On Saturday, the top-rated team in the nation according to the March Madness betting odds was ousted from the tournament. The Duke Blue Devils led the Houston Cougars by 6 with less than a minute to go, but a series of errors cost them the game in the closing seconds.
The Florida Gators were able to outlast the Auburn Tigers, advancing to their fourth NCAA Men’s Division I Basketball Tournament Finals in program history. The Tigers are the oldest DI team in the nation, but their maturity couldn’t aid them in overcoming the Gators last Saturday.
Tonight at 8:50 p.m., the Gators and the Cougars will battle it out to find out which team will become the 2025 national champions of college basketball.
Lines for betting on the March Madness Championship Game suggest that Florida has a 1-point edge over Houston.
Florida (#1) vs. Houston (#1)
- Point Spread: Florida -1.0 (-105), Houston +1.0 (-115)
- Moneyline Odds To Win: Florida -115, Houston -105
- Over: 141.0 (-105)
- Under: 141.0 (-115)
The Cougars have made it to seven Final Fours and reached the championship game twice, losing on both occasions. Florida has five Final Fours under its belt and has gone to the Finals three times, winning twice.
The moneyline odds also give the Gators a slight edge, although both programs are listed in the negative and will cost you more than you can gain via a winning bet.
Where Houston excels is in their defensive efforts. The Cougars have held all but one program, the Gonzaga Bulldogs, under 70 points.
The Gators are no slouches on defense either, but they are propelled by the offensive efforts of 6′ 3″ guard Walter Clayton Jr., who has scored 30 or more points over their last two games.
Props at online March Madness sportsbooks imply that Clayton will be the top scorer in tonight’s Championship Game on CBS.
Top Points Scorer
- Walter Clayton Jr. (FLA) -110
- L.J. Cryer (HOU) +200
- Emanuel Sharp (HOU) +350
- Milos Uzan (HOU) +900
- Alijah Martin (FLA) +1200
- J’wan Roberts (HOU) +1800
- Thomas Haugh (FLA) +1800
- Will Richard (FLA) +1800
- Alex Condon (FLA) +2200
Clayton’s odds of finishing with the most points are listed in the negative and 110 points ahead of Houston’s L.J. Cryer, who is rated second overall. Cryer scored 26, 17, 5, 30, and 15 over their five tournament games thus far.
Total Points – L.J. Cryer (HOU)
- Over 17.5 -110
- Under 17.5 -130
Total Points – Walter Clayton Jr. (FLA)
- Over 19.5 -115
- Under 19.5 -125
The above player props are posted at Bovada Sportsbook, and it is projected that Cryer will score 18 or more, while Clayton will score 19 or less.
