At the beginning of the NCAA Tournament, South Carolina was the best bet to reach the title game and win another championship. But as we’ve seen throughout March Madness, even the surest of bets don’t always pan out. Iowa and LSU have reached the pinnacle instead, and they’ll meet in Sunday’s championship — both teams making their first title game appearances. As the spread indicates, cashing in could come down to a mere two-possession game. So, where should you put your money?
Since the start of the tournament, my record of picking against the spread is 35-27.
If you’re unfamiliar with betting numbers, the general idea is you subtract whatever the number is from the score, and that should make it even. So “Iowa (-3.5)” basically means the Hawkeyes should win by four points against LSU. The .5 allows you to pick a side, so there are no ties. In short, the team with the “-” number next to it is giving the other team that much of a lead in this figurative world. If “PK” is listed, it means the teams are rated even strength and it’s a straight win or loss pick.
Here’s my pick:
No. 3 LSU vs. No. 2 Iowa (-3.5), 3:30 p.m. (ET), ABC/ESPN
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