With a few days to go before the Final Four tips off there are a few things bettors need to know before making their bets.
The lines for both games are on the move, but don’t be too worried about it, because so far it’s been minimal. The line for Michigan State vs. Butler opened up with the Bulldogs listed as a 1.5-point odds favorite at Sportsbook. It looks like early bettors haven’t been too confident in Butler because the latest final four line has them down as 1-point chalk.
It’s a different story in the Duke vs. West Virginia game. The Sportsbook odds for that one had the Blue Devils down as a 2-point favorite. Check it out now and you’ll find Duke listed as 2.5-point chalk. With Duke the last No. 1 seed standing it’s not really a surprise that the early money has gone that way.
A No. 1 seed has won the tournament in four of the last five years, with the only exception being Florida in 2006. That’s just one of the reasons Duke is the tournament favorite on the final four futures odds at +120. They’re followed by West Virginia at +225 and Butler at +400. Michigan State draws the short end from the oddsmakers at +450.
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Injuries haven’t played a big part in the tournament so far, but two of the Final Four teams have been hit. You would have to have been living under a rock to not know that Michigan State leading scorer Kalin Lucas is out. His tournament has been over since he ruptured his Achilles in the Sportsbook round.
Also on injury watch for the Spartans are guard Chris Allen and forward Delvon Roe. Allen has a torn ligament in his right arch that has only limited him in practice so far. Roe has also had his practice time limited by a torn meniscus in his right knee. He’ll undergo surgery after the season, but until then will continue to tough it out in games.
The Mountaineers may have some good news on the injury front concerning guard Darryl Bryant. He missed West Virginia’s last two games after suffering a broken foot in practice right before the Sweet 16. It looked like Bryant’s tournament was over, but a newly designed shoe could allow him to return on Saturday. Bryant says he’s 90% sure to play, but West Virginia head coach Bob Higgins wasn’t as optimistic and said he would have to wait and see how he performed in practice later in the week.
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