NCAA Tournament

The No. 1 Virginia Cavaliers jumped out to a 15-7 lead over the No. 3 Texas Tech Red Raiders in the first 10 minutes of Monday night's NCAA men's national championship game at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis.

Texas Tech fought back to even the contest, but a three-point jumper by junior guard Ty Jerome at the halftime buzzer gave Virginia the lead once more, 32-29.

With 9.8 seconds to halftime, Jerome drove the lane before dishing to sophomore guard De'Andre Hunter in the corner. Hunter pursued the basket, drawing three Texas Tech defenders, before returning the favor to Jerome.

Jerome was left open and made the Red Raiders pay for it with his second three of the game. At the half, Jerome had eight points, five rebounds and four assists.

Each team is fighting for the first national championship in men's basketball program history.

Patrick Mahomes is in the crowd for Monday's national championship game between the Texas Tech Red Raiders and Virginia Cavaliers, but he isn't the only one in attendance with quite the arm.

According to Oskar Garcia of the Associated Press, the game was paused in the first half when someone from the Texas Tech student section threw a tortilla shell onto the court. Garcia noted security had to take away a number of tortillas from fans after the incident.

🚨 TORTILLA ALERT 🚨#NationalChampionship pic.twitter.com/3xB73hL19K

— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) April 9, 2019

Nate Scott of USA Today's For the Win explained it is a Texas Tech tradition to throw tortilla shells onto the field at football games, so this wasn't just a random act.

Air Raid offense on the gridiron, hard-nosed defense on the hardwood and tortilla-throwing in the crowd. It's just what Texas Tech does.

There are no easy shots in the NCAA men's basketball national championship game.

Virginia forward De'Andre Hunter learned that lesson when the Texas Tech duo of Jarrett Culver and Tariq Owens blocked him twice at the rim Monday night at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis.

Hunter was eventually fouled on his third attempt, but he was clearly not getting an open layup or dunk.

Texas Tech has had an incredible defense all season long, and it's been on display throughout the tournament, but Virginia is getting its first look in the title game.

Meanwhile, Owens had been dealing with an ankle injury, but he looked healthy on that sequence.

After a quiet start to the NCAA men's basketball national title game Monday, Braxton Key woke up the fans at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis.

A Virginia steal led to a fast break, which ended with a huge slam from Key off a pass from Ty Jerome. The dunk gave the Cavaliers an early 9-3 lead over Texas Tech.

Fans came into the game expecting a low-scoring battle between two of the best defensive teams in college basketball. The matchup lived up to expectations out of the gate with only three made field goals in the first seven minutes.

Key finally broke the game out of its funk to help bring some more excitement to the final.

It will be the battle of the defenses when No. 1 seed Virginia meets third-seeded Texas Tech in Monday night's NCAA championship game in Minneapolis.

The Cavaliers and Red Raiders may be ready to put on a defensive performance for the ages in the title game. At least that's what the numbers say.

Virginia allows 55.5 points per game, while Texas Tech gives up 58.8. The Red Raiders limit their opponents to 36.8 percent shooting from the floor, while Virginia allows their opponents to shoot at 38.4 percent. Three-point shooting against either one of these teams is even more challenging, as the Cavaliers' opponents shoot 28.7 percent from beyond the arc, while Tech's opponents nail just 29.3 percent of their shots from long distance.

Both teams should be expected to put their best defensive efforts on display. Points and good looks at the basket are likely to be at a premium.

While some fans may be more interested in the kind of brilliant offensive show that teams like Duke and North Carolina might have been able to put on display, defensive enthusiasts will not be shortchanged.

Head coaches Tony Bennett of Virginia and Chris Beard of Texas Tech know that it will take solid offensive execution to win this game. Each team has some key offensive weapons that could make the difference and hand it the first NCAA basketball title in program history, no matter who wins. 

    

Championship Game Info

No. 1 Virginia vs. No. 3 Texas Tech

Monday at 9:20 p.m. ET on CBS

   

Virginia's Key Offensive Threats

Guard Kyle Guy

The Cavaliers were teetering on the brink of getting knocked out of the tournament by Auburn in the Final Four, but Guy came through with a three-pointer from the right corner with nine seconds left in the second half, and then made three free throws with 0.6 seconds left in the game to give Virginia the 63-62 win.

