The 2019 NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament is underway, and fans interested in betting on the games now have the opportunity to do so online. The betting lines for the event were released earlier this week, and there are a few familiar faces representing the favored teams while some surprising sides are trying their luck in the market. Let’s take a quick look at the betting lines and analyze how they are shaping up.
Sweet Sixteen
The first round of the 2019 NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament saw many upsets as 14 unranked teams went head-to-head, and the underdogs stood out with their performances. However, despite the numerous upsets, the betting lines for the Sweet Sixteen games mostly remained steady with only a few changes.
The favorites were nearly all seen as high-rated teams, and the underdogs generally struggled to make an impact on the betting lines. The only two exceptions were Georgia State and Oregon who both received small underdog boosts of +0.5 and +1.5 points, respectively. However, even those small changes do not account for the huge upset that occurred when Georgia State defeated Oregon 56-54 in the Sweet Sixteen.
The other notable upset in the Sweet Sixteen was Louisville, which defeated Purdue 70-68 in overtime. The Cardinals were a 6.5-point underdog against the Boilermakers, and they jumped out to an early 14-point lead before the game was even five minutes old. However, the Cardinals struggled to keep up with Purdue in the second half, and eventually fell behind by 15 points at one point before eventually losing the game in overtime.
Quarterfinals
The top eight seeds in the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament quarterfinals were all heavy favorites going into the game, and those expectations were largely justified. It was arguably the most anticipated quarterfinal of the entire tournament so far, and it produced one of the more memorable games of the round. The top six seeds held a 7.5-point advantage over the 4th-seeded Florida State, and the underdogs could not keep up with the favored teams.
The 5th-seeded Kentucky Wildcats traveled to Philadelphia to take on the 1st-seeded UConn Huskies. The underdogs came into the game as heavy 10.5-point favorites, but they were unable to make much of an impact on the game and were overwhelmed by the top-seeded teams. Kentucky never led and was shut out for the first time this season, losing 62-43.
The other notable upset in the quarterfinals was the Florida Gators, who defeated Clemson 64-62 in triple overtime. The Gators were a 10.5-point favorite, but they dominated the game from the opening whistle and never looked back, cruising to a 62-43 victory.
Semifinals
The top four seeds all entered the semifinal round of the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament as favorites, and those expectations were once again confirmed. However, the second-seeded Baylor Bears and sixth-seeded UCLA Bruins faced off in one of the more anticipated games of the round. The Bruins were heavy 10.5-point favorites, but they were unable to keep up with the dynamic Baylor team, who cruised to a 62-50 victory.
Baylor dominated the first half scoring 42 points, and the Bruins never recovered, falling behind by as many as 14 points at one point. It was the second-largest deficit that the Bruins had been in all season, and this time it proved to be too much for them as the defending champions fell in the semifinals for the first time in 26 years. Although they still have a chance to secure a victory in the championship game, the pressure is now on the Bears to bring home the trophy.
Championship Game
The 2019 NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament comes to its exciting conclusion with the showdown between the top-seeded Baylor Bears and the 6th-seeded UCLA Bruins. The Bruins were heavy 7.5-point favorites going into the game, and they dominated the first half, leading 35-18 at the half. However, the Bears came out in the second half and fired back, pulling ahead by as many as 10 points before eventually winning 69-65.
This year’s tournament was full of upsets, and there is no question that the underdog teams stole the show. However, the favorites did not go down without a fight as they all played well above expectations and secured a victory in the end. The biggest questions now are which team will be the last to step on the court when the clock runs out, and will the last player to touch the ball really be the winner of the game? Tickets for the championship game are available now, so make sure you get your tickets to see one of the most exciting games of the year. The championship game is scheduled for Monday, April 22 at 9 p.m. EDT.