Internet Betting – Huskies Not a Unanimous #1 among voters. The Connecticut Huskies won the NCAA title on Monday as they beat Butler both straight up and against the Internet betting point spread. You would have thought that winning the title would have been enough to get Connecticut every first place vote in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches’ poll but someone put Ohio State at #1. The Huskies were three-point favorites in online betting in Monday’s title game and they defeated Butler 53-41.
Weird Voting
Voters in the ESPN/USA Today coaches’ poll do not have to automatically give the NCAA champ their #1 vote. Someone put Ohio State at #1 and perhaps that was because both Connecticut and Butler looked awful on Monday. The Huskies still finish the season ranked #1 since they got 30 of the 31 first place votes. Butler finished at #2 while Kentucky finished up #3 followed by Kansas and Ohio State. It would be interesting to know which coach voted Ohio State at #1. The coaches’ votes are public in every other poll during the season but not for the final poll. It is also interesting in Internet betting that Kansas finished above Virginia Commonwealth even though they lost to the Rams in the NCAA Tournament. Duke also got more respect than Arizona as they finish ranked 7th while the Wildcats finished 9th even though Arizona beat Duke in the tournament.
VCU made the Final Four but didn’t get that much respect as they finished at #6 in the poll. Duke was next and they were followed by North Carolina, Arizona and Florida. San Diego State fell from fifth in the polls to #11 while Pittsburgh fell all the way to #12. Falling all the way out of the Top 25 were St. John’s, Texas A&M, Vanderbilt, Xavier and Georgetown. Making it into the final Top 25 were Florida State, Marquette and Richmond.
Here is the Final ESPN/USA Today Coaches’ Poll
1. Connecticut
2. Butler
3. Kentucky
4. Kansas
5. Ohio State
6. Virginia Commonwealth
7. Duke
8. North Carolina
9. Arizona
10. Florida
11. San Diego State
12. Pittsburgh
13. BYU
14. Notre Dame
15. Wisconsin
16. Texas
17. Purdue
18. Syracuse
19. Florida State
20. Marquette
21. Richmond
22. Louisville
23. Washington
24. Kansas State
25. Utah State