Welcome to the Winner’s Circle, a weekly column by Bet For The Win senior writer Prince J. Grimes. Here, you’ll read about stats and trends that can help you make informed betting predictions for the week ahead and beyond. Got something you want to see in the next Winners Circle, shoot Prince a message and check back next week for the response.
I can say with a lot of confidence that the majority of college hoops fans weren’t hoping for a storybook ending to Mike Krzyzewski’s career. A lot of those people would’ve been perfectly happy if Duke was eliminated from the NCAA tournament in the first round. But as we prepare for the Final Four this weekend, you have to admit the way things have shaped up is pretty cool.
Duke is set to face archival North Carolina in the Final Four, and the storylines write themselves. It’s the first time Duke and UNC will meet in the NCAA tournament. The last time these teams played, UNC stunned Duke in Coach K’s final game at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Now, the Tar Heels — who ended Saint Peter’s incredible run — stand in the way of his chance to capture a sixth title on the way out. Duke is favored by 4.5 points, as are the Kansas Jayhawks in the other semifinal game against Villanova.
