UCLA vs.Memphis Betting Preview

San Antonio, TX (My Sportsbook) - The first game of the 2008 Final Four pits top seeds UCLA and Memphis against each other, with the winner moving on to Monday's championship game to face either Kansas or North Carolina. UCLA is tied with Kentucky for the most wins in NCAA Tournament history with 98, and the Bruins have appeared in 18 Final Fours and won 11 national titles. UCLA, which claimed its most recent championship in 1995, is a stellar 35-3 this season and has reached this point in the tourney by knocking off Mississippi Valley State (70-29), Texas A&M (51-49), Western Kentucky (88-78) and Xavier (76-57). The 35 wins marks a new school record for the Bruins, and this is the third straight year in which they have reached the Final Four. UCLA is led by Ben Howland, who has a 17-6 record in the NCAA Tournament, which includes a 13-3 mark with the Bruins.

Howland knows his Bruins will have their work cut out for them with Memphis, saying "It's gonna be a tough game for us. We know that. When I look at their lineup, they're just loaded with so many guys who can score in different ways. They have a great perimeter game. They have a good inside game. They really push the ball. They create a lot of havoc with their defense and a lot of offense from forcing turnovers and blocking shots."

Memphis has reeled off 37 wins in 38 chances, with its lone loss coming against Tennessee (66-62) back on February 23rd. The Tigers, who are 29-20 all-time in the NCAA Tournament and are making their third Final Four appearance, took care of Texas-Arlington (87-63), Mississippi State (77-74), Michigan State (92-74) and Texas (85-67) to their trip to San Antonio. Memphis has won 103 games over the last three years, which is the second-most wins over a three-year period in Division I history. UCLA has won 97 games during that same stretch. Memphis head coach John Calipari owns a .773 winning percentage in his eight years at the school, going 218-64. He has led the Tigers to eight straight 20-win campaigns and Memphis has reached the postseason each year.

Continued at My Sportsbook...