T.M. Selection: Houston / Florida UNDER.

This could work into a grinder. The Cougars offense can bog down at times but their defense is so good and will frustrate the Gators. Also, with this one being the Championship Game you know each team will definitely have their defense dialed up to their top level. Houston has allowed 68 points or less in 17 of last 18 games. The line on this game is at 1. That means unless Houston does something they rarely do (allow more than 68 points), you are looking at a game in the low to mid-130s here and that is what I have forecast. As for Florida, they have allowed 73.4 ppg in this tourney but remember that the Cougars will slow down the pace here. So the point is the Gators playing the type of defense they have thus far (or likely even stronger) means that mid-60s would seem to be about the max a slower-paced Houston team would get to. Considering the above factors and a generous total posted on this game, you can see why I am dead set on the under here.

T.M. Prediction: 66-65 Houston