Posted on 4/7/2008 7:34:57 PM

NCAA Basketball Betting – Memphis Tigers, Kansas Jayhawks, Meet For National Title

By Eric Williams

After nearly six spectacular months of often spine-tingling, edge-of-your-seats college basketball, the long trek to the NCAA Championship tilt is finally here – and BetUS NCAA basketball bettors looking to cash in with a winning wager on tonight’s matchup, have definitely come to the right place.

BetUS is currently offering excellent NCAA Basketball Odds on tonight’s matchup in the BetUS Sportsbook.

The Kansas Jayhawks, (36-3 SU, 22-15 ATS, 17-20 O/U), have reached the NCAA title game by blitzing the North Carolina Tar Heels 84-66 while getting double figure scoring from four players including shooting guard Brandon Rush who scored a team-high 25 points on 11-for-17 shooting.

The Jayhawks shot a blistering 53.1 percent from the field as a team and 33.3 percent from long distance as they jumped on the Tar Heels early and found a way to hold off their hard-charging foes in the second half when they attempted to mount a furious comeback.

The Memphis Tigers, (38-1 SU, 18-19-2 ATS, 22-17 O/U), reached the NCAA title tilt after overwhelming the UCLA Bruins in their semifinal showdown on Saturday, winning 78-63 as three players scored in double figures, including their spectacular backcourt combination of Chris Douglas-Roberts, who scored 28 points on 9-for-17 shooting and freshman point guard Derrick Rose, who added 25 points on 7-for-16 shooting from the field and 11-for-12 shooting from the free throw line.

The Tigers also got 15 rebounds from power forward Joey Dorsey and nine from Rose despite the fact that he plays point guard.

The Jayhawks have won 12 consecutive games coming into this matchup while going an impressive 8-4 against the spread over the same span.

“We’ve been playing so hard as a team, and together, and not playing selfish,” Jayhawks forward Darnell Jackson said at a news conference. “Now we've got an opportunity to make history at Kansas.”

The Tigers have also won their last dozen games, but have gone an unimpressive 5-7 against the spread over the same span. The good news for bettors who like the Tigers is the fact that Memphis has covered the spread in three straight games coming into tonight’s championship contest, including a cover as 2-point favorites over the UCLA Bruins in their last matchup.

“A lot of teams come out and tend to run with us because they really can't prepare for our athleticism in practice,” Memphis guard Chris Douglas-Roberts said. “And our depth helps us out a lot because we can bring three or four off the bench, and they’re all running, too. It's hard to run with a team that has this depth the whole game.”

Kansas has managed to cover the spread in four of their five NCAA Tournament games, including their last contest against the Tar Heels when they covered as 2.5-point underdogs.

The Jayhawks have averaged 80.4 points per game this season while shooting 50.7 percent from the field and 40.0 percent from three-point distance. Defensively, Kansas has allowed 61.4 points per game on 37.9 percent shooting from the field and 32.9 percent from beyond the arc.

The Tigers are averaging 80.2 points per game this season while making 46.8 percent of their collective shots and 35.1 percent of its three-pointers. Memphis has limited its opponents to just 61.6 points per game this season on 38.7 percent shooting from the field and 30.3 percent of their three-pointers.

“I’m coaching a Dream Team that get along, they respect coaching, they take on their roles and do it,” Calipari said. “That's what's happened for us all year.”

Here is a look at tonight’s key trends followed by my NCAAB Betting Picks.

The Jayhawks are 5-0 ATS in their last five neutral site games as an underdog.

The Jayhawks are 7-1 ATS in their last eight games as an underdog.

The Jayhawks are 6-1 ATS in their last seven games as an underdog of 0.5-6.5.

The Tigers are 4-0 ATS in their last four NCAA Tournament games as a favorite of 0.5-6.5.

The Tigers are 4-0 ATS in their last four vs. Big 12.

The Tigers are 5-1 ATS in their last six games as a favorite of 0.5-6.5.

The Under is 5-0 in Jayhawks last five games following a S.U. win.

The Under is 5-0 in Jayhawks last five neutral site games.

The Over is 5-0 in Tigers last five games following a S.U. win.

The Over is 5-0 in Tigers last five neutral site games.

Analysis: While the Jayhawks routed the Tar Heels in their last contest and showed me a lot about their team in the process, I just can’t go against the Memphis Tigers tonight. The fact of the matter is that the Tigers have only one loss this year for a reason. Their depth is unmatched by any team, even the Jayhawks while their hustle on every single play is clearly visible, not to mention the fact that they have two NBA-caliber guards in their starting backcourt, including and a point guard in Derrick Rose that is undoubtedly better than at least one-third of the starting point guards in the NBA.

While the Jayhawks certainly won’t go quietly, I say take the Memphis Tigers to finish of their outstanding season with another victory and their fourth consecutive cover against the spread.

I also think the ‘Over’ is going to be an absolute lock in this contest between two of the highest-scoring teams in the game this season.

NCAAB Free Picks: Memphis -3 Points/Over 147½ Total Points

09:15 PM EST NCAAB Betting Odds

Kansas +3 -110

Memphis U -3 -110

Over 147½ -110

Under 147½ -110

NCAA Championship Game @ Alamodome, San Antonio, TX

Go to the BetUS.com online sportsbook today to bet on NCAA basketball. We have the most current NCAA basketball odds and lines, as well as player and game props. Join BetUS.com to experience the best in online sports betting action!