Best College Basketball Prop Bets for Purdue vs. UConn in National Championship
By Reed Wallach
The National Championship Game tips off Monday night with two of the top teams for the entirety of the season set to battle to cut down the nets.
With the title game, we have an expanded player prop menu! Two potent offenses will face off, the Huskies are the top offense in the nation and the Boilermakers are right behind the defending champs at No. 3, but it’s the defense of Stephon Castle that is going to play a big role on both sides of the ball. The emerging freshman will play a huge role in shutting down Purdue point guard Braden Smith, which is a big part of my handicap in this one.
Further, I’m eyeing UConn role player Cam Spencer, who has been stuffing the stat sheet all NCAA Tournament, keep reading to find out which prop bet I’m targeting.
Here’s my three favorite player props for Monday’s monumental showdown!
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Best Player Prop Bets for Purdue vs. UConn
- Stephon Castle OVER 4.5 Rebounds
- Cam Spencer OVER 22.5 Points, Rebounds and Assists
- Braden Smith UNDER 10.5 Points
Stephon Castle OVER 4.5 Rebounds
Castle continues to see his usage go up with every passing game as the highly touted recruit continues to cement himself as one of the most impactful players in the country.
The 6’6” wing stuck to Mark Sears in the Final Four for much of the game and stifled a ton of the Crimson Tide’s offense, especially getting to the rim. He’ll face a less explosive guard, but the lead playmaker of the Boilermakers offense in Braden Smith on Monday night.
Smith is a willing passer, and a capable shooter from the mid-range, but he’ll be giving up about six inches to a future lottery pick.
Further, Castle is going to be crashing the glass to help offset the work of Zach Edey off of misses. Castle has grabbed five or more rebounds in four of the five NCAA Tournament games and played his most minutes in the Final Four (30).
Given his role as the primary defender on Purdue’s point guard while the importance of limiting Purdue’s second chances, give me Castle’s over.
Cam Spencer OVER 22.5 Points, Rebounds and Assists
Spencer is a key cog in the UConn rotation, playing about 32 minutes per game in the NCAA Tournament, and contributing in plenty of ways.
The transfer wing is averaging about 14 points with nearly seven rebounds and four assists in the ‘Big Dance,’ clearing this total with relative ease. He gets more than 10 shots per game, so the usage is there with his three-point prowess, but his ability to crash the glass has been impactful as well.
He’s well over this average in this five-game stretch, and I’m going to count on what’s become an average night for him in the title game.
Braden Smith UNDER 10.5 Points
As noted above, Castle is likely going to mark Smith on defense, which is going to turn Smith into a facilitator as the Boilermakers look to navigate the Huskies' defense.
Smith is a capable scorer, but is more than fine taking a back seat, evident in his three-point game against NC State while making only one of his nine shots. However, he contributed in other ways by grabbing eight rebounds and dishing out six assists.
This is a touch low for Smith, he averages 12 points per game on the year, but given the matchup against a 6’6” Castle, I believe he is going to have his water shut off from a shot-making perspective and players like Fletcher Loyer and Lance Jones will play more of a role.
Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.
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