The No. 1 Gonzaga will meet the No. 1 Baylor on Monday in the 2021 NCAA men’s basketball national championship game.
The tipoff is scheduled for 9:20 pm ET at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. The game will be televised by CBS.
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Gonzaga (31–0) won the West Region under coach Mark Few and advanced to the championship game on Saturday with a thrilling 93–90 overtime win over No. 11 UCLA. Jalan Suggas was the buzzer-beating 3-pointer highlight, and the Bulldogs hope to carry that momentum into the championship game. The Sogs, Drew Taimy and Corey Kispert are All-America playmakers trying out for that perfect season.
Baylor (27-2) won the South Region led by coach Scott Drew and advanced to the championship game with a 78-59 win over No. 2 Houston in the Final Four. Byers is in the National Championship game for the first time since 1948. Byers scored a trio of Jared Butler, Mako Tiog and Davion Mitchell, in double figures against the Cougars.
Here’s everything you need to know about betting on Gonzaga vs. Boiler in the 2021 NCAA Tournament, including updated odds, trends and our prediction for the Final Four game.
Gonzaga vs Beolar Odds
- Spread: Gonzaga-5
- over under: 160
- money Line: Gonzaga-245, boiler + 1agaaga
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Three betting trends to watch
– The Bulldogs have been favorites in every game and are 16-13-2 ATS this season. Gonzaga is 5-1 ATS against top-25 opponents and 5-1 ATS in this year’s tournament.
– Baylor is 19-10 ATS this season, but this is its first game as an underdog. The boiler is 4-1 ATS in this year’s tournament.
– Boiler is 10-3 ATS and 13-0 S / U in non-played games. Gonzaga is 9-5 ATS and 14-0 S / U in non-games.
Last four histories
Gonzaga is in his second national championship game; On April 3, 2017, North Carolina had a first- 71-65 loss. The Bulldogs could become the first undefeated Division I men’s basketball team since Indiana finished 32–0 in the 1975–76 season. Boiler will play in his second title game. Kentucky lost 58–42 to the 1948 men’s national championship.
Gonzaga Key Players
Timmy (19.0 ppg) has been a force throughout the tournament. He scored 25 points in the semi-finals against UCLA. Kispert (18.9 ppg) and Sugs (14.0 ppg) form a dynamic backcourt. Joel Ayayi (11.8 ppg) and Andrew Nimbord (9.1 ppg) also hit double figures against the Bruins. The Bulldogs do not have a deep bench.
Baylor Key Players
Baylor uses an eight-man rotation, but everything starts with guards Butler (16.5 ppg), Teague (15.9 ppg) and Mitchell (14.0 ppg). They average close to 12 combinations per game, and they collected 40 points in a win against Houston. Belor’s supporting cast includes Adam Flailer (9.0 ppg), Matthew Mayer (8.2 ppg), Jonathan Tchamwa Tchathatoua (6.3 ppg), Mark Vital (5.7 ppg) and Flo Thamba (3.6 ppg).
Best Individual Matchup: Jalan Sugg vs Davian Mitchell
Popcorn GIFs are for this type of thing. Mitchell Naismith is the Defensive Player of the Year, and the 6-2, 205-pound guard is a wide body that is disruptive on the perimeter. Sug, a 6-4, 205-pound guard, is one of the best – if not the best – player in the country away from the drive, and has shot more than 50 percent from the floor for the season. The Beers have changed their defenses in the last three tournament games, allowing just 60.7 points per game. Mitchell has been at the center of that.
Gonzaga vs Boiler State Two States
UCLA pushed Gonzaga to the brink, shooting 57.6 percent from the floor. It was the highest field goal percentage against the Bulldogs this season. To shoot the other two teams 50 percent or better? Kansas (53.2 percent) and Oklahoma (50 percent). Gonzaga won both of those games, but they were successful Big 12 schools offensively. Baylor can have that success, and it can also win with his defense.
Learn . . Mayer and Tchamwa Tchatchatoua
Both played for 23 points and 10 rebounds against Houston in the final four and both played for 20 minutes. They are high-energy players who will be valuable on defense, given how Gonzaga can push tempo for 40 minutes. Tchamwa Tchatchoua, 6-8 ahead of Cameroon, will likely see valuable minutes against Time. Meyer has averaged 4.4 rebounds and 1.6 steals per game in the tournament. They will need to contribute for the Bears to upset them.
Gonzaga vs. Boiler Prediction
Gonzaga had to win in one blow and Baylor in the final four in a tight. Those roles were reversed. Still, the Bulldogs did what UNLV and Kentucky couldn’t do in 1991 and 2015, respectively: reach the championship game.
Byers could score with the Bulldogs, leading to a furious and mellow Gonzaga lead in the first half. Baylor has defended the 3-point ball well during the tournament, but the common thread (Kansas, Oklahoma State) was one shooting night in its two losses this season. If the beer stops, Gonzaga will win in one blow.
Mitchell will tie up Sugg, but Kispert and Taimy get the offense to go in the second half. The Bulldogs intercept Baylor’s late charge with free throws, sealing the perfect season and earning a national championship worth the wait.
final score: Gonzaga 85, boiler 81
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