Villanova vs Kansas Final Four Player Props: Moore’s Absence Looms Large

Another win for either Bill Self and the Kansas Jayhawks or Jay Wright and the Villanova Wildcats means a birth in the NCAA Championship.

The Jayhawks are the lone No. 1 seed remaining in the tournament after Gonzaga, Arizona, and Baylor all bowed out early. Will they assert their superiority here against an undermanned Wildcats squad? Check out our fill Villanova vs Kansas picks and predictions.  

We’ve looked across the various player prop offerings and have selected our three favorite prop bets for the Final Four matchup between Villanova and Kansas on Saturday, April 2.

Villanova vs Kansas prop picks

• Dickson Over 6.5 rebounds
• Martin Over 11.5 points
• Gillespie Over 3.5 assists

Click on each pick to jump to the full analysis. Each odds widget below represents the best odds available for each betting market from regulated US sportsbooks.

Villanova vs Kansas Final Four props

Crashing the boards

Villanova big man Eric Dixon is a key piece of the team. At 6-foot-8 and 260 lbs, he offers size and physicality that not many of his teammates can match. We believe he’ll be a valuable part of Jay Wright’s game plan against a fearsome Jayhawks frontcourt.

Kansas has a mammoth in David McCormack, who stands at 6-foot-10 and weighs in at 265 lbs. He’ll destroy teams that can’t match his size, physicality, or athleticism so it’s critical that opposing coaches use proper matchups if available. McCormack can be neutralized, and he has been plenty of times this season, but you need the requisite bodies to throw at him.

Dixon comes into play here as the man to step up for the Wildcats and provide the necessary physical play in the paint. We expected him to see plenty of playing time in this matchup for that reason and feel more confident in that assumption given the injury to guard Justin Moore.

Dixon has grabbed at least seven rebounds in each of his last three games and is averaging 7.5 boards in the NCAA Tournament. We like him to be a key part of Villanova’s game plan and grab Over 6.5 rebounds in Saturday’s showdown.

PICK: Eric Dixon Over 6.5 rebounds (-118 at FanDuel)

Raise a glass to Remy Martin 

Remy Martin has been crucial for the Jayhawks in the NCAA Tournament, averaging 16.8 points while leading this Kansas attack. The 6-foot-0 point guard didn’t have the impact that many expected after transferring from Arizona State, but he’s providing the spark they require at just the right time.

Martin arrived on campus to much fanfare, being picked as the Big 12 preseason player of the year. He ended up injuring his knee before the season and played through a deep bone bruise, but was rendered ineffective. He averaged just 8.6 points on the year, well below the 19.1 points that he averaged in his last two years in Tempe.

The flashy point guard seems to have finally regained his health in the NCAA Tournament, evidenced by the fact that he has nearly doubled his scoring average from the regular season. He looks fresh and quick and has stepped up for the Jayhawks when they needed him most. Despite coming off the bench, he led the team in scoring against both Creighton and Providence. 

Martin appears to be rounding into form. His points prop can be had for 11.5 at -140 across a few books and is also listed at 12.5 for less juice at others. Every point can make the difference, so we’re going to roll with Over 11.5 points for Martin as our bet.

PICK: Remy Martin Over 11.5 points (-140 at DraftKings)

Best Bonuses

Along with our March Madness best betting sites, check out the best bonuses available for the tournament.

Vet lessons

It seems like Collin Gillespie has been playing college basketball forever. The Villanova point guard has been a mainstay for Jay Wright’s team for ages.

The fifth-year senior has played in a whopping 155 career games, seeing limited time as a freshman before starting each of the last 123 games for the Wildcats. As much as veterans exist in college basketball, Gillespie certainly is the archetype. He won’t back down from the big stage and will undoubtedly be heavily involved in Villanova’s plans. 

Gillespie’s assists prop is set at 3.5 across most books, heavily juiced to the Over. Bet365 has the Over listed at -155, which we believe is a fair price and are willing to pull the trigger. Be sure to shop around to find the best price, as books are wise that this Over is catching steam.

Villanova guard Justin Moore tore his Achilles in the Wildcats’ 50-44 win over Houston in the Elite Eight. Moore was the second-leading scorer for Villanova, chipping in 14.8 points and 2.3 assists per game. We expect Gillespie to see even heavier usage as the lead ball-handler in Moore’s absence. Gillespie averaged 3.3 assists this season but averaged 4.5 assists in 2019-20 and 4.6 assists in 2020-21. He’ll be trusted with the ball in his hands in yet another must-win scenario.

PICK: Collin Gillespie Over 3.5 assists (-155 at bet365)

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