MARCH MADNESS BAD BEATS BLOG: No. 11 seed crashes Final Four

Two down, two to go.

Baylor and Houston claimed spots in the Final Four on Monday, and the last two berths will be decided today. No. 1 overall seed Gonzaga faces its toughest test of the NCAA Tournament so far against No. 6 Southern California in the West Region final, then East No. 1 Michigan tries to end the unlikely run of No. 11 UCLA.

This is the first time Gonzaga has been favored by only single digits all tournament.

We’ll be following the action from all the NCAA Tournament games. Refresh this blog throughout the day to track bad beats, movement on the live betting line, props, halftime bets and much more.

UPDATES

9:25 p.m.: That’s it for today. The Final Four is set. Favorites went 1-1 straight-up and against the spread. No. 1 overall seed Gonzaga romped to an easy cover -8½ in an 85-66 victory over Southern California, but No. 11 seed UCLA scored the outright upset at +260 with a 51-49 victory over No. 1 Michigan. Both games stayed under.

Betting results for every game today, including the women’s tournament — full game, first half and second half — are listed at the end of this story.

Thanks for reading. We’ll be back Saturday for the Final Four.

9:18 p.m.: Final Four lines at Circa Sports:

— No. 1 Baylor (-5, 135, -210) vs. No. 2 Houston (+180), 2 p.m. Saturday

— No. 1 Gonzaga (-13½, 145, -1,050) vs. No. 11 UCLA (+720), 5:30 p.m. Saturday

9:13 p.m.: UCLA-Michigan player props: UCLA’s Johnny Juzang over 15½ points (28), Jaime Jaquez under 13½ points (4), Tyger Campbell over 8½ points (11), Jules Bernard under 11½ points (4); Michigan’s Hunter Dickinson under 14½ points (11), Franz Wagner under 13½ points (4), Eli Brooks under 12½ points (8), Mike Smith under 9½ points (3).

9:10 p.m.: The largest lead by either team was under 14½ points. UCLA +450 at BetMGM to win by one to five points. Under 14½ 3-pointers were made by both teams (six, three by each).

9:05 p.m.: FINAL: UCLA 51, Michigan 49. The No. 11 seed Bruins hold on to win outright as 6½-point underdogs, +260 ML against the No. 1 Wolverines. The game says way under 136½. UCLA advances to the Final Four to face West No. 1 Gonzaga. Both teams stay under their team totals: UCLA 64½, Michigan 71½. Michigan missed a 3-pointer to take the lead with under a second to play.

8:52 p.m.: UCLA is up 50-49 with the ball with 35 seconds left.

8:45 p.m.: Still a one-point lead. UCLA is up 48-47 with 2:26 left in the second half. Michigan is still favored at -148 on the live line (UCLA +120).

8:37 p.m.: Still very tight. UCLA leads Michigan 44-43 with 6:13 left in the second half, but the Wolverines remain favored at -132 (UCLA +108), spread -1½, total 113½.

8:22 p.m.: UCLA clings to a 34-33 lead over Michigan with 12:26 left in the second half. Michigan is -176 on the live line (UCLA +142), spread -2½, total 114½.

8:14 p.m.: UCLA isn’t going anywhere. The Bruins lead 34-29 with 15:20 left in the second half. Michigan is still -135 on the live line (UCLA +105), spread -1½, total 120½.

8:08 p.m.: UCLA’s Johnny Juzang already has 18 points to cover his prop total of 15½.

8:06 p.m.: Michigan and UCLA are underway in the second half.

7:54 p.m.: That’s a bad beat for anyone with Lousiville +10½. Up 12 at halftime, ends up losing by 15.

7:52 p.m.: WOMEN’S FINAL: Stanford 78, Louisville 63. The No. 1 seed Cardinal roar back from a 12-point halftime deficit to cover as 10½-point favorites, -650 ML against the No. 2 Cardinals. The game goes over 134. Stanford will face South Carolina in the Final Four.

7:46 p.m.: Second-half line: Michigan -6, total 72.

7:44 p.m.: HALFTIME: UCLA 27, Michigan 23. First-half winners: UCLA +3½, under 63, UCLA +180 ML.

7:32 p.m.: Tight game in the first half. Michigan leads 17-16 with 3:40 left before halftime. The Wolverines are -250 on the live line (UCLA +198), spread -4½, total 116½.

7:30 p.m.: The Stanford women are coming back, but Louisville clings to a 50-48 lead going to the fourth quarter. Stanford is -186 on the live line (Louisville +146).

7:19 p.m.: Michigan wins the race to 10 points at -140 and the race to 15 at -155. The Wolverines lead 15-12 with 7:38 left in the first half and are -420 on the live line (UCLA +310), spread -7½, total 124½.

7:11 p.m.: Michigan leads 8-4 with 11:55 left in the first half. The Wolverines are -430 on the live line (UCLA +320), spread -7½, total 122½.

7:03 p.m.: Slow start. UCLA leads Michigan 4-2 with 15:54 left in the first half. Michigan is -205 on the live line (Bruins +164), spread -4½, total 129½.

6:54 p.m.: The last game is about to tip off:

— No. 1 Michigan (-6½, 136½, -310) vs. No. 11 UCLA (+260), 6:57 p.m.

