NCAA Historical Final Four & Championship Game Betting Lines

I have gone back in history and dug up the scores from previous Final Four & NCAA Championship games.  The information you will find in the tables below stems back to 1985, which is when the NCAA Tournament was expanded to 64 teams.

I was only able to find the lines for all Final Four games dating back to 2003.  I was able to find all of the lines for the NCAA Championship Game since 1985.  I’ll make a couple of notes about what I have found that will hopefully help you handicap not only this year’s Final Four, but the Final Four in years to come.

Missing Season

Unfortunately there was no NCAA Tournament, and therefore no Final Four or Championship game, in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Final Four Results & Vegas Point Spreads

Year Matchup Line Score SU Winner ATS Winner
2022 Duke (2) vs North Carolina (8) Duke -4.5 81-77 North Carolina North Carolina +4.5
2022 Kansas (1) vs Villanova (2) Kansas -4 81-64 Kansas Kansas -4
2021 Baylor (1) vs. Houston (2) Baylor -5 78-59 Baylor Baylor -5
2021 UCLA (11) vs Gonzaga (1) Gonzaga -14 93-90 Gonzaga UCLA +14
2020 None None None None None
2020 None None None None None
2019 Virginia (1) vs. Auburn (5) Virginia -6 63-62 Virginia Auburn +6
2019 Texas Tech (3)  vs. Michigan State (2) Michigan State -2 61-51 Texas Tech Texas Tech +2
2018 Villanova (1) vs. Kansas (1) Villanova -5 95-79 Villanova Villanova -5
2018 Michigan (3) vs. Loyola-Chicago (11) Michigan -5.5 69-57 Michigan Michigan -5.5
2017 Gonzaga (1) vs. South Carolina (7) Gonzaga -6.5 77-73 Gonzaga South Carolina +6.5
2017 North Carolina (1) vs. Oregon (3) North Carolina -4.5 77-76 North Carolina Oregon +4.5
2016 Villanova (2) vs. Oklahoma (2) Villanova -2.5 95-51 Villanova Villanova -2
2016 North Carolina (1) vs. Syracuse (10) North Carolina -10 83-66 North Carolina North Carolina -10
2015 Kentucky (1) vs. Wisconsin (1) Kentucky -5 71-64 Wisconsin Wisconsin +5
2015 Michigan State (7) vs. Duke (1) Duke -5 81-61 Duke Duke -5
2014 Florida (1) vs. Connecticut (7) Florida -7 63-53 Connecticut Connecticut +7
2014 Wisconsin (2) vs. Kentucky (8) Kentucky -1 74-73 Kentucky PUSH
2013 Louisville (1) vs. Wichita St (9) Louisville -9.5 72-68 Louisville Wichita St +9.5
2013 Michigan (4) vs. Syracuse (4) Michigan -1.5 61-56 Michigan Michigan -1.5
2012 Kentucky (1) vs. Louisville (4) Kentucky -8.5 69-61 Kentucky Louisville +8.5
2012 Ohio State (2) vs. Kansas (2) Ohio State -3 64-62 Kansas Kansas +3
2011 Kentucky (4) vs. Connecticut (3) Kentucky -2 56-55 Connecticut Connecticut +2
2011 VCU (11) vs. Butler (8) Butler -3.5 70-62 Butler Butler -3.5
2010 Michigan St (5) vs. Butler (5) Butler -1.5 52-50 Butler Butler -1.5
2010 W. Virginia (2) vs. Duke (1) Duke -2.5 78-57 Duke Duke -2.5