Guy admitted he was "terrified" when he stepped to the line, but he calmly made the first two free throws, waited through a timeout, and hit the winner.

Guy is averaging 15.2 points and 4.5 rebounds per game, and he is shooting 44.6 percent from the field and 82.5 percent from the line. However, he could be a difference maker because he is quite accurate from beyond the arc as he is connecting on 42.5 percent of his shots from distance.

More than the numbers, Guy has already proven he can come through under the bright lights, and after his performance when all seemed lost against the Tigers, he should not be intimidated against the Red Raiders.

   

Guard De'Andre Hunter

Hunter is one of the best all-around players in college basketball and he has a chance to be a lottery pick this spring. He has size and strength (6'7", 225 pounds) and can defend, and he also has the offensive skills to come through here.

Hunter is averaging 14.9 ppg while shooting 52.1 percent from the floor. He has also shown he can hit the long shots, as he is connecting on 42.0 percent of his 2.7 attempts per game from beyond the arc.

Hunter has been in double figures in every game throughout the tournament.

   

Guard Ty Jerome

Jerome is one of the key players that Bennett will lean on in this game, and while his best attribute may be his defense, he also has the ability to turn steals into quick points with his transition game.

Jerome is averaging 13.5 points per game and he is shooting 40.1 percent from beyond the arc. He takes the ball away from his opponent 1.6 times per game, and those steals can fuel fast-break attempts.

    

Texas Tech's Key Offensive Threats

Guard Jarrett Culver

Culver is also likely to be a very high pick in this year's NBA draft because of his all-around ability. He is a defensive stalwart and he is also a big-time scorer who is averaging 18.6 points and 6.3 rebounds per game.

Culver will get right into his opponent's face on the defensive end, and he takes the ball away 1.5 times per game. The 6'5" Culver is not a big-time shot blocker (0.5 per game), but he is able to alter shots with his long arms and that can lead to missed shots that provide the Red Raiders with rebounding opportunities.

   

Guard Matt Mooney

Mooney is averaging 11.3 ppg and connecting on 42.6 percent of his shots. However, in Texas Tech's 61-51 victory over Michigan State, he scored 22 points and connected on three three-pointers in a short span during the second half that forced the Spartans into comeback mode after Texas Tech's lead grew to 13 points.

Beard will need a player like Mooney to step up and deliver against Virginia to take some of the heat off of Culver.

   

Guard Davide Moretti

Moretti was held to five points in the win over Michigan State, but he was a double-figure scorer in his four previous tournament games.

Moretti is averaging 11.4 points and connecting on 49.8 percent of his shots from the field. He has a chance to bounce back with a much stronger game against the Cavaliers than he had against the Spartans. If he is able to follow through on that, he could be a difference-maker in this game.

Three weeks ago, 68 teams aspired to end the season with a national championship. After many exciting games, some upsets and numerous close finishes, the NCAA tournament has come down to this.

On Monday night, No. 1 seed Virginia and No. 3 seed Texas Tech will play for the national championship at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. The winner will earn the first national title in its program's history.

From 2012-17, the national championship game was decided by eight or fewer points each of those seasons. Last year, Villanova beat Michigan by 17 points. However, the Cavaliers and Red Raiders should play a competitive game, and it's more likely that this year's game will return to having a close finish.

     

Bracket

Championship Game Information

No. 1 Virginia vs. No. 3 Texas Tech

Monday, 9:20 p.m. ET on CBS

   

Championship Game Preview

Virginia and Texas Tech may be playing for the national championship this year, but these programs haven't always been this strong. Neither has as rich a history as some of the powerhouse schools around college basketball.

For the Cavaliers, this was the first time they reached the Final Four since 1984. They had never won a national semifinal matchup, so this is their first appearance in the national championship game.

Although Virginia had some strong seasons, it mostly struggled from 1996-2011, making the NCAA tournament only three times during that stretch. And it only won one NCAA tourney game, never making it past the second round.

