And then there were four. The NCAA Tournament is nearing the conclusion with the Final Four set for Saturday night in Indianapolis. Storylines fill every crevice with a pair of top seeds — Gonzaga and Baylor — making the group as well as underrated Houston and a Cinderella story in UCLA. The Bruins are just the second team since the tournament expanded to 68 to go from First Four to Final Four. They are also the fifth No. 11 seed to make the national semifinals.
A bit of history will be made in the first semifinal between the Bulldogs and Bruins. Gonzaga is a 14-point favorite against UCLA, marking the biggest point spread in the Final Four since the tournament expanded to 64 teams in 1985. Gonzaga has earned it, however, as just two opponents all season have finished with 11 points of them at the final horn.
Meanwhile, No. 1 seed Baylor is a five-point favorite over No. 2 seed Houston in the first National Semifinal. The Bears have met little resistance on their path to reaching a third Final Four in program history and first since 1950. The Cougars, on the other hand, have quietly been among the best teams in the sport this season in their effort to reach the Final Four for the first time since the 1980s.
Here are the lines, per William Hill Sportsbook:
- No. 11 UCLA vs. No. 1 Gonzaga (-14)
- No. 2 Houston vs. No. 1 Baylor (-5)
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