UNC vs. Villanova: Vegas Odds, Prop Bets, Predictions for 2016 NCAA Championship

The North Carolina Tar Heels and Villanova Wildcats square off for all the March Madness marbles on Monday in what should be an epic national title showcase.

This marks the first time coach Jay Wright has guided Villanova this deep in the NCAA tournament, whereas his counterpart, Roy Williams, has a national championship from 2009 on his resume. Both teams boast high-octane offenses, which ought to provide plenty of entertainment for even casual fans.

Coming off a 95-51 victory over the Oklahoma Sooners, there's plenty of reason to believe the Wildcats can get the job done against a seasoned UNC squad that returned most of last year's core.

Read on for a look at the odds for Monday's contest at NRG Stadium in Houston, along with predictions as to how the conclusion to the Big Dance will unfold. For more on spread information and historical trends for the two squads, check out Odds Shark's preview.

Category/Prop	Info	Prediction
Spread	North Carolina (-3)	UNC covers
1st-Half Over/Under	70	Over
1st-Half Spread	UNC (-1.5)	Villanova
Game Over/Under	149.5	Over
Odds to Win National Championship	UNC -165, Villanova +135	UNC

UNC vs. Villanova Analysis, Score Prediction

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Impressive as Villanova's romp in the national semifinals was, North Carolina took care of business in its own right with a 17-point win over the Syracuse Orange. The Tar Heels have won all five of their prior tourney games by double digits and are averaging an incredible 88 points per contest.

KenPom.com has the Tar Heels and Wildcats first and second, respectively, in adjusted offensive efficiency, but Villanova gets the clear edge on defense at 91.9 to 95.2.

For evidence of the Wildcats' defensive prowess, look no further than the Oklahoma romp. They held magnificent scorer Buddy Hield to only nine points as the Sooners shot 31.7 percent to Villanova's 71.4 clip.

So Monday's clash is truly a meeting of two teams that have had little resistance running through the March Madness gauntlet. The closest call came for Villanova, who defeated the tourney's No. 1 overall seed, Kansas, by five points in the Elite Eight. Otherwise, it's been smooth sailing for both sides.

North Carolina is capable of dominating in the paint largely thanks to senior forward Brice Johnson, who has averages of 17.5 points and 10.5 rebounds. Williams' squad also has Kennedy Meeks and Isaiah Hicks in the big man rotation, which can grind away at opponents.

Although the Tar Heels have a capable catalyst at point guard in Marcus Paige and can count on Joel Berry II to handle the ball and create offense, one glaring shortcoming is their three-point shooting percentage of 31.9 as a team.

ESPN Stats & Info highlighted the prolific NCAA tournament offenses of the two national title adversaries, which showed the big three-point disparity:

If Villanova can get hot from the perimeter, it can offset UNC's advantage down low to a degree. It's up to junior lead scorer Josh Hart, dynamic wing Kris Jenkins and floor general Ryan Arcidiacono to rise to the occasion in that regard.

Mike Greenberg of ESPN hinted at why North Carolina may have the more sustainable advantage, though:

It also doesn't seem wise to doubt this particular group of Tar Heels.

Williams spoke Saturday after the 83-66 win over Syracuse to address those who counted his side out and questioned some of his steadfast lineup decision-making during the 2015-16 campaign, per Scout.com:

"

This year I heard more than ever announcers and writers question things more than I ever heard. One of the other guys said we're not in the locker room, we're not at practice every day. If you asked me if I'm as smart of a sportsfan as you, I'd say probably not because I don't work on those other sports. But I do see our guys in the locker room every single day. …

Bill Guthridge had the best statement, 'Do not condemn thy neighbor unless you've walked in his moccasins for two full moons.' I have to explain that to my guys to explain what moccasins are and how long a full moon lasts. 

So it wasn't stubbornness, it was intelligence. If we get beat Monday night, it's not going to be stubbornness Monday night, it will be because Villanova played better. 

"

Also worth a mention as a huge probable factor on Monday: Considering how hot the Wildcats were in Saturday's rout, they'll be hard-pressed to emulate such a high level of execution with the national championship on the line.

Living and dying by the jump shot can be dangerous, and UNC's collective length figures to give Villanova difficulty to get as many clean looks as it would like.

The edge of having a proven national title winner in Williams at the helm and the blend of depth and size the Tar Heels have should be enough to allow North Carolina to cut down the nets on Monday night in a close thriller.

Prediction: North Carolina 80, Villanova 76