a lonnng day