March Madness 2015: TV Coverage, Odds for Duke vs. Wisconsin Championship
With only one game left in the college basketball season, Monday's NCAA tournament championship between Duke and Wisconsin is quite a way to go out.
For the first time since 2008, two No. 1 seeds will battle for the crown—but perhaps not the two that most expected after the Badgers knocked off top overall seed and unbeaten Kentucky in the Final Four. The Blue Devils have thrashed much of their competition on the other half of the bracket, but they haven't faced a test like Wisconsin since, well, the last time these two met back in November.
Bo Ryan's squad got the best of a freshman-laden Kentucky team just a few nights ago, but can Wisconsin do the same against a similarly youthful Duke squad?
A second championship is on the line for the Badgers and a fifth for Duke, so let's get right to it and break down everything you need to know.
2015 National Championship Game
When: Monday, April 6
Time (ET): 9:18 p.m.
Where: Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis
TV: CBS
| Duke vs. Wisconsin (-1) | Wisconsin 50-59, Duke 50-51 | 139.5 |
Note: Odds courtesy of Odds Shark, last updated April 6.
Storylines to Watch
Great Job! Now, Do It Again
Even for a veteran team such as Wisconsin, the feeling of satisfaction has been potent since its upset win over Kentucky. Not only did the Badgers trump what could've been the sport's most memorable team ever, but they avenged their Final Four loss last season in the process.
That's not where the road ends for this season, however. There's still one game left—a game that will define the context of that immense win over Kentucky forever in the record books as either a step to Wisconsin's second championship or the last happy memory of an incredible season.
It wasn't hard for the sports parallels to come, with Wisconsin's win being compared to the Miracle on Ice win by the United States over Russia. Of course, the Americans still had to beat Finland in the gold-medal game, as CNN's Rachel Nichols noted:
Will Wisconsin's victory over Kentucky forever live in college basketball lore? Most likely. But without finishing the job against Duke on Monday night, the Badgers' upset win won't be the lasting image of this year in March Madness and future documentaries will end in heartbreaking fashion.
But with a win, Ryan's crew will have gone through Arizona, Kentucky and then Duke in straight games to win the title. Good luck finding a more impressive three-game winning streak than that in any tournament.
Battle of the Bigs
Even in a high-profile matchup between two of the best teams in the nation, this championship bout may trickle down to a one-on-one battle.
Duke freshman center Jahlil Okafor has made waves all season long as the most NBA-ready player in college basketball, validating his early-season hype and stepping his game up in tournament play. But Wisconsin's Frank Kaminsky—the winner of every national player of the year award yet announced—should have something to say about that, especially after dismantling the tall trees of Kentucky.
While similarly dominant, both players will have to adjust to one another. The Badgers center will have his hands full in post defense, but Okafor may struggle with Kaminsky's range and athleticism on the perimeter, as B/R's Doug Brodess told Bleacher Report Radio:
There may not be a single player in the nation who can guard Okafor, but Kaminsky has the rare ability to match his length and supreme ball skills. The Wisconsin big man's three-tooled offensive approach is perhaps most worrisome for Duke, with Okafor's defensive versatility one of his only areas of needed improvement.
Kaminsky will naturally get his touches in a bevy of different positions, while Okafor is more likely to be fed isolation looks in the post. Whoever executes his touches better will give his team a massive leg up.
Cementing the Legacy
The college basketball world has been spoiled with all-time great coaches making deep tournament runs yet again this year, from Rick Pitino to Tom Izzo taking underrated teams deep into March. But they're all still looking up at Mike Krzyzewski, who is entering uncharted territory.
Monday will be Coach K's ninth title game appearance, which is just one shy of John Wooden and four more than Dean Smith and Adolph Rupp. He has a chance to win not only his fifth championship but the program's fifth, which would break a tie with Rupp and give him the second-most championships by any men's basketball coach—behind Wooden's inimitable 10 rings.
Comparing any coach to Wooden has been more of a no-no than comparing an NBA great to Michael Jordan, but that may no longer be the case—at least according to Scottie Pippen:
Regardless of whether Coach K will ever reach Wooden levels or not, it's impossible to deny Krzyzewski's impact on Duke should it cut down the nets Monday night. Defensive issues during the season forced him to refine his system on the fly, and now the Blue Devils are shutting down potent offenses in tournament time.
If they do so against Wisconsin's high-octane attack on Monday, Coach K will be rightfully adored.
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