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For the first time since 2008, two number 1 seeds will play in the NCAA Tournament Finals, to determine which team will be crowned the tournament champions in 2015.
#1 Wisconsin (36-3, 16-2 Big Ten) vs. #1 Duke (35-4, 15-3 ACC) Monday, April 6, 9:18 PM. ET. CBS.
Wisconsin was eliminated by Kentucky in the Final Four last season, in a very tough loss. That was a big part of the reason that team start Frank Kaminsky returned to school this season, to try and wipe the bitter taste of defeat away, and help his team to its first NCAA tournament final since 1941.
The move paid off for Kaminsky, and as fate would have it, they got to end Kentucky’s bid to become the first undefeated champions in the NCAA, since the Bob Knight led Indiana team did it in 1976. The win put them in the championship game, where they have another chance to avenge a loss, this time to Duke, a team that defeated them at home, earlier in the season.
For the first time in a very long time, the Duke Blue Devils are in the underdog role, despite defeating the Badgers once this season. This is because Wisconsin has been very impressive in this tournament, defeating the highest possible seeds on the way to the finals. The Blue Devils didn’t have to play as tough a schedule in the tournament, but they held their own against some very good competition, without breaking much of a sweat. Now we will get to find out if it was because they were that good, or if it was just the level of the competition that they played.
The Blue Devils will be relying on their freshman sensation Jahlil Okafor, to lead them to victory in this game, as he has done for them so far in the tournament. Okafor has been a little inconsistent offensively for the Blue Devils. In their first two games of the tournament, he showed why a lot of people consider him to be the top pick in the upcoming NBA Draft, averaging 23.5 points per game, but in their next two games, he combined for 15 points. He bounced back in their last game against Michigan State, with 18 points, and the team will need a similar performance from him in order to win this game.
Wisconsin will be the sentimental favorites tonight, because of their amazing run, and the fact that they are trying to win their first basketball title in 74 years, while the Blue Devils will be trying to win their fifth championship since Mike Krzyzewski became their head coach. Duke is used to being cast as the villain, so this isn’t going to be a new role for them to play.
Betting Odds and Predictions
Wisconsin is favored to win this game, the point spread is -1 in their favor, the over/under on total points scored is 141.
My Pick: Wisconsin has played the better competition throughout the tournament, which should make them the better team. But it is hard to go against a Duke team which is coached by one of the greatest coaches in NCAA basketball history. I’m going to pick the Blue Devils to win a close game.