2009 Michigan St. (2) vs. Connecticut (1) Connecticut -4.5 82-73 Michigan St Michigan St +4.5
2009 Villanova (3) vs. N. Carolina (1) N. Carolina -7 83-69 N. Carolina N. Carolina -7
2008 N. Carolina (1) vs. Kansas (1) N. Carolina -2.5 84-66 Kansas Kansas +2.5
2008 Memphis (1) vs. UCLA (1) Memphis -2 78-63 Memphis Memphis -2
2007 Florida (1) vs. UCLA (2) Florida -3 76-66 Florida Florida -3
2007 Georgetown (2) vs. Ohio State (1) Georgetown -1 67-60 Ohio State Ohio State +1
2006 LSU (4) vs. UCLA (2) LSU -1.5 59-45 UCLA UCLA +1.5
2006 George Mason (11) vs. Florida (3) Florida -6 73-58 Florida Florida -6
2005 Illinois (1) vs. Louisville (4) Illinois -3 72-57 Illinois Illinois -3
2005 N. Carolina (1) vs. Michigan St (5) N. Carolina -5.5 87-71 N. Carolina N. Carolina -5.5
2004 Ga Tech (3) vs. Oklahoma St (2) Oklahoma St -4 67-65 Ga Tech Ga Tech +4
2004 Duke (1) vs. Connecticut (2) Connecticut -2 79-78 Connecticut Duke +2
2003 Marquette (3) vs. Kansas (2) Marquette -4 94-61 Kansas Kansas +4
2003 Texas (1) vs. Syracuse (3) Texas -3 95-84 Syracuse Syracuse +3
2002 Indiana (5) vs. Oklahoma (2) 73-64 Indiana
2002 Maryland (1) vs. Kansas (1) 97-88 Maryland
2001 Arizona (2) vs. Michigan St (1) 80-61 Arizona
2001 Duke (1) vs. Maryland (3) 95-84 Duke
2000 Wisconsin (8) vs. Michigan St (1) 53-41 Michigan St
2000 Florida (5) vs. N. Carolina (8) 71-59 Florida
1999 Duke (1) vs. Michigan St (1) 68-62 Duke
1999 Ohio State (4) vs. Connecticut (1) 64-58 Connecticut
1998 N. Carolina (1) vs. Utah (3) 65-59 Utah
1998 Stanford (3) vs. Kentucky (2) 86-85 (OT) Kentucky
1997 Kentucky (1) vs. Minnesota (1) 78-69 Kentucky
1997 N. Carolina (1) vs. Arizona (4) 66-58 Arizona
1996 Mississippi St (5) vs. Syracuse (4) 77-69 Syracuse
1996 UMass (1) vs. Kentucky (1) 81-74 Kentucky
1995 Arkansas (2) vs. N. Carolina (2) 75-68 Arkansas
1995 Oklahoma St (4) vs. UCLA (1) 74-61 UCLA
1994 Arizona (2) vs. Arkansas (1) 91-82 Arkansas
1994 Florida (3) vs. Duke (2) 70-65 Duke
1993 Kentucky (1) vs. Michigan (1) 81-78 (OT) Michigan
1993 N. Carolina (1) vs. Kansas (2) 78-68 N. Carolina
1992 Cincinnati (4) vs. Michigan (6) 76-72 Michigan
1992 Duke (1) vs. Indiana (2) 81-78 Duke
1991 UNLV (1) vs. Duke (2) 79-77 Duke
1991 N. Carolina (1) vs. Kansas (3) 79-73 Kansas
1990 Ga Tech (4) vs. UNLV (1) 90-81 UNLV
1990 Duke (3) vs. Arkansas (4) 97-83 Duke
1989 Illinois (1) vs. Michigan (3) 83-81 Michigan
1989 Duke (2) vs. Seton Hall (3) 95-78 Seton Hall
1988 Kansas (6) vs. Duke (2) 66-59 Kansas
1988 Arizona (1) vs. Oklahoma (1) 86-78 Oklahoma
1987 UNLV (1) vs. Indiana (1) 97-93 Indiana
1987 Providence (6) vs. Syracuse (2) 77-63 Syracuse
1986 LSU (11) vs. Louisville (2) 88-77 Louisville
1986 Duke (1) vs. Kansas (1) 71-67 Duke
1985 St. John’s (1) vs. Georgetown (1) 77-59 Georgetown
1985 Memphis State (2) vs. Villanova (8) 52-45 Villanova

