Virginia vs Texas Tech 2019 College Basketball Championship Odds & Pick

Perhaps the only thing that is absolutely certain about tonight’s NCAA men’s basketball championship game is that there will be a first-time national champion cutting down the nets. Texas Tech is in the program’s first Final Four ever — and Virginia returns for the first time since 1984. Texas Tech bulldozed Michigan State in their semifinal, while Virginia blew a 10-point lead in the second half and needed a missed double dribble with 1 ½ seconds remaining in regulation, along with a most questionable foul call with just over a half-second on the clock to get a chance to sink three free throws and take the win against Auburn. Now two of the best defenses in the history of college basketball will take the floor, and it will be a true challenge to the finish. We have your March Madness betting preview of the showdown between the Red Raiders and the Cavaliers right here.

Virginia vs Texas Tech 2019 College Basketball Championship Odds & Pick

When: Monday, April 8, 2019, 9:20pm ET Where: U.S. Bank Stadium, Minneapolis TV: CBS Radio: ESPN Radio Live Stream: March Madness Live 2019 College Basketball Championship Odds: Virginia Cavaliers -1.5 / O/U 117.5

Why should you bet on Texas Tech?

Texas Tech leads the nation in defensive efficiency rating as KenPom defines it and has truly put on a defensive exhibition in this tournament. The Red Raiders do extract a lot of steals and use their pressure in the halfcourt to jolt opponents out of their regular rhythm on offense. They are long at all possessions, which allows the sort of pressure that can frustrate point guards, as was the case against Michigan State. Jarrett Culver is the team’s go-to scorer; despite just 10 points against Michigan State, he put the nail in the coffin with his three-ball in the last minute that put the game out of reach. Matt Mooney is the steady hand at point guard that you should watch for Texas Tech. Unlike the one-and-done players who grab the headlines in NCAA basketball, Mooney is 23, with four years of college experience. He put up 22 points against Michigan State, including a streak of three shots from downtown in the middle of the second half that helped the Red Raiders push their lead to 13. He won’t get rattled by Virginia’s stout defense, and he can spot up and shoot when the Cavaliers focus on stopping Culver.

Why should you put your money on Virginia?

Virginia plays a pack-line defense that keeps opponents out of the paint and then runs a grinding offense that runs time off the clock before putting up a shot. However, Texas Tech (while similar to Virginia in defensive efficiency) is somewhat different on offense, putting up points in streaks rather than slogging away, a basket at a time. Virginia will need to avoid turnovers and will need to get offense from their backcourt — Ty Jerome, Kyle Guy and De’Andre Hunter, who combined for 50 of the team’s 63 points against Auburn. Keep an eye on Ty Jerome in this game. He put up 21 points, nine boards and six assists in the win over Auburn, and he had two huge shots down the stretch, a running jumper with 6:46 on the clock and a three-pointer just over a minute later. Against Purdue, he put up 24 points and seven assists in that overtime thriller. His clutch play will make the difference if Virginia wins. Note that when he headed to the bench with less than five minutes remaining in regulation against Auburn, the Tigers chipped away at that nine-point gap and took a late lead.

Expert Pick and Final Score Prediction

First, a note about the point total. It currently sits at 120 but has moved downward from there, and at 117.5 it is the lowest point total for any NCAA men’s basketball championship in the last 20 seasons. In the Texas Tech win over Michigan State, the two teams combined for 112 points in a 61-51 Red Raider win. In Virginia’s win over Auburn, the teams combined for 125 points in a 63-62 finish. As stellar as Virginia has been, Texas Tech has put together more complete games and has not had to rely on luck or officiating to get to this stage. They convincingly beat a Michigan State team that had just eliminated Duke — a team that beat Virginia twice. I like the Red Raiders’ system and their poise. I predict a final score of Texas Tech 62, Virginia 58 (which means I’m taking that over too).