What started as a basketball betting bonanza is down to one final game.
The Michigan Wolverines face the UConn Huskies for the National Championship. But while the Field of 68 has been narrowed to these two teams, there are still plenty of ways to wager on tonight’s title game.
I size up the player prop markets and give you my best UConn vs. Michigan predictions and March Madness picks for April 6.
UConn vs Michigan props
| Player | Pick |  |
|---|---|---|
 Elliot Cadeau |
Over 12.5 points | +100 |
| Yaxel Lendeborg |
Under 6.5 rebounds | -125 |
 Alex Karaban |
3+ assists | +160 |
Prop #1: Elliot Cadeau Over 12.5 points
Michigan Wolverines point guard Elliot Cadeau is coming off his busiest offensive game of the season after firing up 17 total field goals in the win over Arizona in the Final Four.
That output was pumped up by Yaxel Lendeborg’s early foul trouble and injury, but Cadeau was an aggressive shooter right from the opening tip. He made just five of those 17 shots and finished with 13 points Saturday.
Surprisingly, Cadeau failed to get to the foul line in that semifinal, but his attacking style pokes a soft spot in the UConn Huskies defense. The Huskies watched Illinois’ slashers Keaton Wagler and Andrej Stojakovic drive into the paint and score at the rim while also drawing whistles.
If Lendeborg’s knee/ankle injury leaves him limited, I like Cadeau to pick up the scoring slack.
Prop #2: Yaxel Lendeborg Under 6.5 rebounds
Yaxel Lendeborg says he’ll play in tonight’s title game despite a sprained knee and bone bruise.
The Wolverines star forward battled through that injury in the second half of Saturday’s semifinal. However, injuries can feel much worse in the ensuing days, and his mobility and involvement could be diminished.
If Lendeborg is limited, he'll be hesitant to mix it up on the glass with UConn’s bigs. The 6-foot-9 senior is the small forward in this massive UM lineup, with forwards Aday Mara and Morez Johnson Jr. serving as the Wolverines’ primary rebounders.
Before Saturday’s game, Lendeborg had posted rebounding efforts of four, six, seven, and 12 through the first four NCAA Tournament games. His player projections bounce between six and eight boards on Monday, but that doesn’t factor in his questionable health.
Prop #3: Alex Karaban 3+ assists
Connecticut senior forward Alex Karaban was the offensive engine for the Huskies through the opening three games of the NCAA Tournament, but he has seen his shooting cool in the past two games, putting up just five and nine points.
Karaban finds other ways to contribute, however. He’s recorded at least three assists in four of UConn’s five NCAA Tournament games and has three or more dimes in six of eight postseason outings, going back to the Big East Tournament.
His assist prop for tonight’s title game is at 1.5 with the Over juiced to -180. Instead of paying that hefty ask, you can take bet365’s “milestone” alternative totals and play Karaban 3+ Assists at +160.
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Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
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