March Madness 2018: Bracket Predictions, Odds Tips for Final Four Schedule

There's plenty of reason to be upset about the nearing end of the men's college basketball season, but there are still three important games remaining on the schedule.

Before shifting your betting focus to other sports, the NCAA tournament Final Four presents a few intriguing lines that are going to force you to watch the game intently.

While picking out the best deals is a near impossible task sometimes, there are some recent trends that point to how Saturday's games are going to play out.

Below is a look at a few tips that could help you earn some money during Saturday's Final Four in San Antonio.

Final Schedule and Odds

No. 3 Michigan (-5.5) vs. No. 11 Loyola-Chicago (Over/Under: 129.5, 6:09 p.m., TBS) 

No. 1 Villanova (-5) vs. No. 1 Kansas (Over/Under: 154.5, 8:49 p.m., TBS)

All Times ET

Odds obtained from OddsShark.

Predictions

No. 3 Michigan 61, No. 11 Loyola-Chicago 54

No. 1 Villanova 76, No. 1 Kansas 72

Odds Tips

Go After the Under In Opening Game

In five of the eight combined games played by No. 3 Michigan and No. 11 Loyola-Chicago, the total number of points has been less than under the 129.5 set for Saturday's opener at the Alamodome.

Outside of Michigan's 99-point outburst in the Sweet 16 against No. 7 Texas A&M, neither team participated in a contest where the total number of points reached over 140 points.

While each team is capable of lighting the scoreboard on fire, they also aren't afraid of winding down the shot clock in an attempt to look for the best shot possible.

As we've seen throughout the Big Dance, the Ramblers love to make the extra pass, and they have a plethora of guards available to make shots.

David Goldman/Associated Press

Given the amount of time spent on each possession, the number of scoring chances is diminished, which leads to a lower point total.

The Ramblers reached the 80-point plateau 10 times in 37 games, but they've hit that milestone twice since the start of February, with the February 14 win over Valparaiso being the most recent occurrence.

Michigan is in a similar situation, as it has three 80-plus point performances since February, with the 99-point showing against Texas A&M standing out

Harry How/Getty Images

The Wolverines rank 166th in the nation in scoring offense at 74.1 points per game, while the Ramblers sit in a tie for 223rd with North Carolina Central and Charleston Southern at 72 points per contest. 

On the defensive side of the hardwood, Loyola-Chicago ranks fifth in scoring defense with 62.4 points conceded, while Michigan is seventh at 63.1 points per game.

Although it's intriguing to take the over because the line of 129.5 is so low, there's no guarantee both teams score over 65 points, even if their respective scoring averages suggest they will.

Both teams have shown they are capable of winning games while scoring less than 60 points in the postseason, and based on their recent outputs, expect the game to be in the low 60s at most.

Take Kansas To Cover

With such a small gap in talent between No. 1 Villanova and No. 1 Kansas, a five-point spread in favor of the Wildcats seems like a bit much.

However, it's understandable to see why the oddsmakers favor Jay Wright's squad by a decent margin since it has won its last eight games by 10 points or more, with the smallest winning margin coming in the Big East tournament final against Providence.

In the three games played against ranked opposition in the regular season, the Wildcats put together an average margin of victory of 18.6 points.

Even though most of the research suggests the Wildcats are going to cover, you have to take into account what the Jayhawks have done throughout the season.

Kansas' last three games featured a winning margin of four points, with a heartbreaking backdoor cover for gamblers coming in the round of 32 against Seton Hall, as the Pirates covered the five-point spread at the buzzer.

Streeter Lecka/Getty Images

In seven of Kansas' nine games against teams in the AP Top 25 before the NCAA tournament, the margin of victory for the winning team was 10 points or less.

With guards capable of knocking down clutch shots on both rosters, we could be in for a tight affair similar to Kansas' Elite Eight contest with No. 2 Duke.

With all due respect to Texas Tech, West Virginia and Alabama, Villanova hasn't faced a team like Kansas with the big-game experience and depth of veteran players.

Elsa/Getty Images

The individual matchups across the hardwood are going to be intriguing to watch, with Villanova's Jalen Brunson facing Devonte' Graham of Kansas in the marquee showdown.

With most of the matchups even, it's hard to see a blowout occurring unless the winning team pulls away in the final minute by way of the free-throw line.

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90.

Statistics obtained from NCAA.com.