But when Tony Bennett took over as head coach prior to the 2009-10 season, the Cavaliers started to get back on the right track. They made the NCAA tournament in Bennett's third year, beginning an active stretch of making it to March Madness in seven of eight seasons.

"When you come in and say, 'This is going to happen. We're going to be a Final Four team,' or, 'We're going to win the ACC,' you believe it, and you hope it, and then you just go to work," Bennett told the media Monday. "That's what it is."

Virginia has lost only three games this season, and it lost only three games last year. Prior to that, the last three-loss season in program history was in 1924-25, in a campaign that featured only 17 games.

Texas Tech has had a similar rise to prominence. It made the NCAA tournament only once from 2006-15.

But the Red Raiders have had quick results under head coach Chris Beard. After missing the NCAA tournament in Beard's first season in 2016-17, they made it last year. And not only that, but they made it to the Elite Eight for the first time in program history.

Even though the program had little success prior to Beard's arrival—particularly in the postseason—Beard only had one objective when he arrived on Texas Tech's campus.

"Our goal has never been to make a tournament. It's been to win the tournament," Beard told the media Monday. "It's easy to talk about, and really, really hard to do. But that's where we started this whole thing, was just trying to have the expectations and the vision where we could be relative."

On Monday night, either Bennett or Beard will take their program to a whole new level.

On Monday night, either Virginia or Texas Tech will earn its first NCAA men's basketball title.

After surviving an overtime scare to beat Purdue, Virginia narrowly advanced to the national championship game with a 63-62 victory over Auburn. Even though controversy has clouded their Final Four win, the top-seeded Cavaliers are still a deserving contender with just three losses (two to Duke) in their portfolio.

Despite taking a treacherous path through the tournament, Texas Tech has avoided late drama with a 10-point average margin of victory. Winners of 14 of their last 15 contests, the Red Raiders will look to conclude their first-ever trip to the men's Final Four with a championship.

Neither school plays the most aesthetically appealing style of basketball, but Monday's clash is as good as it gets for old-school fans of physicality and fundamentals.

    

Virginia vs. Texas Tech

When: 9 p.m. ET 

Where: U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis

TV: CBS

Live Stream: March Madness Live

      

Preview

Typically an antiquated cliche for just about any sporting event, defense will win this championship.

This matchup represents the living embodiment of the two Spider-Men pointing at each other meme. Virginia led all Division I schools in points allowed per game (55.4) during the regular season, and Texas Tech touts KenPom.com's best defensive efficiency rating. 

Although third in offensive efficiency, Virginia slows games to a snail-like pace with KenPom's lowest adjusted tempo of 353 eligible teams. The Red Raiders hardly boast a run-and-gun attack at No. 237.

Texas Tech-Virginia for the national title Monday. First one to 50 wins. Maybe 45.

— Pat Forde (@ByPatForde) April 7, 2019

Texas Tech vs Virginia for national title with a final score of 14-12

— Chris Vernon (@ChrisVernonShow) March 29, 2019

Jokes aside, oddsmakers are anticipating a finite supply of points in a nail-biter:

What are you locking in? 🏆 pic.twitter.com/l7p8gj1349

— br_betting (@br_betting) April 7, 2019

And no, it's not outrageous to still take the under. Virginia and Texas Tech have respectively allowed 58.6 and 55.8 points per game in the NCAA tournament. 

Reaching 60 could fortify a victory, but don't be surprised if each team falls short for the first time since UConn's 53-41 title win over Butler in 2011.

Someone will need to produce some offense in this methodical stalemate. Texas Tech will require a better full 40 minutes from Jarrett Culver, who went 3-of-12 for 10 points on Saturday despite recovering in crunch time. The school's leading scorer had previously tallied at least 15 points in each of the last dozen contests.

Texas Tech likely won't be able to withstand another slow start from its star guard. At least not unless fifth-year senior Matt Mooney can again match his season-high 22 points.

Virginia continues to rely exclusively on Kyle Guy, De'Andre Hunter and Ty Jerome. Nobody outside of those three guards—who produced 50 of its 63 points against Auburn—is averaging more than 7.5 points per game.

