When the NCAA tournament tipped off with the play-in games on March 15th, 68 teams had the highest of hopes at making it to the Final Four. Now, at this point, after numerous upsets and hotly contested games, only 4 teams remain. Kentucky, the 4-seed out of the East region, Connecticut, the 3-seed out of the West region, Butler, the 8-seed out of the Southeast region, and VCU, the 11-seed out of the Southwest region, are the only teams left standing now that the dust of the first two weeks has settled. It is one of the most unlikely Final Four scenarios, but it is also one of the most exciting. On one side of the bracket, you have two mid-major teams battling for recognition with Butler and VCU, and on the other side, you have two of the most popular college teams in history, Kentucky and Connecticut.
Kentucky and Connecticut, despite not being the top seeds from their respective regions, should be an incredible matchup. Kentucky, lead by Coach John Calipari, and Connecticut, lead by Coach Jim Calhoun, are two of the most well-coached teams in the entire nation. While good coaching does not mean everything, it is vital when it comes to the Final Four. On top of the great coaching, Kentucky and Connecticut are two of the hottest teams in the country right now. Kentucky has won 10 games in a row, while Connecticut has won its last 9 in a row. Both teams have the ability to score a ton of points, and this should definitely be a high-scoring game. The biggest question mark in this matchup is Connecticut’s depth, as that was a problem against Arizona. You can look for a back and forth game here, and the result will likely come down to who can nail their shots in the clutch.
Butler versus VCU is not a Final Four matchup that many people had envisioned, but that is what makes March Madness so fun. Everyone knows that you have to expect the unexpected, and both teams have proven that to be true. VCU has appeared unstoppable so far, as they have destroyed everyone in their path, including top-seeded Kansas. So far, Butler has done what Butler does best, which is grind, grind, and grind some more. They wear down their opponents, and it has proven successful for them thus far. VCU has one of the best young coaches in the game in Shaka Smart, and he has gotten his team ready to play their hearts out in every game so far. While Butler may win the game, you can bet that they will not out-hustle VCU, as no team has done that so far. VCU is full of sharpshooters, and that combined with their relentless pace should prove to be the difference here. The line is VCU plus 2, and you should get on that while you can. If Butler plays the type of basketball that they are notorious for, then they will lose to VCU in this game.
This weekend’s Final Four is shaping up to be one of the most memorable in history. The storyline here is that, regardless of who wins, the championship will feature a historic team taking on a mid-major. While that is fun, you can make this weekend’s Final Four even better by making a little extra cash while enjoying the back and forth action.
When it comes to sports, online betting can be a challenge, so we invite you to review our Complete Sportsbooks List to make sure you go with a top online sportsbook before placing any bets on the 2011 Final Four.
And be sure to check out Don Best Odds for the latest lines!
Tourney Contests
