UVA vs. Texas Tech: 2019 NCAA Championship Vegas Odds, Prop Bets and Predictions

The odds for Monday's NCAA men's basketball national championship are lower than most of the lines we've seen throughout the NCAA tournament. 

The oddsmakers are betting on a low-scoring affair between a pair of solid defensive teams to break out at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. 

Virginia is favored over Texas Tech to win its first national championship, but the spread is as small as it can be. 

Odds

The spread is the easier of the two lines to bet Monday night since Virginia is a minuscule one-point favorite. 

Taking the Cavaliers as a one-point favorite means you likely believe they will take home the national championship.

The same can be said about a Texas Tech +1 bet since there are few ways you can win that wager unless the Red Raiders come out on top.

As for the over-under, it is low at 118.5 points, but it is a fitting number for Virginia and Texas Tech. 

Two of Texas Tech's last three games totaled under the line for the national championship, which means if you're in favor of Chris Beard's team winning the title, the under is likely your best bet. 

However, if you look at the stretch of games before the NCAA tournament, you will see the Red Raiders put up over 70 points in each of their last eight Big 12 games. 

Streeter Lecka/Getty Images

If you believe Texas Tech is capable of recapturing that offensive form, then the over is the wager to go after. 

Although Virginia plays at a slower pace than most men's basketball programs, three of its last four games have had more than 118 points. 

In fact, if you dig deeper into Virginia's schedule, the Cavaliers rarely combined with an opponent to go under 118 points. 

Since the start of January, the total score in Virginia games has been under 118 points on eight occasions if you include the NCAA tournament wins over Oklahoma and Oregon. 

That means 17 other Virginia contests in that span have hit the over if you apply Monday's line to them. 

So even though the perception is that the Cavaliers and Red Raiders can't score, the reality is they are more capable of it and the over should be considered. 

Prop Bets

Odds via Oddschecker.

1st-Half Winner

Virginia (-111; Bet $111 to win $100); Texas Tech (+108; Bet $100 to win $108) 

Even though the Cavaliers are favored to lead at halftime, they haven't finished the first half as the better team on the scoreboard three times in the NCAA tournament.

Against Purdue and Auburn, the Cavaliers faced deficits going into the second half, which is why it's tough to throw money behind them on this prop. 

On the other hand, Texas Tech led four of its five NCAA tournament opponents at the half, and the one time it trailed, it was only down by two points going into the locker room against Gonzaga. 

Based off how both teams have performed in March Madness, Texas Tech is the way to go with your wager on this prop. 

Winning Margin 

Virginia's combined margin of victory in the last three rounds is 10 points, while Texas Tech beat Michigan by 19 points in the Sweet 16 and knocked off Michigan State by 10 in the Final Four. 

If you favor Virginia to win Monday night, the best bet is either a winning margin of 1-5 points at +360, or 6-10 points at +400. 

If Texas Tech flexes its defensive muscle more than Virginia and leads for most of the contest, there's a chance the margin of victory could be higher. 

Even though Michigan State played the Red Raiders close, they still came away with a 10-point victory, which leads us to believe the option for Texas Tech to win by 11+ points at +500 is possibly in play.

But given how disciplined Virginia is on defense, the better option in Texas Tech's favor is a 6-10 margin of victory at +450. 

Prediction

Virginia 57, Texas Tech 53

Virginia will be disciplined enough defensively to force Texas Tech into a handful of bad shots down the stretch in the second half. 

In the same period in which Jarrett Culver and his Red Raiders teammates throw up a few forced shots, Virginia drains some baskets to gain momentum. 

Just like it did in the Final Four, the leadership of Kyle Guy and Ty Jerome will be a difference-maker for the Cavaliers, while they also find success in the paint through Mamadi Diakite. 

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90.

Statistics obtained from ESPN.com.