2022 NCAA Tournament championship game lookahead odds: Duke slight favorite vs. Kansas; North Carolina short underdog vs. Villanova

The past two NCAA Tournaments – there wasn't one in 2020 – have had first-time champions in Baylor and Virginia, but that will not be the case Monday night from New Orleans with a blueblood Final Four of Duke vs. North Carolina in one half Saturday and Kansas vs. Villanova in the other. Since the 2007-08 season, those four schools have claimed seven of the 14 national championships in the sport. There are lookahead lines available for the title game.

Let's be clear that these odds can/will change, especially if there is a major injury. For example, Kansas was projected as only a 1-point favorite against Villanova on Saturday if the Wildcats had Justin Moore, but he suffered a season-ending injury in the Elite Eight. Even if no injuries, how the two winners look in victories could shift Monday's spread.

Duke is the +155 favorite to cut down the nets Monday so as expected the Blue Devils are early favorites for both matchups: -1 vs. Kansas (although I have seen a few books at pick'em) and -4 vs. Villanova. Incidentally, Duke and Kansas will face off to start the 2022-23 season on Nov. 8 at the Champions Classic in Indianapolis.

A lot of key players on both teams currently will be in the NBA come November, including Blue Devils freshman star Paolo Banchero and Kansas leading scorer, All-American and Wooden Award finalist Ochai Agbaji. The CBS Sports Big Board ranks Banchero as the No. 4 overall prospect for the 2022 NBA Draft and Agbaji No. 9. Duke and Kansas both opened the season at +1600 to win the national title and never got longer than that – both dropped immediately after their opening-night wins in the Champions Classic. KU is now +190.

Villanova entered this season with the shortest odds of these four schools to win it all at +1200 with North Carolina at +3000. The Cats got as long as +2700 from March 2-March 4. One bettor in Nevada dropped $20K on the Cats when they were +2700 to potentially net $540,000. UNC got as high as +12500 following an embarrassing 76-67 home loss to Pittsburgh on Feb. 16. The Heels have lost just once since. They are +500 to win the NCAA Tournament and Villanova +475.

UNC is an early 1.5-point underdog for Monday vs. Villanova and +4 vs. Kansas. The Heels and Wildcats last played in the 2016 national title game won by Villanova. North Carolina most recently played Kansas in the second round of the 2013 NCAA Tournament and KU won. 

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