The second half of this year’s March Madness Elite Eight games are set to begin on Tuesday, March 30. With only eight teams remaining, it won’t be long before we crown this year’s NCAA men's basketball champions.
In one of Tuesday’s matchups, we have No. 1 Gonzaga looking to stay defeated against No. 6 University of Southern California. In the other game, No. 11 UCLA has become the second First Four team to make it to the Elite Eight, where they have a date with No. 1 Michigan.
As always, BetOnline has released odds on Tuesday’s Elite Eight games. If you’re interested in who’s favored to make the March Madness Final Four, read on.
Elite Eight: West Region Finals
Odds via BetOnline as of Tuesday, March 30
Gonzaga (#1) vs. USC (#6)
- Point Spread: Gonzaga -8.5 (-110) vs. USC +8.5 (-110)
- Moneyline: Gonzaga -450, USC +360
- Over/Under: Over 153 (-110), Under 153 (-110)
Gonzaga was favored to win March Madness before the tournament even began. Throughout every round so far, they showed exactly why that’s the case. Gonzaga has won their first three games by 43, 16 and 18-point margins. The school’s trio of Drew Timme, Corey Kispert and Jalen Suggs have the top odds of winning Most Outstanding Player. It just seems like Gonzaga can do no wrong in this tournament, which is why they’re at -450 to win against USC.
However, USC has also had some impressive wins in this tournament. Before advancing to the Elite Eight, USC has won all three of their games by double digits, including an 85-51 win over No. 3 Kansas in the Round of 32. They’ll need another defensive performance like that against a Gonzaga team that’s scoring 91.8 points per game (1st) this season.
However, it’s hard to imagine any team stopping Gonzaga at this point. While USC is one of the top defensive teams in the entire NCAA, there’s a reason why Gonzaga has won 16 games in a row by double digits. They’re just too good at all aspects of the game. USC will need to play mistake-free basketball to stand a chance at coming close.
Elite Eight: East Region Finals
Odds via BetOnline as of Tuesday, March 30
Michigan (#1) vs. UCLA (#11)
- Point Spread: Michigan -7.0 (-105) vs. UCLA +7.0 (-115)
- Moneyline: Michigan -300, UCLA +250
- Over/Under: Over 135.5 (-110), Under 135.5 (-110)
In the East Region’s Elite Eight matchup, UCLA will look to continue their Cinderella run against top-seeded Michigan. As mentioned before, they’re the second First Four team to make it to the Elite Eight after VCU did it back in 2011. Chasing their 12th national championship, UCLA is coming off of a 88-78 win over Alabama in the Sweet 16.
However, UCLA will have a tough task in front of them in the form of Michigan. The Wolverines blew out Florida State 76-58 last round and has won each of their tournament games by 16 points or more. The fact is that Michigan has won games this tournament by working together as a team. If one player is being shut down, another will step up. The Wolverines have been averaging 20 assists per game in the tournament, and have shot 40 percent or better from the field in each contest.
UCLA is having the Cinderella run of a lifetime and they’ve had some quality upsets along the way, but that doesn’t guarantee it’ll happen again against Michigan. After all, Michigan has always been the favorite to make it to the Final Four out of the East Region.
