Monday night’s NCAA Championship betting game features tradition rich Duke against home town favorite Butler in what should be a fascinating game. Duke routed West Virginia, 78-57, in the late Final Four game on Saturday while Butler just got past Michigan State, 52-50, in the first game. Duke was so impressive in their victory that the oddsmakers have made them a solid favorite on Monday.
Duke is a 7-point favorite with a total of 129 at SBG Global.
Butler didn’t really play that well on Saturday against Michigan State but was able to win thanks to their defense. “I never thought we would win if we shot 15 for 49,” Butler head coach Brad Stevens said. The Bulldogs have won 25 games in a row but they will need to play better on Monday to make it 26 straight. “Words can’t explain the way everybody is feeling right now,” Butler senior forward Willie Veasley said, “to be in the national championship game, when nobody gave us a chance at all.”
Butler is not getting much respect in this game. They have a decided home court advantage, yet they are 7-point underdogs to Duke. The Blue Devils are a three-time national champion but they have not been in the title game in nine years. “It’s definitely going to be a big story, I’m sure,” Duke’s Nolan Smith said. “People calling Butler the Cinderella and, of course, Duke the big-time program. But it’s going to be a fight. You know, both teams are very good.” Butler has held 12 of its last 13 opponents under 60 points, including all five in the NCAA Tournament. “I think they’re an outstanding basketball betting team who, because Butler hasn’t been to the Final Four, creates that Cinderella thing,” Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski said. “But they’re one of the best teams in the country, or else they wouldn’t be playing in the national championship. They’ve earned it.”
The Bulldogs are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 NCAA Tournament games. The Bulldogs are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 vs. the ACC. The Bulldogs are 20-6 ATS in their last 26 games as an underdog. The Blue Devils are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 NCAA Tournament games.
The Under is 4-0 in the Bulldogs last 4 overall. The Under is 12-5 in the Blue Devils last 17 overall.