After shooting a woeful 8-of-38 in the tournament's first three games, Guy found his form with 25 points in an Elite Eight overtime triumph over Purdue before posting 15 against the Tigers. Everyone arguing over the merit of Saturday's late foul call is glossing over the junior sinking all three free throws in a high-pressure spot. 

"That was me focusing," Guy said after the semifinal win, per ESPN.com's Courtney Cronin. "I knew they called a foul. I knew that I got behind the line for three shots because I practiced that. I just literally told myself that we dream of these moments, and to be able to make one happen was special."

Everyone on Virginia's staff better buy something nice from Guy's wedding registry if he delivers a championship on Monday night. 

Texas Tech coach Chris Beard said he expects forward Tariq Owens to play in Monday's national championship game against Virginia despite being in a walking boot. 

"I expect him to [be available], but I'm not sure what'll happen," Beard told reporters Sunday. "He'll rehab it all day today and we'll see what happens the day of the game, but I expect him to play."

Owens rolled his ankle in the second half of Saturday's national semifinal win over Michigan State. He was assisted back to the locker room but later returned to action briefly before Beard decided to pull him again.

"I knew he was going to play [Saturday], even if he's not 100 percent healthy," Texas Tech guard Davide Moretti said, per Joe Christensen of the Star Tribune. "I know he's going to play Monday. He's our guy. He's our magic guy. ... It's unbelievable."

Owens, a senior, averages 8.8 points and 5.8 rebounds per game on 61.5 percent shooting but his value largely comes on the defensive end. An athletic springboard at 6'10" and 205 pounds, Owens is one of the best shot blockers in the country. He had three blocks in just 23 minutes of playing time against Michigan State.

"I'm good," Owens told reporters after the game. "We didn't make it this far to not play. I mean, this has been a dream of mine and nothing is going to stop me from playing."

Deshawn Corprew, whose playing time has dwindled during the tournament, may see more minutes if Owens is limited. 

The odds for Monday's NCAA men's basketball national championship are lower than most of the lines we've seen throughout the NCAA tournament. 

The oddsmakers are betting on a low-scoring affair between a pair of solid defensive teams to break out at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. 

Virginia is favored over Texas Tech to win its first national championship, but the spread is as small as it can be. 

                           

Odds

What are you locking in? 🏆 pic.twitter.com/l7p8gj1349

— br_betting (@br_betting) April 7, 2019

The spread is the easier of the two lines to bet Monday night since Virginia is a minuscule one-point favorite. 

Taking the Cavaliers as a one-point favorite means you likely believe they will take home the national championship.

The same can be said about a Texas Tech +1 bet since there are few ways you can win that wager unless the Red Raiders come out on top.

As for the over-under, it is low at 118.5 points, but it is a fitting number for Virginia and Texas Tech. 

Two of Texas Tech's last three games totaled under the line for the national championship, which means if you're in favor of Chris Beard's team winning the title, the under is likely your best bet. 

However, if you look at the stretch of games before the NCAA tournament, you will see the Red Raiders put up over 70 points in each of their last eight Big 12 games. 

If you believe Texas Tech is capable of recapturing that offensive form, then the over is the wager to go after. 

Although Virginia plays at a slower pace than most men's basketball programs, three of its last four games have had more than 118 points. 

In fact, if you dig deeper into Virginia's schedule, the Cavaliers rarely combined with an opponent to go under 118 points. 

Since the start of January, the total score in Virginia games has been under 118 points on eight occasions if you include the NCAA tournament wins over Oklahoma and Oregon. 

That means 17 other Virginia contests in that span have hit the over if you apply Monday's line to them. 

So even though the perception is that the Cavaliers and Red Raiders can't score, the reality is they are more capable of it and the over should be considered. 

                 

Prop Bets

Odds via Oddschecker.

1st-Half Winner

Virginia (-111; Bet $111 to win $100); Texas Tech (+108; Bet $100 to win $108) 

Even though the Cavaliers are favored to lead at halftime, they haven't finished the first half as the better team on the scoreboard three times in the NCAA tournament.

Against Purdue and Auburn, the Cavaliers faced deficits going into the second half, which is why it's tough to throw money behind them on this prop. 

