Just four teams remain in the NCAA Tournament with the Final Four now upon us. The Elite Eight provided us with some interesting matchups, where Gonzaga dominated a USC team thought to be capable of slowing them down, while UCLA proved they are for real with victory over Michigan.
Below you can find my lock of the day and best pick for each of the Final Four games. After checking those out, make sure you also read the Pickswise team’s thoughts on the side and total for both of those matchups.
Houston Cougars vs. Baylor Bears
Don’t tell Houston that the entire world wants to see Baylor play Gonzaga in the national title game. The Cougars don’t care. They’re also more than capable of crashing the party. Houston’s perimeter of Marcus Sasser, Dejon Jarreau, and Quentin Grimes is good enough to match up with Baylor’s. The Cougars also rebound better than any team in college basketball. That said, although this could be a close one, Baylor should have enough to advance. Don’t show up for this game if you’re soft.
PICK: Baylor -5
Be sure to check out the full game preview for Houston Cougars vs. Baylor Bears.
Our college basketball expert, BetsByBob, has had three of his last four March Madness locks win. Find out his best Final Four bets here.
UCLA Bruins vs. Gonzaga Bulldogs
Gonzaga is two wins away from being mentioned as one of the great teams in college basketball history. UCLA is on the unlikeliest Final Four run in program history. How big is the gap between the two teams? On paper, it seems pretty significant, but many also said that when the Bruins played Alabama and Michigan. The faster this game is played, the more likely it is that Gonzaga wins by double figures. The only way that UCLA can remain competitive is to play this tilt in the mud.
LOCK: Gonzaga -14
Be sure to check out the full game preview for UCLA Bruins vs. Gonzaga Bulldogs.
Ex-player and talent expert Rashad Phillips has already called a number of big March Madness upsets — does he think there will be another in the Final Four? Read his thoughts and best bets here.
Pickswise is the home of March Madness Predictions. Check out all of our March Madness Picks, including daily March Madness Parlays throughout the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament.