6:51 p.m.: There’s an upset brewing in the second women’s game. No. 2 seed Louisville leads No. 1 Stanford 38-26 at halftime. First-half winners: Louisville +5½, over 62½, Louisville +275 ML. Second-half line: Stanford -9, total 71½.

6:25 p.m.: The total number of 3-pointers in the game was under 15 (11, seven by Gonzaga, four by USC).

6:24 p.m.: Gonzaga-USC player props: Gonzaga’s Corey Kispert over 17½ points (18), Drew Timme over 18½ points (23), Jalen Suggs over 14½ points (18), Joel Ayayi under 12½ points (9); USC’s Evan Mobley over 15½ points (17), Tahj Eaddy under 13½ points (11), Isaiah Mobley over 10½ points (19), Drew Peterson over 8½ points (13).

6:20 p.m.: Gonzaga was +110 to win by 11 or more. The Bulldogs were 5-1 at BetMGM to win by 16 to 20 points. Gonzaga also covers the alternate line of -14½ (+220). The largest lead of the game was over 16½ points.

6:17 p.m.: FINAL: Gonzaga 85, Southern California 66. The West No. 1 seed Bulldogs jump out to a big lead and cruise to the cover as 8½-point favorites, -450 ML against the No. 6 Trojans. The game stays under 152½. Gonzaga will face the winner of East No. 1 Michigan and No. 11 UCLA in the Final Four. Gonzaga goes over its team total of 80½ with a 3-pointer in the final minute; USC stays under 72.

6:06 p.m.: No late rally coming from USC. Gonzaga leads 78-58 with 3:45 left in the second half. Gonzaga is going to cover -8½. The question is whether the game can still sneak over the total of 152½.

5:58 p.m.: An update on the referee who collapsed from The Associated Press (full story here):

Official Bert Smith collapsed on the floor early in the Elite Eight game between Gonzaga and Southern California and had to be taken off the court on a stretcher.

Smith had just set up on the baseline as the Trojans were moving onto offense when he collapsed and hit his head on the floor.

He stayed down for about five minutes, and then was able to stand up and move to a nearby stretcher. He was alert and sitting up with his arms crossed as he was taken off the court.

On the CBS broadcast, rules analyst Gene Steratore said Smith was feeling “lightheaded,” leading to the fall. He said Smith was being treated by trainers in the locker room and is stable.

5:50 p.m.: WOMEN’S FINAL: South Carolina 62, Texas 34. The No. 1 seed Gamecocks dominate as 8½-point favorites, -400 ML against the No. 6 Longhorns. The game stays well under 129½ with only 10 points in the fourth quarter (zero by Texas). South Carolina advances to the Final Four.

5:48 p.m.: Gonzaga is on cruise control. The Bulldogs lead 64-43 with 11:06 left in the second half and are -20½ on the live spread, total 151½ (live line turned off).

5:40 p.m.: Gonzaga leads 58-39 with 14:13 left in the second half. The Bulldogs are -100,000 on the live line (USC +3,000), spread -18½, total 151½.

5:27 p.m.: The second half is underway.

5:08 p.m.: Second-half line: USC PK (-120), total 80.

5:06 p.m.: HALFTIME: Gonzaga 49, USC 30. First-half winners: Gonzaga -5, over 72.

4:55 p.m.: A little run by USC cuts the deficit to 36-23 with 4:25 left in the first half. Gonzaga is -4,000 on the live line (USC +1,260), spread -15½, total 153½.

4:48 p.m.: In the first women’s game, South Carolina leads Texas 37-22 at halftime. First-half winners: Gamecocks -4½, under 60½. Second-half line: South Carolina -1, total 69.

4:47 p.m.: Gonzaga leads 29-15 with 7:48 left in the first half. The Bulldogs are -5,000 on the live line (USC +1,500), spread -17½, total 154½.

4:40 p.m.: Gonzaga’s Drew Timme already has 13 points, well on the way to his prop total of 18½.

4:39 p.m.: Gonzaga is rolling. The Bulldogs lead 23-8 with 11:28 left in the first half and are -5,000 on the live line (USC +1,500), spread -17½, total 149½.

4:34 p.m.: Gonzaga is destroying USC early. The Bulldogs lead 17-4 with 14:27 left in the first half. They won the race to 10 points at -155 and the race to 15 at -170.

4:33 p.m.: The official appears alert as he is taken off on a stretcher. The game has resumed.

4:28 p.m.: An official collapsed and is being attended to. The game is delayed.

4:26 p.m.: Gonzaga leads 11-4 with 15:44 left in the first half. The Bulldogs are -1,050 on the live line (USC +630), spread -12½, total 152½.

4:19 p.m.: All Gonzaga to start. The Bulldogs lead 7-0 with 18:03 left in the first half. The first made field goal was a 2-point shot (-345).

4:10 p.m.: The first game is about to tip off:

— No. 1 Gonzaga (-8½, 152½, -450) vs. No. 6 Southern California (+375), 4:15 p.m.

4:05 p.m.: Here’s how the lines have moved today:

Gonzaga still -8½

Gonzaga-USC total from 153½ to 152½

Michigan still -6½

Michigan-UCLA total from 135½ to 136

TODAY’S SCHEDULE