Final look at the betting odds ahead of Michigan/Villanova

We are just one day away from the Michigan Wolverines’ fifth straight appearance in the Sweet 16. They faced two formidable opponents in the opening weekend of the NCAA Tournament but now face their toughest challenge so far — the Villanova Wildcats.

Michigan was the underdog in its last matchup with Tennessee and figure to also be the underdog in this one. But where do the oddsmakers have the Wolverines as of now? Let’s take one last look at where things stand.

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The Spread/Money Line

Earlier in the week, Villanova started out as a 4.5-point favorite. Not much has changed since then, as the Wildcats are now favored by an even five points. Everyone is expected to participate in this one for Michigan, so unlike last week when the Colorado State spread changed drastically when DeVante’ Jones was ruled out, the needle shouldn’t be moving a ton on this one.

As of this writing, it is -210 to bet Villanova on the money line, while Michigan is at +175. So if you put $10 on Villanova and it hits, you would win $4.76. If you put that same $10 bet on Michigan and it hits, you would win $17.50.

Over/Under

The point total is set at 135.5, with both the over and under at -100. The point total is exactly where it was at when the opening odds were released, so nothing has changed here at all. This seems to truly be a tossup among the oddsmakers and bettors alike.

Player Props

Now let’s get into what I like to throw my money at the most — player props.

Below are a list of total points for Michigan players (there were no player props available for Villanova).

• Caleb Houstan: 9.5 (over +105, under -135)
• Eli Brooks: 13.5 (over -115, under -115)
• Hunter Dickinson: 18.5 (over -130, under -105)
• Moussa Diabate: 8.5 (over +110, under -145)

Here are a few of the rebounding betting odds:

• Houstan: 3.5 (over -105, under -130)
• Brooks: 3.5 (over -135, under +100)
• Dickinson: 7.5 (over -145, under -+110)
• Diabate: 5.5 (over -160, under +120)

Final Thoughts

The oddsmakers are once again in favor of Michigan’s opponent when it comes to the spread and money line, which is completely understandable given how the Wolverines have played for most of the season.

But this is March and things change once the tournament starts, and Michigan has done just that by not only winning and advancing to the Sweet 16, but covering both spreads in the process. Villanova is a tough opponent, so the fact the Wolverines are only five-point underdogs tells you the oddsmakers have a little more faith in Michigan than in the last couple games.

When it comes to the player props, it’s interesting to see Houstan’s total points be as high as it is when he put up a goose egg in the last game against Tennessee. If he can put it all together and make a few shots like he did against Colorado State, he could cover that point total. But that’s easier said than done, of course.

Meanwhile, Dickinson continues to be disrespected by the oddsmakers. He’s scored the most points in the first two games in the NCAA Tournament by a Michigan player since head coach Juwan Howard did it in 1994, putting up 21 against CSU and 27 against Tennessee. I would go over on both his points and rebounds in a heartbeat.

If you’re planning on placing some bets on this game, what do you plan on betting on? Let us know down in the comments!