NCAA Championship Game Odds & Score Results

Year Matchup Line Score SU Winner ATS Winner
2022 Kansas (1) vs. North Carolina (8) Kansas -4 72-69 Kansas North Carolina +4
2021 Baylor (1) vs. Gonzaga (1) Gonzaga -4.5 86-70 Baylor Baylor +4.5
2020 None None None None None
2019 Virginia (1) vs. Texas Tech (3) Virginia -2 85-77 Virginia Virginia -2
2018 Villanova (1) vs. Michigan (3) Villanova -7 79-62 Villanova Villanova -7
2017 North Carolina (1) vs. Gonzaga (1) North Carolina -1 71-65 North Carolina North Carolina -1
2016 Villanova (2) vs. North Carolina (1) North Carolina -2 77-74 Villanova Villanova +2
2015 Duke (1) vs. Wisconsin (1) Wisconsin -1 68-63 Duke Duke +1
2014 Kentucky (8) vs. Connecticut (7) Kentucky -2.5 60-54 Connecticut Connecticut +2.5
2013 Michigan St (4) vs. Louisville (1) Louisville -4 82-76 Louisville Louisville -4
2012 Kansas (2) vs. Kentucky (1) Kentucky -6.5 67-59 Kentucky Kentucky -6.5
2011 Butler (8) vs. Connecticut (3) Connecticut -3 53-41 Connecticut Connecticut -3
2010 Butler (5) vs. Duke (1) Duke -7 61-59 Duke Butler +7
2009 Michigan St (2) vs. N. Carolina (1) N. Carolina -7.5 89-72 N. Carolina N. Carolina -7.5
2008 Memphis (1) vs. Kansas (1) Memphis -2 75-68 (OT) Kansas Kansas +2
2007 Ohio State (1) vs. Florida (1) Florida -4 84-75 Florida Florida -4
2006 Florida (3) vs. UCLA (2) Florida -1 73-57 Florida Florida -1
2005 Illinois (1) vs. N. Carolina (1) N. Carolina -2 75-70 N. Carolina N. Carolina -2
2004 Ga Tech (3) vs. Connecticut (2) Connecticut -5 82-73 Connecticut Connecticut -5
2003 Syracuse (3) vs. Kansas (2) Kansas -5.5 81-78 Syracuse Syracuse +5.5
2002 Indiana (5) vs. Maryland (1) Maryland -7.5 64-52 Maryland Maryland -7.5
2001 Arizona (2) vs. Duke (1) Arizona -4 82-72 Duke Duke +4
2000 Florida (5) vs. Michigan St (1) Michigan St -4 89-76 Michigan St Michigan St -4
1999 Connecticut (1) vs. Duke (1) Duke -9.5 77-74 Connecticut Connecticut +9.5
1998 Utah (3) vs. Kentucky (2) Kentucky -3.5 78-69 Kentucky Kentucky -3.5
1997 Arizona (4) vs. Kentucky (1) Kentucky -7 84-79 (OT) Arizona Arizona +7
1996 Syracuse (4) vs. Kentucky (1) Kentucky -14 76-67 Kentucky Syracuse +14
1995 Arkansas (2) vs. UCLA (1) UCLA -3 89-78 UCLA UCLA -3
1994 Duke (2) vs. Arkansas (1) Arkansas -6 76-72 Arkansas Duke +6
1993 Michigan (1) vs. N. Carolina (1) N. Carolina -2.5 77-71 N. Carolina N. Carolina -2.5
1992 Michigan (6) vs. Duke (1) Duke -5.5 71-51 Duke Duke -5.5
1991 Kansas (3) vs. Duke (2) Duke -3 72-65 Duke Duke -3
1990 Duke (3) vs. UNLV (1) *No Line 103-73 UNLV *No Line
1989 Seton Hall (3) vs. Michigan (3) Michigan -2 80-79 (OT) Michigan Seton Hall +2
1988 Kansas (6) vs. Oklahoma (1) Oklahoma -8 83-79 Kansas Kansas +8
1987 Syracuse (2) vs. Indiana (1) Indiana -4.5 74-73 Indiana Syracuse +4.5
1986 Louisville (2) vs. Duke (1) Duke -1 72-69 Louisville Louisville +1
1985 Villanova (8) vs. Georgetown (1) Georgetown -8 66-64 Villanova Villanova +8

Oddsmakers have expected close games in the Final Four.  That’s indicated by the fact that only six teams have been underdogs of 7 or more points since 2003.

Favorites in the NCAA Championship Game have been a good bet historically, however, the underdog has won against the spread in five of the last eight years.

There have been some huge upsets in the history of the NCAA Championship Game.  The biggest of them all was Connecticut beating Duke 77-74 as 9.5-point underdogs back in 1999.  Kansas won as an 8-point underdog to Oklahoma 83-79 in 1988, while No. 8 Villanova defeated No. 1 Georgetown 66-64 as 8-point dogs in 1985.  Arizona won as a 7-point underdog to Kentucky in overtime by a final of 84-79 in 1997 as the fourth-biggest upset in history.

There were a lot bigger point spreads dating back further in the Championship Game than there are now.  From 1985 to 1999, there were four instances where one team was favored by at least 8 points, with the biggest being Kentucky (-14) over Syracuse in 1996.  Since 2000, there hasn’t been one instance where a team was favored by more than 7.5 points.  That just goes to show the parity in college basketball these days compared to before the turn of the century.

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