It's time for the Final Four of the NCAA Tournament and we will see the Wisconsin Badgers and the Kentucky Wildcats battle it out for the right to go to the NCAA Tournament Title Game. The game has a start time of 9.09 pm (Eastern) and will be televised on TBS. Vegas odds have the Wildcats listed as 1 point favorites, while the total sits at 139.
Stat Pack: The Wisconsin Badgers reached the Final Four by beating American, Oregon, Baylor and Arizona. The Badgers now come in at 30-7 for the year overall and 8-1 on neutral courts. The Badgers bring in the highest scoring offense in the Bo Ryan era as they average 73.5 ppg (91st) on 45.9% shooting overall (85th), 37.5% from long range (58th) and 74.1% from the charity stripe (38th). The offense is led by Frank Kaminsky, who averages 14.1 ppg on the year, while also leading the team in rebounding (6.3 rpg). Ben Brust (12.8 ppg), Sam Dekker (12.4 ppg) and Traevon Jackson (10.7 ppg) round out the double digit scorers for the team. Defensively the Badgers are not as strong as in years past, but they still allow just 63.7 ppg, which is 37th in the nation, while teams hit 42.7% of their shots vs the Badgers (122nd).
As for Kentucky, they got here by beating Kansas State, Wichita State, Louisville and Michigan. The Cats now stand at 28-10 on the year overall, including a 7-3 mark on neutral courts. Kentucky averages a healthy 75.4 ppg (62nd) on 45.4% shooting (118th), but they hit just 33.2% of their shots from long range (231st) and just 68.5% from the charity stripe (221st). The offense is led by freshman Julius Randle, who scores 15.1 ppg while also leading the team in rebounding at 10.7 rpg. James Young (14.1 ppg), Aaron harrison (14.1 ppg) and Andrew Harrison (11.0 ppg) also average in double figures for the Cats. Defensively Kentucky has been solid this year, allowing 66.7 ppg (82nd) on 41.0% shooting overall (55th) and 32% from long range (58th).
Pick: I like Kentucky in the game. I feel that their wins to get here have been a bit more impressive and this team has really gelled over the last few weeks as well. I feel that the Cats length on the arc will not allow Wisconsin to to go crazy from long range, which is a big part of their game. Still overall the Cats have allowed just 41% shooting and 66.7 ppg, so they can play solid defense. The Badgers also play solid defense, as they allow just 63.7 ppg, but offensively I don't see them as having the fire power to stay with the cats here, especially if they are not able to hit the 3-ball. Look for the Cats to win by 5 or more here.
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College Basketball Free Picks: Wisconsin vs Kentucky Betting
What college Basketball bettors need to know about Wisconsin Badgers vs Kentucky Wildcats in the Final Four of the NCAA Tournament on Saturday (4/05/14) - a free pick from Pregame.com's Steve Fezzik.