UNC vs. Kansas 2022: Odds Advice and Key Player Predictions for Championship

Ochai Agbaji and Armando Bacot turned in fantastic performances in their respective Final Four victories.

The Kansas Jayhawks and North Carolina Tar Heels need their star players to once again feature in starring roles to win the NCAA men's basketball tournament national championship.

Agbaji was the only Associated Press First Team All-American to participate in a Final Four game. He shot the lights out from three-point range in Kansas' double-digit win over the Villanova Wildcats.

Bacot produced his 30th double-double of the season in UNC's triumph over the rival Duke Blue Devils in New Orleans.

Bacot's double-double Saturday broke Tim Duncan's ACC record for most double-doubles in a single season.

Agbaji and Bacot face tough individual matchups in Monday's title game, and if either player is slowed by the opposing defense, it could hinder his team's chances of winning.

Kansas comes into Monday as the favorite to win the title. The Jayhawks were the only No. 1 seed that advanced past the Sweet 16.

North Carolina has been a tremendous underdog to back throughout the tournament, but it may be time to let go of the Tar Heels from a betting perspective.

Odds Advice

David J. Phillip/Associated Press

Spread: Kansas -4

Over/Under: 153

Money Line: Kansas (-180; bet $180 to win $100); North Carolina (+155; bet $100 to win $155)

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook.

     

North Carolina has been a fantastic team to back from a betting perspective throughout the tournament because it was an underdog in most of its games.

The Tar Heels covered the spread and won as a moneyline underdog in three of their last four games.

Hubert Davis' team is 5-0 against the spread in the Big Dance. Its two wins as a favorite came over the Saint Peter's Peacocks and Marquette Golden Eagles.

Kansas is 3-2 ATS in the NCAA tournament. The Jayhawks covered in their last two games against the Miami Hurricanes and Villanova.

Kansas appears to have the edge going into Monday night because it exuded less physical and emotional energy in its Final Four game.

The Jayhawks were the dominant side from the start, and they had an answer for everything Villanova threw at them.

Bill Self's team overachieved from three-point range, as it made 13 shots from downtown. Kansas is a 35.5 percent team on the season from beyond the arc.

Both the Jayhawks and Tar Heels scored 81 points Saturday night, which may lead you to think the over will hit in the national championship.

Some regression has to be expected out of Kansas' three-point shooting, and UNC may be dealing with tired legs after putting everything into the rivalry clash with Duke.

Kansas' defense could also play a role in the game going under. The Jayhawks held four of their five NCAA tournament opponents to 65 points or fewer.

North Carolina can break the Jayhawks' defensive deadlock, but it needs another near-perfect game to take down the Big 12 side.

Ochai Agbaji, G, Kansas

Charles Rex Arbogast/Associated Press

Ochai Agbaji looked like a First Team All-American in Kansas' most important game to date.

The senior guard produced his tournament high of 21 points and shot 6-of-7 from three-point range to help the Jayhawks down Villanova.

Agbaji took a backseat behind Remy Martin during the first two weekends of the tournament. He had more than 15 points once in the first four rounds.

The Kansas star began to take control of the offense in the second half against the Miami Hurricanes last Sunday. He finished that contest with 18 points.

Agbaji banked on the confidence gained from that game and the absence of injured Villanova guard Justin Moore to knock down open looks throughout Saturday's contest.

He faces a tougher guard matchup against UNC because the ACC squad has its full complement of guards available.

The combination of Caleb Love, RJ Davis and Leaky Black could make life difficult for Agbaji during stretches of the national championship.

If Agbaji deals well with the challenge posed by the UNC defense, he could emerge as the Most Outstanding Player with another total of 15-20 points.

Prediction: 20 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 3-of-6 from three-point range.

Armando Bacot, F, North Carolina

Tom Pennington/Getty Images

Armando Bacot's success in the paint is vital to North Carolina's success.

Bacot produced 11 points and 21 rebounds in the win over Duke, and his physical style of play in the paint put Mark Williams and Theo John into foul trouble.

The junior forward pulled down 43 rebounds in the last two games. He had a double-double in each of UNC's postseason contests in the ACC and NCAA tournaments.

He faces an intriguing matchup Monday against David McCormack, who himself took over the last two games down low for Kansas.

Bacot could be at a disadvantage in his showdown with McCormack because of the ankle injury he suffered at the end of the second half Saturday.

Bacot will likely play, but if he is hindered by the injury, it could shift the balance in the matchup in Kansas' favor.

The UNC big man gutted out his injury Saturday, and he could run off adrenaline once he gets going in the title clash.

Bacot will make an impact on the game if he plays, and at minimum, we should expect him to be a menace in the rebounding battle on both sides of the floor.

Prediction: 10 points, 17 rebounds.

     

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