The Loyola-Chicago vs. Michigan betting line was coming in at Wolverines -5.5 for this Final Four appearance.
Loyola-Chicago’s Ben Richardson scored a career-high 23 points and the 11th-seeded Ramblers romped to a 78-62 victory over Kansas State to cap off a stunning run through the bracket-busting South Regional.
The Ramblers (32-5) matched the lowest-seeded team ever to reach the Final Four, joining LSU (1986), George Mason (2006) and VCU (2011). Those other three all lost in the national semifinals.
'We believed that we could do something like this - do something really special - because we knew we had such good chemistry and we've got such a good group,'' said Richardson, who was named MVP of the regional. ''Everyone would say we were crazy. If we said this was going to happen, people would call us crazy, but you've just got to believe.''
No one believes more than their 98-year-old team chaplain, Sister Jean Dolores Schmidt , who led a prayer in the locker room before the game. Later, she was pushed onto the court in her wheelchair to join the celebration when it was done.
''I'm going to San Antonio,'' she said. ''That's going to be great.''
The Ramblers won the national championship way back in 1963. Some of those players joined in Saturday's celebration.
While Richardson was the top scorer, the Ramblers got contributions from everyone. Marques Townes (13 points) and Donte Ingram (12) were also in double figures, while burly freshman center Cameron Krutwig came up big on the inside (nine points, seven rebounds).
Michigan had a tougher time putting away Florida State in their road to the Final Four with a final score of 58-54.
Charles Matthews scored 17 points and Michigan earned its first Final Four berth since 2013.
'I've never seen a team work so hard and be so connected on both ends of the floor,'' Michigan coach John Beilein said. ''Even when things do not go right on the offensive end, they were exceptional on defense.''
Loyola Chicago has won despite what appeared to be significant 2 to 2.5-point underlays in their last two games.
There is yet another underlay here as the College Basketball Betting Power Ratings indicate the line should be Michigan -7.5.
The line on the second Final Four game can be found here when it becomes available.
- Tyrone Black, Gambling911.com
