Following the VCU vs. Butler game, No. 4 Kentucky (29-8) and No. 3 Connecticut (30-9) face off in the last matchup of the NCAA Final Four on Saturday. Kentucky is the slight favorite to move on to the National Championship game.
Statistically, Kentucky is better than Connecticut. The Wildcats have won 10 straight games and 12 of the last 13. They are coming off wins over No. 1 overall Ohio State and No. 2 North Carolina so they had plenty of preparation for this game. They were downplayed before the start of the tournament after going 4-7 SU and ATS in road games but they have put those criticisms to rest. Kentucky is young but disciplined with only a 16.1% turnover percentage, good enough for 10th in the country. The Wildcats should expose a Connecticut defense that ranks 310th out of 245 Division I teams in forcing turnovers.
Connecticut is equally hot with nine straight wins, including five in five days of the Big East Tournament and the last four victories coming against ranked teams. But the Huskies arguably had an easier road to the Final Four than Kentucky and narrowly escaped from No. 5 Arizona with a two-point win, failing to cover the 3.5-spread. They are 5-0 SU in the last five games and the total has gone under in four of their last five games. It will be interesting to see who has the hot hand on Saturday between Connecticut’s Kemba Walker and Kentucky’s Brandon Knight. That could prove the difference.
Kentucky vs. Connecticut (odds provided by Party Bets)
Kentucky: 7/10
Connecticut: 6/5
Point Spread: Kentucky -2.5
Over/Under: 140