The grand finale of the NCAA Tournament has arrived with Florida and Houston having earned the right to compete in the championship. Both of these teams completed second-half comebacks in their respective Final Four matchups after a battle-tested path to reach this point.
Florida enters the matchup as a narrow -115 on the Moneyline. Houston holds -105 odds on the Moneyline on DraftKings Sportsbook with the game total set at 140.5.
Ahead of the National Championship, here is my favorite Walter Clayton Jr. player prop bet to place on DraftKings Sportsbook.
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Best Walter Clayton Jr. prop bets vs. Houston
While there are no typical over/under lines offered for college prop bets, you can bet Walter Clayton Jr. to record 21+ points, 4+ rebounds, 5+ assists, 4+ made three-pointers or 29+ points, rebounds and assists all for -120 odds or better on DraftKings Sportsbook.
When it comes to Florida’s outlook, the conversation must start with Walter Clayton Jr. The scrappy guard has put the team on his back for stretches and may need to do the same against this hard-nosed Houston defense. Florida is a bit limited in perimeter creators outside of its star guard and Clayton Jr. carries a heavy offensive burden, which both sides are sure to be aware of.
On the season, Clayton Jr. is averaging 18.5 points, 4.1 assists and 3.7 rebounds per game. He also has shown to be at his best when the lights are the brightest and has spearheaded several necessary comeback efforts for this Gators team during this potential title run. He is coming off back-to-back 30+ point performances against Auburn and Texas Tech and has tallied 21+ points in four of five NCAA Tournament games.
Looking at the matchup, this will be a tough challenge for Clayton and the rest of the Florida roster. Houston plays a defensive brand of basketball in which it has held opponents to an NCAA-best 58.5 points per game this season. When its defense is fully clicking, it feels as if it has 10 guys on the floor with traps and blitzes attacking each ball handler. The Cougars also rank second in defensive rating, first in opponent field-goal percentage and 20th in opponent three-point percentage allowed.
While Clayton will surely be at the top of Houston’s defensive priorities, there will be enough volume on his plate to still reach this total. He has averaged 13.5 field-goal attempts per game and launched 18 shots in the previous game against Auburn.
Houston’s defense is truly elite, but one potential vulnerability comes beyond the three-point arc. It ranks 160th in three-point attempts allowed and is 67th in opponent made three-pointers. Clayton is launching a career-high 9.2 three-point attempts per game this season and is connecting at a 39.2% rate.
If Florida is to go down, it will be on the back of Walter Clayton Jr. The 21+ points is a high bar based on college basketball standards but he is one win away from etching his name in basketball immortality and has opened up some NBA eyes with his play. Expect Clayton Jr. to play in attack mode, whether that is carrying Florida to a title or desperately attempting to keep his team afloat.
Look for Clayton Jr. to meet the challenge of the Houston defense even if it is not the most efficient path to getting there. Count on him to tally 21+ points for the fifth time in his six NCAA Tournament games and leave it all on the floor tonight.
Best Bet: Walter Clayton Jr to Score 21+ Points (-115)
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