The 2022 NCAA Tournament is finally coming to an end this Monday, with the North Carolina Tar Heels taking on the Kansas Jayhawks. These are two blue bloods thirsty for success in the grandest stage of college basketball. Will the Tar Heels conclude their impressive run with a championship in just the first season under Hubert Davis? Or will the Jayhawks score their first national title win since 2008? Check out our preview below of this North Carolina-Kansas showdown.
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Betting Preview for the North Carolina Tar Heels vs Kansas Jayhawks NCAA Championship Basketball NCAA College Basketball Game on April 4 2022
Where: Caesars Superdome, New Orleans
When: Monday, April 4, 2022, 9:20 PM ET
Line: North Carolina Tar Heels (+4) vs. Kansas Jayhawks (-4) – view all 2022 NCAAB lines
TV Broadcast: CBS
Betting on the North Carolina Tar Heels (+4)
Record: 29-9 Overall/15-5 Conference
The show goes on for the Tar Heels, who have just sent Mike Krzyzewski to retirement by defeating his Duke Blue Devils in the Final Four round Saturday, 81-77. It was a gutsy win for North Carolina, which knew it had to win the rebounding battle to pass the test. Armando Bacot made sure of that, as he pulled down 21 of the team’s 50 rebounds to go along with 11 points. Bacot rolled his ankle against Duke but was able to return to action, though swelling could hamper him in the title game. In any case, North Carolina knows it can trust Caleb Love, who’s been on an enormous run in the tournament. Love is averaging 20 points in the Big Dance after dropping 28 points on the Blue Devils over the weekend. RJ Davis is another backcourt piece who’s stepped up for the Tar Heels. He had 18 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 assists. The Tar Heels are also hitting their shots consistently from deep. They have drained at least 10 threes in four of five games.
North Carolina is 5-0 against the spread in its last five games. The Tar Heels are also 12-3-1 against the spread in their last 16 games versus a team with a straight-up record better than .500.
Betting on the Kansas Jayhawks (-4)
Record: 33-6 Overall/14-4 Conference
The Final Four noise was mostly on the side of the Duke-North Carolina matchup, but Kansas doesn’t care about that. The fact is that the Jayhawks are the last top seed dancing. They have been playing like one for the majority of the tournament and are coming off a masterful 81-65 win in the Final Four over a very good Villanova Wildcats squad. Kansas’ road to the national title game isn’t as rough as the Tar Heels’, but taking down the Wildcats says a lot about how formidable Bill Self’s squad is. David McCormack put on a show in the Villanova game, pacing all scorers with 25 points, while Ochai Agbaji generated 21 points. If North Carolina wants to turn the game into a shootout from behind the arc, don’t be surprised if the Jayhawks oblige. Kansas went 13/24 on their threes against ‘Nova. Christian Braun and Ogbaji are both shooting over 38 percent on their 3-pointers this season, and they should continue spreading the floor for each other in the title game. Per KenPom, Kansas is sixth in the nation in adjusted offensive efficiency (119.6).
Kansas is Jayhawks are 7-2 against the spread in its last 9 games overall. The Jayhawks are also 6-2 against the spread in their last 8 neutral site games as a favorite.
Writer’s Prediction
Kansas wins, 81-76.
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