UConn Opens as a -6.5 Favorite vs. Purdue and Here Are Your Big Prop Payouts

• Boilermakers are looking for their first NCAA men's championship title.

• Defending champs UConn are seeking their sixth championship.

• Tristen Newton comes in with the highest scoring total for the Huskies set at 15.5.

• Zach Edey has a scoring total of 23.5 for the Boilermakers.

• Edey scored 35 points against NC State would pay out $600 on a $100 bet should he repeat against the Huskies.

The Game is Set

UConn, the defending NCAA men's basketball champions, opened as a -6.5 favorite against Purdue for Monday night's big championship game.  Both teams come into this one as number one seeds.

Purdue will come into this game battle-tested. 

The Boilermakers beat NC State 69-50 Saturday to advance.

"Just getting a win without any of the particulars is worth it, right? To be able to advance," said coach Matt Painter, who has led Purdue to its first national title game since 1969. "I always talk about that, trying to win a Big Ten championship. Everybody wants to talk about winning it. I said, 'Man, you got to get yourself in position before you can win one.' It's like winning a national championship. You can talk all you want, but if you're not going to play on Monday, you don't have a chance.

"Obviously, we put ourselves in a position to win one. You've got to give our guys credit. They've been able to battle back. They've also been able to handle a lot of adversity."

Until now Purdue had made it to just two prior Final Four games, in 1969 and 1980, respectively.  They are seeking their first championship title.

UConn, on the other hand, has been to six prior to this season and won five championships including last year.

The Huskies beat Alabama 86-72 with freshman Stephon Castle scoring 21 points.

NCAA men's basketball betting props for Monday night's game have Castle listed with half that number as his scoring total comes in at over/under 10.5. 

“Our identity is to be pretty relentless,” UConn coach Dan Hurley said. “We might not break you for 18 minutes, 25 minutes, but at some point if what we're doing at both ends and on the backboard is at a high level, it just becomes hard for the other team to sustain it.”

Player Prop Bets: Purdue vs. UConn

Scoring/Rebounds

Alex Karaban (12.5/4.5)

Connecticut Huskies

Braden Smith (10.5/4.5)

Purdue Boilermakers

Cam Spencer(14.5/4.5)

Connecticut Huskies

Donovan Clingan (14.5/8.5)

Connecticut Huskies

Fletcher Loyer (10.5/2.5)

Purdue Boilermakers

Lance Jones (10.5/3.5)

Purdue Boilermakers

Mason Gillis (5.5/3.5)

Purdue Boilermakers

Stephon Castle (10.5/4.5)

Connecticut Huskies

Trey Kaufman-Renn (5.5/3.5)

Purdue Boilermakers

Tristen Newton (15.5/5.5)

Connecticut Huskies

Zach Edey (23.5/12.5)

Purdue Boilermakers

Your Best Payout Props for This Game

Betting the over/under typically pays around even odds or requires slightly more risk versus reward, however, there are also some tempting payout potentials by betting on the exact number (plus).

For example, if Castle were to score 21 point or more in this game he'd pay out $568 for every $100 bet (21+ points scored).

Edey is expected to score around 23 points for this game.  Should he have a 30+ performance the payout would be $269 and up on a $100 bet.

Clingan scored 18 against Alabama.  A repeat performance pays out $152 or more Monday night.

Edey's 35 points for Purdue versus NC State would pay out $600 if he repeats Monday night against UConn.

- Don Shapiro, Gambling911.com