Two schools that were not in the Final Four before the start of the NCAA Tournament Extended Era in 1985 are back in the headlines this year.
No. 1 Baylor will meet No. 2 Houston in a Final Four national semifinal on Saturday. The tipoff will be at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis at 5 pm or 8:30 pm ET. The game will be broadcast by CBS.
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Baylor (26-2) led South Region to 81–72 with coach Scott Drew winning the region final over Arkansas. Byers is in the Final Four for the first time since 1950. Jared Butler, Makio Teague and Davion Mitchell are leading Baylor through their tournament runs.
Houston (28–3), the Midwest Region champion, is in the Final Four for the first time since Phi Slama Jama Heyday of 1982–84. Coach Kevin Sampson returned to the Final Four for the first time since 2002. Quentin Grimes and Marcus Sasser combined for nine 3-pointers in a 67–61 win over Oregon State in the elite.
Here’s everything you need to know about betting on Boiler vs. Arkansas in the 2021 NCAA Tournament, including updated odds, trends, and our prediction for the final four games.
Boiler vs houston odds
- Spread: Boiler (-5)
- over under: Is 135.5
- money Line: Boiler-210, Houston +176
Three betting trends to watch
– Baylor is 19-10 ATS this season. Bears are 8–3 ATS when less than 10 digits are favored.
– Baylor 9-3 ATS and 12-0 S / U in non-conference games.
– Houston is 20–11 ATS this season and 11–0 S / U in non-conference games. This is the Cougars’ first game as an underdog this season.
Last four histories
Houston is making its sixth Final Four appearance. The Cougars reached the NCAA Championship Game in 1983 and 1984 with teams led by Hakeem Oljuwon and Clyde Drexler. Boiler performed the last four performances in 1948 and 1950. Kentucky defeated Beers 58–42 in the 1948 national championship game.
Baylor Key Players
Butler (16.5 points per game), Teague (15.9 ppg) and Mitchell (14.0 ppg) carry the scoring weight for the Bears, and the big players also make around 12 assists per game. Boiler has a deep core of role players, including Adam Flailer (9.0 ppg), Matthew Mayer (8.2 ppg), Jonathan Tchamwa Techtchaua (6.3 ppg), Mark Vital (5.7 ppg) and Flo Thamba (3.6 ppg). That eight-man rotation is happening at the right time.
Houston key players
Junior guard Quentin Grimes averages 18.0 points and 6.0 rebounds per game. He is 17 of 39 (43.6 percent) from 3-point range in the NCAA tournament. Sasser averages 13.3 points as part of Kaiser’s dynamic backcourt, and senior Dejon Jarareu contributes 10.8 points and 5.4 rebounds per game. Justin Gorham (8.6 ppg, 8.6 RPG) is the leading post player
Best Individual Matchup: Grimes vs Mitchell
This has become a theme for Baylor throughout the season. Mitchell is a stopper – Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year. Bias’ defense struggled against Arkansas in the first half when Mitchell committed three first-half fouls. Grimes has only one game this season with 10 or more free throws, and he cannot settle for 3-point shots with Mitchell on the perimeter.
Boiler vs Houston State to know
Both teams have defended the 3-point line well throughout the tournament. Four of Houston’s opponents have shot 80 of 24 (30 percent) from there. Baylor has limited opponents from 3-point range from 19 to 72 shooting (26.4 percent). If this trend continues, both the fast-break point and the half-court execution will make a difference.
Learn . . MaCio teague
Teague, a senior who began his career at UNC-Asheville, has emerged as one of the tournament’s good stories. He failed to score in double digits in back-to-back games for the first time this season and in third-round matches against Villanova and Wisconsin, but he returned with 22 points against Arkansas. Teague Beiler’s second-best free-throw shooter is 85.9 percent. At a stage where it matters, he can be a key player in the final minutes.
Boiler vs houston prediction
The schools have a history that dates back to their Southwest Conference days, and the Seegers have a 38–15 advantage in the series. However, teams have not been found since 2003, and the final final dots should be added to the intensity. Both teams can win with their defense and there may be some rough shooting in the first half. Look for both teams to settle during a tight second half, but the boiler’s backcourt (and depth) will be a difference-maker. Beers takes advantage of second-chance points and hits a clutch free throw down the stretch.
final score: Boiler 73, Houston 67
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