On the other hand, Texas Tech led four of its five NCAA tournament opponents at the half, and the one time it trailed, it was only down by two points going into the locker room against Gonzaga. 

Based off how both teams have performed in March Madness, Texas Tech is the way to go with your wager on this prop. 

                      

Winning Margin 

Virginia's combined margin of victory in the last three rounds is 10 points, while Texas Tech beat Michigan by 19 points in the Sweet 16 and knocked off Michigan State by 10 in the Final Four. 

If you favor Virginia to win Monday night, the best bet is either a winning margin of 1-5 points at +360, or 6-10 points at +400. 

If Texas Tech flexes its defensive muscle more than Virginia and leads for most of the contest, there's a chance the margin of victory could be higher. 

Even though Michigan State played the Red Raiders close, they still came away with a 10-point victory, which leads us to believe the option for Texas Tech to win by 11+ points at +500 is possibly in play.

But given how disciplined Virginia is on defense, the better option in Texas Tech's favor is a 6-10 margin of victory at +450. 

                    

Prediction

Virginia 57, Texas Tech 53

Virginia will be disciplined enough defensively to force Texas Tech into a handful of bad shots down the stretch in the second half. 

In the same period in which Jarrett Culver and his Red Raiders teammates throw up a few forced shots, Virginia drains some baskets to gain momentum. 

Just like it did in the Final Four, the leadership of Kyle Guy and Ty Jerome will be a difference-maker for the Cavaliers, while they also find success in the paint through Mamadi Diakite. 

                        

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90.

Statistics obtained from ESPN.com.

No one expects the 2019 NCAA men's basketball national championship to be aesthetically pleasing.

Both Virginia and Texas Tech are known for their defense and slow pace on offense, which means we'll be lucky if both teams reach 60 points. 

Virginia has allowed two NCAA tournament opponents to score over 60 points, while Texas Tech has held four of its five foes under 60.

Since both programs are so stout on the defensive side of the ball, we're likely going to see one of the most low-scoring championship games in March Madness history. 

                       

Final Score Prediction

Virginia 57, Texas Tech 53

Virginia and Texas Tech's combined margin of victory in the last two rounds is 22 points. 

Both programs have been involved in tight affairs in the Elite Eight and Final Four, and Monday's national championship won't be any different. 

Not only are both teams strong on the defensive end, but they don't mind eating up clock when the ball is in their possession. 

By taking a cautious approach on offense in the first half, both teams will struggle to eclipse the 30-point mark before halftime.

On Saturday, the Cavaliers scored 28 first-half points, while the Red Raiders entered halftime with 23 points on the scoreboard. 

The deliberately slow pace won't be easy on the eye, but if you pay close attention to each possession, you'll be able to see how each team slowly breaks down the opponent in their offensive sets.

Virginia will turn to Kyle Guy, Ty Jerome and De'Andre Hunter to score the majority of its points after they combined for 50 of its 63 points against Auburn.

Texas Tech also relies on its backcourt to do the majority of the scoring, as Jarrett Culver, Matt Mooney and Davide Moretti produced 37 of its 61 points versus Michigan State. 

Since both teams are expected to receive strong guard play, they'll have to turn to the paint for offensive difference-makers.

Virginia's Mamadi Diakite only scored two points Saturday, but he's scored 14 or more points on three occasions in the NCAA tournament. 

Conversely, Texas Tech hasn't gotten a double-digit point performance out of Tariq Owens or Norense Odiase since the second-round win over Buffalo. 

Unless the Red Raiders receive an uptick in production from their frontcourt players, it's hard to see them overwhelming Virginia for long stretches on offense. 

With Virginia holding a slight offensive edge in the paint, it will break out to a small advantage in the second half and force Texas Tech to play from behind.

But even in the final minutes, we shouldn't see many rushed possessions since the Red Raiders will only be a score or two away from flipping the momentum in their favor. 

In the final minutes, Virginia holds on because of its perimeter defense and a few baskets from its top players. 

But even with a good amount of drama keeping our attention at the end of the second half, we'll still see the lowest-scoring national championship since UConn beat Butler 53-41 in 2011. 

                   

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90